Metafiction: City of Glass

9/4/08
City of Glass p.78-81

In this section of City of Glass, we are revealed the true genius of Peter Stillman and the true person that is Henry Dark. The second time Quinn approaches Stillman he tells him his name is Henry Dark. Stillman tells him that Henry Dark was a character he made up for a book. This tells us that the pamphlet Stillman used in his "research" was not a lost manuscript, but in fact a document that Stillman wrote himself. This was done as Stillman explains to express ideas that we too controversial; however, the invention of Henry Dark allowed Stillman to gain credibilty and seem more plausible in his experiment on his son. Stillman's reasoning for Henry Dark is the initials H.D. or Humpty Dumpty, the purest human being. This reference to Through the Looking Glass allows the author to make Stillman appear clever, yet mad. It also appears to relate to the title of Auster's book City of Glass a story that many ways parallels Carrol's book with many events taking place to what seems to be no end.