Life Comes Before Death: Narative Structure Essay on "The School" by Donald Barthelme

The short story "The School" by Donald Barthelme uses subtle wording and references to death making the reader believe this text is written in a pessimistic voice, but, in actuality, the text is extremely optimistic. Unlike most stories, "The School" has no introductory paragraph because the stories main ideas are dispersed subliminally throughout the story. It is written in a conversational tone, but it flows smoothly throughout. It has a unique, contemporary narrative structure, and …

…expresses his unconventional ways of teaching the children about life and death. By supplying the children with living beings, Edgar teaches them how and why living beings die. Helen and Edgar's display of affection shows the children how life is created. Edgar states that "life is that which gives meaning to life," (537). Barthelme stresses the words of death throughout the text because in order to die you have to live. <Tab/>