Life Comes Before Death: Narative Structure Essay on "The School" by Donald Barthelme

The short story "The School" by Donald Barthelme uses subtle wording and references to death making the reader believe this text is written in a pessimistic voice, but, in actuality, the text is extremely optimistic. Unlike most stories, "The School" has no introductory paragraph because the stories main ideas are dispersed subliminally throughout the story. It is written in a conversational tone, but it flows smoothly throughout. It has a unique, contemporary narrative structure, and through this way of writing, the reader realizes this story is not about death but about the idea that…