"A City Churches" by Donald Barthelme

A short story that defies expectations and forms.

Summary

"City of Churches" is a short story written in 1973 by Donald Barthelme. The story takes place in a small town isolated from the real world. The name of this town is called Prestor. The story starts of when the town's guide, Mr.Phillips shows the town around to Cecilia, a woman who is new to this town, who is interested in starting a car rental business in the city. Mr. Phillips implicated on to Cecilia that the town of Prestor is very religious. Cecilia clearly responded back that she wasn't a religious woman. When she mentioned that, Mr. Phillips told her that she wasn't religious yet, And that she was going to become religious sooner or later. When Cecilia looked at the town she realized that the whole town was made up of churches. This is how we know that this whole entire story is about religion. As Mr. Phillps began to talk about the city he began to explain how the churches also were held as places to stay like houses. Cecilia's only options to live in Prestor I believe were a church, basement, and a bell tower. Prestor is a very odd and strange town. The story ends with Cecilia being told that she can't leave and she responds back saying "Wait and see"



Themes

Religion/Faith: CREEPY

There is no faith in this short story, and this lack of faith creates a creepy tone.

It's as if Prestor is just superficial and the churches are just empty shells. It's supposed to have meaning and value and feel safe, but the effect of a city of churches is the opposite. For example, the fact that no one lived in houses and that everyone had to live in a church seems absurd and frightening. "Will I fit in, Cecilia wondered." Can anyone fit in in a city that has no place or value? Does it matter?

Isolation: NO COMMUNITY

Isolation means feeling alone, in other words not being connected. People are connected by their schools, interests, hobbies, jobs, religion, and their neighborhoods. Isolation is seen throughout the story. Instead of the feeling of community that would be expected in a city of churches (houses of faith), the feeling of the story is isolation. An example of isolation in the story would be when Cecilia doesn't know anybody, and that she can't place/orient herself anywhere, because everything is the same. She is isolated, just as the others of Prestor are.

Soviet Union: TOTALITARIAN
I first researched this story and found a reference to the Soviet Union. I thought that Barthelme was commenting on the sameness and greyness of the Soviets, or maybe that he was criticizing the lack of religion there. I thought the fact that the city was made up of churches was to substitute the communist idea of the Soviet Union. The fact that everyone is under control by one thing, I guessed would be the church. I re-read the article and realized it's not about the Soviet Union, but more about the sameness of US culture today.

America/Post-Modern Culture: EMPTY

In my research, I read that Barthelme is known as being "hilariously absurdist." (Updike xxi) Absurdest fiction gives the "sense that human beings, cut off from their roots, live in meaningless isolation in an alien universe." (Harper pp 112) This movie reminded me of the Stepford housewives. In this movie all the woman are robots and are all the same. And Nicole Kidman kind of feels isolated because she is the only one which is different. She wants to become a car dealer but everyone has cars. She cant live in a house because all the buildings are churches. Cecilia is Nicole Kidman's character in the City of Churches. She feels alienated, because everyone is the same, indifferent and with emotions that she doesn't comprehend. Barthelem is criticising American culture today, saying that we are cut off from each other by the superficial elements of our lives, like the Internet, highways, strip malls and Starbucks. (which I where I am writing this blog!!!)

Questions: MANY!

• What do the churches symbolize?
  
• How much meaning can life have if it based on a superficial society/culture?
  
• How can the story be compared to the Soviet Union? Modern America?
  
• Why does Barthelme choose churches/religion to play such a big role in peoples lives in Preston?
  
• Does the fact that the people live in Churches hide something?

Reader's Response: WEIRD BUT GOOD

This was a story that made me stop and think. To imagine oneself living in this town of Pres tor were one has no chance to be different. As a creative person i enjoying sticking out in the crowd. Personally my response to this story before I did the research on it was that it was very strange and weird. I kind of enjoyed reading this story not only because it was short but because it was all hiding the meaning and the theme. When I did research for the story on the Internet I found out that the author is comparing the whole entire story to the Begin of the Soviet Union. This story hid meaning, and lacked concept. Other than that I clearly enjoyed reading this story it was like an adventure.