Paul Auster, "Brooklyn Follies" - "Dream days at the Hotel Existence" (chapter 19), de "first perusal of the grounds?" a "say nothing to Tom"

Résumé du document

This passage is an extract from the nineteenth chapter of 'Purgatory' from the Brooklyn Follies by Paul Auster. The characters arrive at a place to end up finding somewhere to sleep as their car broke down. It constitutes the longest chapter of the novel which is so in a way the linchpin between the beginning of the story and the long presentation of the plot and characters, typical of Paul Auster, with the end of all things, and the end of the story. Here, dreams have names, and Tom's theory of non-existent worlds becomes real. It is a moment of lethargy which is introduced in the journey to the Chowder Inn. In what way is this passage a story within a story of the dreams in the Brooklyn follies?

Extraits

[...] Semantic field of dream: (l.14), “drift and use of the conditional form. Nathan feels so good that he falls asleep! am fast asleep” l.35 Therefore the Chowder Inn is considered like being a perfect world. - This character of fullness and of dream is possible thanks to the bucolic setting: the grass of Stanley's lawn lovely, unending grass, stretching all around us and beyond.” (l.17-18) Metaphorically the visit of the domain is the entrance to the dream dimension. - This state of fullness was indeed what was supposed to be The Hotel Existence, Harry's plan. [...]

[...] Stanley a new character is part of the Hotel Existence - He replaces Harry. Completes the trio: drift along with my three companions”(l.9) - He belongs by nature to the Hotel Existence project: The Chowder Inn is his. He's the heart of it. - That's why Nathan thinks about joining him to their dream: the other hand what if Stanley stays with us and becomes a partner of the enterprise?” (l.20-21) TRANSITION: As the dream of the Hotel Existence becomes a reality, Tom's other dream of the BPM realizes too. [...]

[...] - Therefore, there's a gap between them: Nathan lives Tom's dream am dreaming Tom's dream” l.3-14), while this one doesn't live his. He's even carefree and doesn't seem to reflect as much as Nathan. He's said to be “lunkhead” (l.54). Nathan and Tom have different states of mind. Conclusion This is a linchpin passage in the story, independent of the plot, where only the dreams of the B.P.M and of the Hotel Existence come true. Then the story is going to take a sudden turn and the different mysteries are going to uncover. [...]

[...] Paul Auster, "Brooklyn Follies" - "Dream days at the Hotel Existence" (chapitre de “first perusal of the grounds à nothing to This extract is the nineteenth chapter of the book. The characters arrived at this place to find somewhere to sleep as their car broke down. It constitutes the longest chapter of the novel which is so in a way the linchpin between the beginning of the story and the long presentation of the plot and characters, typical to Paul Auster, with the end of all things, and the end of the story. [...]

[...] Nevertheless, she has an overwhelming personality (“bigness of her personality” l.49). This is indeed expressed by others features of character such as an overbearing tone, and a and voice (l.48). But once more, the contradiction is that she always “seems ready to laugh” (l.48-49). A borning love? - Breaks with the ideal of the BPM of New York, the Nancy mother of several children. No more ethereal B.P.M” (l.56-57). - If she was the child of the hotel Existence, a dream in herself, she's the woman Tom used to need. [...]