Paul Zindel Criticism
The critical scholarship surrounding Paul Zindel’s body of work reveals a complex yet engaging exploration of adolescent struggles and familial dynamics. Known primarily for his contributions to young adult literature, Zindel's narrative style often combines candor with a distinct informal tone, resonating deeply with teenage audiences. His works frequently feature young protagonists who navigate a world disillusioned by adults, ultimately learning self-reliance and nurturing hope for the future. Among his most celebrated pieces is the novel The Pigman, which has been analyzed by critics such as Diane Farrell, Zena Sutherland, and the Times Literary Supplement. These reviews highlight how Zindel adeptly addresses themes of responsibility and the consequences of youthful actions, portraying amoral yet free-spirited teens.
Zindel's dramatic works further showcase his ability to delve into emotional depth, most notably with The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds. This play, which earned Zindel the 1971 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, is renowned for its poignant depiction of familial dysfunction, a theme explored by Mary Silva Cosgrave. The critical response to Zindel’s theatrical endeavors has been varied; while Clive Barnes and Edith Oliver praised Gamma Rays for its humor and emotional resonance, Walter Kerr acknowledged Zindel as a promising playwright.
Conversely, Zindel's subsequent plays, such as And Miss Reardon Drinks a Little and Amulets Against the Dragon Forces, have faced more critical scrutiny. John Simon criticized their descriptive yet static nature, indicating a departure from the dynamic storytelling found in his earlier works. Despite these critiques, Zindel's willingness to explore new themes is evident, reflecting an ongoing evolution in his craft.
Beyond his plays, novels such as My Darling, My Hamburger and Pardon Me, You're Stepping on My Eyeball! continue Zindel’s exploration of adolescent relationships and emotional growth. Critics like Marilyn R. Singer and John Rowe Townsend have scrutinized these novels for their handling of complex themes, but the works nonetheless underscore Zindel's commitment to capturing the essence of adolescence. Through a blend of humor, honesty, and insight, Paul Zindel's works continue to engage readers and provoke thoughtful discussion, making them an enduring part of literary studies.
Contents
- Principal Works
- Zindel, Paul (Vol. 6)
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Zindel, Paul (Vol. 26)
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The Pigman
(summary)
In the following essay, Diane Farrell argues that Paul Zindel's novel "The Pigman" is a contemporary and sensitive exploration of adolescence and the human condition, confronting themes of childhood innocence and adult responsibility with a rare honesty while also offering a serious portrayal of the elderly.
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The Pigman
(summary)
In the following essay, Zena Sutherland examines Paul Zindel's "The Pigman," highlighting the novel's exploration of adolescent morality, the impact of parental conflict, and the development of personal responsibility, noting its candid and humor-laden narrative style and effective construction.
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Themes for the Salad Days
(summary)
The critic argues that Paul Zindel's The Pigman presents challenging protagonists who, through their self-centered interactions with the senile Mr. Pignati, explore harsh realities and unpleasant truths about responsibility and empathy.
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My Darling, My Hamburger
(summary)
In the following review, Marilyn R. Singer critiques Paul Zindel's novel My Darling, My Hamburger for skillfully depicting realistic teenage characters and relationships, but argues that it ultimately fails to adequately confront the serious issues of sex, contraception, and abortion, resorting instead to moralistic themes.
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It Takes More than Pot and the Pill
(summary)
In the following essay, John Rowe Townsend critiques Paul Zindel's "My Darling, My Hamburger," highlighting its focus on adolescent struggles with sex and maturity, and although he notes the narrative's shortcomings and reliance on literary gimmicks, he acknowledges its potential and the effectiveness of its thematic exploration.
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I Never Loved Your Mind
(summary)
In the following essay, Diane Gersoni-Edelman criticizes Zindel's novel I Never Loved Your Mind for its superficial characters and moralizing tone, arguing that despite Zindel's technical proficiency, the book fails to effectively address serious teen conflicts due to its unsuccessful use of sophisticated humor.
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Looking for a Life-Style
(summary)
In the following essay, the critic analyzes Paul Zindel's I Never Loved Your Mind, noting the author's clever approach to portraying young non-conformists while ultimately advocating for traditional values through the protagonist's journey towards responsibility and conformity.
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The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds: A Drama in Two Acts
(summary)
In the following essay, Mary Silva Cosgrave examines Paul Zindel's use of personal experiences to portray the impact of a tragic home environment on a widow and her daughters in The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, highlighting themes of mutation and the possibility of hope amidst despair.
