When an author with a cult following like Chuck Palahniuk shows his face in Madison, scores of fans emerge from UW-Madison's woodwork.
The critically acclaimed author of the book Fight Club spoke Monday night at the Wisconsin Union Theater, as part of the Distinguished Lecture Series. The theater was at full capacity.
Characterized by his non-linear and often shocking writing, riddled with themes of sexuality and mental illness, Palahniuk explained these unconventional methods of style during an interview before the lecture.
\The reader is much more sophisticated now,"" Palahniuk said. ""So many of our nineteenth-century narrative devices like the linear story, like the big sort of cards between each scene in a silent movie-the audience doesn't need that anymore.""
During the lecture, Palahniuk read aloud two short stories from his latest work, ""Haunted,"" named ""Hot-Potting"" and ""Exodus."" The former depicted a wilderness where a devoutly holy but severely obese man was burned alive by falling into boiling springs.
The latter narrated the story of a deranged county social worker who hoarded broken stuffed animals, a misused resuscitation doll and two ""anatomically correct"" dolls used for psychotherapy for children who have been sexually abused.
UW-Madison students derived their own interpretations of Palahniuk's writing, both through his readings and simply by hearing him speak.
""It was obviously quite shocking and I really enjoyed that he told stories that no one else would,"" UW-Madison freshman Darwin Peters said.
Others commented on his permeating themes of sexuality.
""The one thing that stood out to me was that he doesn't really give himself enough credit in his writing,"" said UW-Madison freshman Wyndham Manning.
""He presents himself as obsessed with masculinity and femininity and sexual themes in his writing,"" but does not appear to be so absorbed with these things in reality, Manning said.
Palahniuk explained that all of his material draws from real-life occurrences.
""It's amazing how much strangers will tell you,"" he said. ""We digest our lives by making them into stories.""
Although his writing style is unique, Palahniuk said he has some major contemporary influences, including Amy Hempel, Thom Jones and Junot Diaz, all short-story writers.
He also stressed that every one of his works goes through a strenuous process of outlining, drafting and rewriting.
""So what you're hearing is the product of 30 rewrites,"" Palahniuk said. ""I'm glad I don't have to hear it like that; I think that would be far too overwhelming.\
