By depicting the maze and the fingerprint side by side, it is implied that these two are connected: the fingerprint is a widely known symbol of identity. This story takes place in New York City, which was described as “a labyrinth of endless steps” (4). Quinn no longer existed for anyone but himself” (3). Quinn’s own life was not enough for him at that point – pretending to be the “detective” Paul Auster allowed him to turn into someone else, and served as a distraction from his real life.Īt the very beginning, the concept of Daniel Quinn having many self identities is introduced: “He now wrote mystery novels under the name of William Wilson. Having nothing better to do, Quinn accepts the assignment and introduces himself to Virginia Paul Auster.

She asks for a man named Paul Auster, a name that Quinn hadn’t heard before. Quinn is granted the opportunity to assume a brand new identity when he begins receiving the calls from Virginia Stillman. He walked around his apartment naked, and his life was void of meaning. Daniel Quinn’s true identity appears very skewed right off the bat – “A part of him had died” (3). This serves as proof that if we lose these key factors of ourselves, we can possibly lose the very core of our identity. The story begins after his wife and son have passed away due to an unstated cause, and lands on a version of Daniel Quinn that appears to be lethargic, hopeless, and without purpose. Quinn’s identity is comprised of a few different factors: Father, husband, and writer. It is apparent that the concept of identity is Daniel Quinn’s biggest struggle from the very beginning, and it lasts until the end of the story at which point he is a completely changed person. Within this story, the theme of identity is woven throughout the story in a brilliant way. This is what happens to the character Daniel Quinn in Paul Auster’s City of Glass.

The city of glass book