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Zena Sutherland
(summary)
In the following review, Zena Sutherland praises Paul Zindel's play "Let Me Hear You Whisper" for its compelling dialogue, unique plot, and appealing themes, highlighting the emotional connection between Helen, a compassionate cleaning woman, and a dolphin facing demise due to its refusal to participate in warfare experiments.
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Pigs and Hamburgers, Cadavers and Gamma Rays: Paul Zindel's Adolescents
(summary)
In the following essay, Haley and Donelson analyze Paul Zindel's works, highlighting themes of adolescent struggle, parental neglect, and societal critique, noting how Zindel presents the search for identity, communication barriers, and the questioning of traditional values through relatable and poignant narratives that ultimately affirm the resilience and worth of young people.
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Son of Salinger
(summary)
In the following essay, Isabel Quigly analyzes Paul Zindel's Pardon Me, You're Stepping On My Eyeball!, highlighting its vivid characters, comparison to Salinger's work, and its exploration of adolescent pressures amid American societal expectations.
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Pardon Me, You're Stepping on My Eyeball!
(summary)
In the following review, Zena Sutherland praises Pardon Me, You're Stepping on My Eyeball! by Paul Zindel for its exuberant and humorous portrayal of adolescent friendship and self-discovery, despite its occasional implausibility, highlighting the novel's perceptive and sensitive depiction of teenage angst and the path to self-acceptance.
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Banking on Lloyd
(summary)
In the following essay, Isabel Quigly analyzes Paul Zindel's ability to portray teenage life with a balance of humor and sensitivity, highlighting his exploration of complex themes such as compassion, human goodness, and the challenges faced by young people amidst adult-created chaos.
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Winning, Losing, but Above 'All Taking Risks: A Look at the Novels of Paul Zindel
(summary)
In the following essay, Stanley Hoffman critiques the unpredictable quality of Paul Zindel's novels, highlighting the contrasting strengths of "Confessions of a Teenage Baboon" and the weaknesses of "The Undertaker's Gone Bananas," suggesting that while Zindel's work is uneven, it remains engaging and challenges mediocrity in young adult fiction.
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Sweet 16 No More
(summary)
In the following essay, Joyce Milton critiques Paul Zindel's novel "The Undertaker's Gone Bananas," highlighting its use of unusual and isolating settings and questioning whether the themes reflect a sense of abandonment in young people or signal the exhaustion of taboos in young-adult literature.
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The Undertaker's Gone Bananas
(summary)
In the following essay, Maxine Fisher criticizes Paul Zindel's "The Undertaker's Gone Bananas" for its overtly sexist portrayal of female characters and its elitist and judgmental view of working-class individuals, arguing that the work reinforces harmful stereotypes and lacks a single female character worthy of emulation.
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A Star for the Latecomer
(summary)
In the following essay, Jack Forman argues that Paul Zindel's novel "A Star for the Latecomer," co-authored with his wife, deviates from his typical themes of familial dysfunction and cynicism, presenting instead a poignant, sugar-coated family story centered on a teen's journey of self-discovery amidst her mother's terminal illness.
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A Star for the Late-comer
(summary)
In the following essay, Cyrisse Jaffee critiques "A Star for the Latecomer" by Paul Zindel, highlighting its struggle to balance addressing death in a children's book without falling into either sentimentality or grimness, and noting issues with character realism and narrative focus.
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The Pigman's Legacy
(summary)
In the following essay, Sally Holmes Holtze critiques "The Pigman's Legacy," arguing that it lacks the strong characterization and story development of its predecessor, presenting John and Lorraine as less engaging and credible, with improbable plot events and a forced romantic subplot.
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Nasties in the Woodshed
(summary)
In the following essay, Peter Fanning argues that Paul Zindel's sequel, The Pigman's Legacy, while more sententious and with a simpler plot, is a serious continuation of the original story, maintaining the freshness and eccentricity of its characters and exploring themes of mortality and the cycle of life.
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Viewed from a Squashed Eyeball
(summary)
In the following essay, David Rees critiques Paul Zindel's adolescent fiction as subversive yet repetitive, highlighting a disconnect between the exaggerated, hyperbolic style of his characters and realistic teenage speech, while praising "The Pigman" for its somber narrative and criticizing later works for their improbable plots and lack of character depth.
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The Pigman's Legacy
(summary)
In the following essay, Paxton Davis commends "The Pigman's Legacy" by Paul Zindel as a profound adventure that successfully deepens its narrative through alternating perspectives, enriching the original themes and character development, thus achieving a mature and resonant sequel.
