THE WORLD AS A STAGE: ACTING AND STORYTELLING IN THE SOT-WEED FACTOR
THE WORLD AS A STAGE: ACTING AND STORYTELLING IN THE SOT-WEED FACTOR

Summary/Abstract: The concept of an artificially-constructed human identity, as a sum of masks, is one ofthe most important issues to be discussed in relation to Barth’s novel The Sot-WeedFactor. Virtually all his characters seem to create versions of, “stories” about, themselvesand/or versions of history. The number of the stories told by them throughout the novel isimpressive and sometimes comes in the way of understanding, of grasping the biggerpicture. Speaking – asserting, which means interpreting, creating one’s own version/storyabout the world – is the only way to survive in it, as it also happens in The End of theRoad. Hence, words such as “mask”, “masquerade” or “carnival” can be used to describethis fictional universe

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