The MacGuffin (Magill’s Choice: American Ethnic Writers)
At a glance:
- Author: Stanley Elkin
- First Published: 1991
- Type of Plot: Psychological realism
- Time of Work: The 1990’s
- Setting: An unnamed major American city in the Midwest
- Principal Characters: Bobbo Druff, The MacGuffin, Rose Helen Druff, Michael Druff, Margaret Glorio, Dick, Su’ad al Najaf
- Genres: Long fiction, Psychological fiction
- Subjects: Parents and children, Murder or homicide, Twentieth century, Midwest, Adultery, Fantasy, Imagination, Mysteries, Popular culture, Terrorism or terrorists, Espionage or spies, 1990’s, Diseases
- Locales: Midwest (U.S.)
The Novel
Set in a large unnamed American city in the Midwest that seems much like St. Louis, The MacGuffin is the story of some two days in the life of Bobbo Druff, commissioner of streets. The novel successfully functions on many levels; it exhibits a multifaceted complexity in that it is the story of a family, a love intrigue of the husband with mistress, a murder mystery, a tale of smuggling, and a political statement. While being all of these, it is mostly about Bobbo Druff and “The MacGuffin,” his psychological other and controlling self.
The...
[The entire page is 2912 words long]
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
Navigate
See Also
