The Floating Opera

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1956

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Summary

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-5

Chapters 6-10

Chapters 11-18

Chapters 19-25

Chapters 26-29

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Tools

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Discussion Questions

Symbols & Motifs

Breaking the Fourth Wall

Todd’s ability to stop the narrative and comment on the story he is writing is a metafictional technique that creates the novel’s nonlinear structure. Todd’s primary desire is to write about June 1937, but he gets sidetracked, remembering other stories he wants to tell. When Todd sees Jane in his bed in 1937, he remembers how they met, and sidelines the main plot: “I’ll explain it now: it’s a good yarn, and Capt. Osborn can wait a chapter for his rye” (19). Barth’s stylistic decision to let Todd break the fourth wall allows subplots to unfold, shining a new light on Todd and the other characters. We see how Todd and Jane behaved when they first became lovers, and can contrast that with their relationship years later, without needing to tell it linearly. Todd’s tendency to get off track and explain other parts of his life reinforces that the reader only has Todd’s imperfect memory to rely on. The Floating Opera is his subjective view of the world, the way every person’s story is their subjective view of the world. Breaking the fourth wall fills Todd and his world with doubt, setting the stage for Barth to comment on life’s lack of intrinsic value and it also creates opportunities for subplots, fleshes out character’s motivations, and builds the novel’s themes.

The technique also helps Todd appeal to the reader. He is the protagonist of the story, but his behavior isn’t always worth rooting for. By breaking the fourth wall, Todd can forewarn the reader about his misdeeds and prematurely ask for forgiveness. In Chapter 7, when recalling his time in WWI, he cautions the reader about his war story: “Now read this paragraph with an open mind; I can’t warn you too often not to make the quickest, easiest judgments of me, if you’re interested in being accurate” (65). Todd controls the way he tells his story, and comments when he fears he might lose the reader’s sympathy. During his moments of greatest anguish and happiness, Todd doesn’t let the reader come to their own conclusions. He makes sure to state his opinion and persuade the reader. Throughout the story, his defenses and justifications emphasize the complexity of his character.

Humor and Absurdity

Barth uses humor to enhance the tone of the story. Todd proves he’s curious and likes to observe the world around him, and, at times, he comes to comical conclusions. When he first picks up writing as a hobby, he realizes that properly researching how to write a novel takes a hilarious amount of time: “Hence my Inquiry, properly to prepare even for the beginning of which, as I see it, would require more lifetimes than it takes a lazy Buddhist to attain Nirvana” (51). Todd’s humor makes the prose unpredictable and energetic, building a comical tone. The humor continues to evolve over time, moving into black comedy. Todd’s story is filled with dark subject matter: chronic illness, suicide, his father’s death, and even his plans for mass murder and suicide. He uses humor as a respite, adding humor to heavy subject matter. After his father’s death, Todd recommends hiring someone solely because of their last name: “In 1937 he was perhaps twenty-seven or -eight, just beginning his practice, and I’d suggested bringing him into the firm if only for the convenience of being able to use the same letterhead we’d used before Dad hanged himself” (74). Mentioning his father’s suicide in a comedic way creates a darkly humorous tone. The story doesn’t shy away from dramatic subjects and employs humor to keep the tone comedic and to give characters a way to cope with their trauma.

Absurdity also makes The Floating Opera’s characters and setting distinct and comical. Todd covers decades of Cambridge history, detailing numerous ridiculous stories. An old man pours hot coffee on his leg to wake it up. Men sue each other out of political pettiness. A judge refuses to sell hot food at his restaurant for aesthetic reasons. A drunk wife dances naked with Todd. An inheritance case hinges on the location of jarred feces. Each story adds more absurdity to the world, making Cambridge a distinct, humorous location, and providing evidence that Todd’s murder-suicide plan should be viewed as preposterous, bizarre, and farcical. Moreover, by creating an absurd setting, Barth gives Todd’s cynicism more motivation. Todd doesn’t see a moral, sane world, with clear answers. His world is ridiculous and impulsive, leading him to finding it meaningless, the central theme of the novel.

Formal Experimentation

In The Floating Opera, Barth shows a willingness to experiment with how the story is formatted, a hallmark of postmodern fiction. Todd tells the story in first-person, and his story unfolds nonlinearly, making for a subjective narrative style. Formal experimentations push that style further. Todd’s actual writing notes become a part of the prose. In Chapter 3, Todd hypothesizes Harrison and Jane’s relationship and how they decided to have Jane sleep with him, and the page displays his notes:

ANTE COITUM FELIX I Desire for adventure. / II Titillation at idea of extra-marital sex. / III Reluctance to suggest idea to wife. / IV Love for friend—suggests idea of ex.-mar. sex for wife with friend. / V Titillation at idea. / VI Objective discussion with wife of jealously, adultery, etc. / VII Planning of actual affair betwe. friend and wife. (37)

Formal experimentation grants another level of immersion, showing Todd’s cognition without him having to directly tell us his thoughts and feelings. As the story progresses, Barth finds new ways to experiment. In Chapter 9, “The handbill,” Pages 78-82 feature text and images from the Floating Opera’s poster. The reader observes the poster like a character in the novel would, drawing them further into the story.

Later, Chapter 20 splits into two columns to represent two trains of thought happening simultaneously. The reader is left to decide how to read the columns. Switching back and forth between different thoughts is taxing, replicating Todd’s difficulties when writing his novel. He knows he’s tangential and can get off track and ramble, and Barth’s formal experimentation enhances this. Notes and posters put the reader into the world, and separate columns of prose helps the reader experience Todd’s hyperactive mind. Barth spaces out each formal experimentation, placing them at the beginning, middle, and end of the book. Each one stands out, and they appear at a rate that doesn’t overwhelm the story while still feeling cohesive and appropriate.