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The Girl Who Wanted a Boy
(summary)
In the following essay, Judith N. Mitchell contends that Paul Zindel's novel "The Girl Who Wanted a Boy" effectively employs black comedy to highlight the absurdities of normalcy, while also vividly portraying the protagonist's poignant struggles with love, though not without certain character development flaws.
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Close Encounters
(summary)
In the following essay, Margery Fisher critiques Paul Zindel's novel The Girl Who Wanted a Boy for its dense slang and hyperbolic language, arguing that these elements obscure the book's valuable messages about adolescent relationships and the complexities of love.
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The Girl Who Wanted a Boy
(summary)
In the following essay, A. Thatcher critiques Paul Zindel's The Girl Who Wanted a Boy as a disturbingly introspective exploration of teenage emotional immaturity and shifting familial dynamics, questioning its benefit for young readers due to its portrayal of teenage sexuality and parental disengagement.
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The Pigman
(summary)
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Zindel, Paul
- Author Commentary
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Overviews And General Studies
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Women in Distress: The Plays of Paul Zindel
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Forman comments on the auto-biographical elements and depiction of women in Zindel's plays, often comparing the characterizations in his dramas to those in his young adult novels.
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Women in Distress: The Plays of Paul Zindel
(summary)
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The Effect Of Gamma Rays On Manin-The-Moon Marigolds
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Gamma Rays on Marigolds
(summary)
In the following review, he encourages theater-goers to attend the 1970 off-Broadway production of The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds. Addressing the analogy between the marigolds and the depicted family, Barnes observes: "We are all the product of our environment, all the product of our particular 'gamma rays,' but some survive and some are destroyed."
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Why the Lady Is a Tramp
(summary)
Oliver regards Beatrice as the central figure in The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, describing the play as a touching and often funny domestic drama about a woman named Beatrice Hunsdorfer, who has been destroyed by disappointments in life. Despite her circumstances, she is portrayed as a fierce, embittered mother with two daughters, one of whom, Matilda, conducts a gamma-ray experiment that influences their lives.
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Everything's Coming Up Marigolds …
(summary)
Kerr recounts the memorable aspects of The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds and probes the desperate lives of the characters.
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The Idea of Progress
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Adler notes flaws in The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds and comments on the themes of the play.
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Female Freedoms, Dantesque Dreams, and Paul Zindel's Anti-Sexist The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds
(summary)
In the essay below, Loomis extols the anti-sexist message of The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds and points out the correlation between Zindel's play and Dante's Divine Comedy.
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Gamma Rays on Marigolds
(summary)
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And Miss Reardon Drinks A Little
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Shopworn
(summary)
Here, Gill assesses And Miss Reardon Drinks a Little as 'so shopworn in form, so flyblown in content, that one would suppose it had been written several decades ago by a bookish hermit thoroughly out of touch with the theatrical innovations of even his day.'
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And Miss Reardon Drinks a Little
(summary)
In the review below, he praises the performance of the cast and remarks on the caustic comedy of And Miss Reardon Drinks a Little, concluding that the play "is chiefly a display of bad manners and excruciating rudeness."
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No Foundations, All the Way Down the Line
(summary)
In the following review, he points out the shortcomings of And Miss Reardon Drinks a Little but offers a generally positive assessment of the production's acting ensemble.
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Shopworn
(summary)
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Amulets Against The Dragon Forces
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Overcoming a Loveless Childhood
(summary)
In the following review of the 1989 Circle Repertory Company's production of Amulets against the Dragon Force, Rich comments on the anguish in the characters' lives and finds Zindel's plot and use of mythology overworked.
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Troubled Times for a Teen
(summary)
Here, Barnes discusses the various themes in Amulets Against the Dragon Forces.
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Power of Innocence
(summary)
In the following review, Winer compares Zindel's depiction of Chris Boyd in Amulets Against the Dragon Forces to J. D. Salinger's portrait of Holden Coalfield in The Catcher in the Rye.
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Myself when Young, Twice
(summary)
Here, Simon approves of the production of Amulets against the Dragon Forces, praising Zindel's use of dialogue.
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The Effects of Staten Island on a Pulitzer Prize-Winning Playwright
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Raymond examines Zindel's life and literary career and highlights the autobiographical details in Amulets against the Dragon Forces.
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Overcoming a Loveless Childhood
(summary)
- Further Reading