The Tax Inspector (Magill’s Literary Annual 1991-2005)
At a glance:
- Author: Peter Carey
- First Published: 1991
- Type of Work: Novel
- Time of Work: Four days in the late 1980’s
- Setting: Sydney, Australia
- Principal Characters: Frieda Catchprice, Cathy McPherson, Mort Catchprice, Vish Catchprice, Benny Catchprice, Jack Catchprice, Maria Takis
- Genres: Long fiction, Surrealist literature
- Subjects: 1980’s, Violence, Business or business people, Australia or Australians, Fables, Taxation
- Locales: Sydney, Australia
In his early collections of short stories, The Fat Man in History (1974) and War Crimes (1979), and in the three novels that followed, Peter Carey placed fully realized characters in solidly constructed settings, then deftly moved them into fantastic situations. Such is the case with the transitions between life and death of Harry Joy, the hero in Bliss (1981). The central character in Illywhacker (1985), Herbert Badgery, admits he is a liar, an “illywhacker” (an Australian slang term for con artist), and he consistently blurs the distinctions between the...
[The entire page is 1670 words long]
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
Navigate
See Also
