The World's Fair: A Picaresque Novel

The World's Fair is Biography/Fiction. 1937-39 is the time frame. The place is Ottawa ON and Gatineau Que. It is the story of Michael Maguire in search of his legitimate father. His story is peopled with colorful characters of Irish, French and Algonquin lineage. The plot emerges effortlessly through the characters, finally leading us to the shocking truth of Michael's paternity. In the face of emotional disaster, the book ends on an optimistic note. Picaresque comes from Picaresca then shortened to Picaro meaning rascal or rogue. This style of novel originated in 16th century Spain and flourished throughout Europe in the 17th and 18th century. It continues to influence modern literature today. It adopts a style of realism with shades of comedy and satire. The plot emerges as a result of the thoughts and actions of the characters. The Adventures of Augie March by Saul Bellow is a prime modern day example of Picaresque writing. "If I understand it," Bellow said, "you can understand it too."