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Symbolic Games in *A Garden of Earthly Delights* by Joyce Carol Oates

The Arts

Symbolic Games in *A Garden of Earthly Delights* by Joyce Carol Oates

D. O. Horvath

Explore how postmodern thought influences Joyce Carol Oates' *Wonderland Quartet*, particularly in *A Garden of Earthly Delights*. This research by Dorota Olivia Horvath delves into the contrasting approaches of Lewis Carroll's Alice and Oates' Clara, revealing themes of chaos, authority, and strategic manipulation through the lens of Deleuze's concept of postmodern games.

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Playback language: English
Abstract
This article examines the role of postmodern thought in Joyce Carol Oates' *Wonderland Quartet*, focusing on the opening novel, *A Garden of Earthly Delights*. It explores the influence of Lewis Carroll's *Alice* texts on Oates' work, interpreting the depiction of decentralized permissiveness and rejection of authority through Gilles Deleuze's concept of postmodern games. The paper contrasts Carroll's Alice, who seeks order, with Oates' Clara, who embraces chaos to escape her disadvantaged circumstances. The analysis centers on how Oates aestheticizes violence and uses card game imagery to illustrate Clara's fictional power games and her strategic manipulation of relationships.
Publisher
Humanities & Social Sciences Communications
Published On
Jan 01, 2022
Authors
Dorota Olivia Horvath
Tags
postmodern thought
Joyce Carol Oates
Wonderland Quartet
A Garden of Earthly Delights
Lewis Carroll
chaos
violent aesthetics

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