By the North Gate"[Oates's] stories concern themselves with problems and situations that youth knows: the conflict between the hope of the young and the pessimism of the old; the realization of the injustices of the civilized order; the horror of the senseless cruelty condoned by society; the reality of evil, existing even in the good and the loving; brutality without motivation -- the ultimate horror; the senseless machinations of fate that condition all of life. And above all, man standing at the north gate -- the boundary between civilization and wilderness, both borne in his heart -- and striving toward the victory of which he is capable."--Dust jacket flap. |
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acrost ain't goin Amie arms barn began Berkman Bethl'em blind boy boy's breath brother census taker cigarette cold creek cried dark deputy door eyes face fat boy feel feet felt fingers forehead girl glanced goddam Gordie Grace Grandfather grass grinning gypsum hair hands harmonica head heard Jason jerked Joyce Carol Oates Kennie Kess kilt knew Kramer laughed Laura Laura's father leaned legs listening looked man's mirror mister mother motorcycle mouth move Murray National Book Award Negro never nigger night nothin Oriskany Rafe Revere road Rockland say somethin scrubland seemed Senator Shell shoulders shouted sitting slowly smell smile someone somethin spoke stared stood stopped suddenly Swan talk There's thick things thought Tintern tole town truck turned voice waited walked watched wind window woman young