Understanding John Haskell’s “Prostitutes’ Superior”

John Haskell’s “Prostitutes’ Superior” is a fragmented, experimental novel that defies conventional storytelling. Published in 2003, it explores themes of identity, desire, and the blurred lines between reality and performance through interconnected vignettes centered around performers, prostitutes, and seekers in a nameless city. It demands active reading, challenging perceptions of narrative coherence and character development.

What is the Core Subject Matter of “Prostitutes’ Superior”?

At its heart, “Prostitutes’ Superior” examines the performative nature of identity and human connection within urban alienation. Haskell constructs a dreamlike, often disorienting tapestry of characters whose lives intersect tangentially. The novel doesn’t follow a linear plot but instead presents a series of loosely connected scenes and monologues. Key figures include a circus performer losing her sense of self, a man obsessed with a prostitute named Marie, a detective investigating disappearances, and individuals grappling with profound loneliness and existential yearning. The “Superior” in the title suggests a state of transcendence or heightened awareness these characters strive for, often through physical acts or emotional surrender, but which remains elusive. The city itself acts as a character—a labyrinthine, indifferent space where anonymity and fleeting encounters dominate.

How Does Haskell Structure the Narrative?

Haskell employs a deliberately fragmented and non-linear structure. The novel unfolds through short, often disjointed chapters, shifting perspectives abruptly. This mirrors the characters’ fragmented identities and the chaotic, isolating nature of their environment. There is no traditional rising action or climax; tension arises from the accumulation of disconnection and the pervasive sense of searching. Time is fluid and ill-defined, contributing to the surreal atmosphere. This structure forces readers to actively piece together meaning and connections, making the reading experience itself a reflection of the characters’ struggles to understand their world and themselves.

Who are the Central Characters and What Do They Represent?

Characters serve less as fully realized individuals and more as archetypes or vessels for exploring specific states of being.

The Performer (Clara/Lily): Represents the dissolution of identity through performance. Her struggle to distinguish her stage persona from her true self highlights the novel’s theme of authenticity.
The Seeker (The Man/Observer): Embodies obsessive desire and the futile search for meaning or connection, often fixated on Marie. His perspective drives much of the fragmented narrative.
Marie (The Prostitute): Functions as an enigmatic figure of desire, mystery, and projection. She is less a person and more an idealized (or demonized) symbol for the seekers, representing the unattainable “Superior” state.
The Detective: Represents the futile search for order, logic, and definitive answers in a world characterized by ambiguity and disappearance.

Characters frequently lack fixed names or backgrounds, emphasizing their symbolic function and the universality of their plights.

What are the Major Themes Explored in the Novel?

The novel delves deeply into the performative self, the nature of desire, alienation, and the search for transcendence. Haskell questions where the “act” ends and the “real” person begins, particularly through characters like the performer. Desire is portrayed not as fulfilling love, but as a consuming, often destructive force that isolates rather than connects. The pervasive urban setting amplifies themes of profound loneliness and disconnection despite physical proximity. The elusive “Superior” state represents a yearning for something beyond the mundane – be it ecstasy, understanding, oblivion, or true connection – that the characters desperately pursue but rarely, if ever, grasp. This pursuit often manifests physically, linking bodies and identities.

How Does the Novel Explore Identity and Performance?

Identity is presented as fluid, unstable, and inherently performative. Characters consciously adopt roles (performer, detective, client) but often find these roles consuming them. Clara/Lily explicitly grapples with losing herself in her act. The seekers perform roles of desiring individuals. Even Marie is perceived through the performative role of the prostitute, masking her potential inner self. Haskell suggests that in the modern, alienated world, identity is less a fixed core and more a series of masks worn in response to circumstance and desire. The fragmentation of the narrative structure directly mirrors this fragmentation of the self.

What is the Significance of the “Superior” State?

The “Superior” represents an unattainable ideal – a moment of pure being, connection, or understanding beyond the fractured self and the isolating city. It’s linked to moments of intense physical sensation, emotional surrender, or artistic transcendence. For the seeker obsessed with Marie, *she* embodies this state. For the performer, it might be the perfect moment in the ring where self-consciousness vanishes. However, the novel consistently shows this state as fleeting, illusory, or misinterpreted. Its pursuit often leads to further disintegration or disappointment, highlighting the tragic or futile aspect of the characters’ quests. The title itself is ironic, suggesting a hierarchy or attainment that remains perpetually out of reach.

How Does “Prostitutes’ Superior” Fit Within Literary Context?

Haskell’s work is firmly situated within postmodern and experimental fiction traditions. It shares affinities with:

Fragmentation & Subjectivity: Like works by Faulkner, Woolf, or later postmodernists (Pynchon, DeLillo), Haskell rejects linear narrative, embracing fragmented perspectives to reflect inner states and modern chaos.
Urban Alienation: It echoes the themes of modernists like Eliot (“The Waste Land”) and Baudelaire, portraying the city as a space of anonymity and disconnection.
Focus on Performance & Identity: Connects to thinkers like Goffman (sociology) and postmodern critiques of the stable self. Shares ground with authors exploring similar themes, such as Don DeLillo or Paul Auster.
Minimalism & Lyricism: Haskell’s prose is often sparse yet poetic, reminiscent of minimalists like Carver but infused with a dreamlike, sometimes surreal lyricism akin to early Marguerite Duras or Alain Robbe-Grillet (Nouveau Roman).

It stands out for its intense focus on the body as a site of both performance and the search for transcendence, blending physicality with metaphysical yearning in a distinctly contemporary way.

How Does Haskell’s Style Contribute to the Novel’s Impact?

Haskell employs sparse, precise, yet evocative prose that oscillates between detachment and sudden bursts of lyrical intensity. Sentences are often short and declarative, creating a sense of immediacy and fragmentation. Descriptions focus on sensory details – the feel of a costume, the glare of lights, the texture of skin – grounding the abstract themes in physical reality. The shifts in perspective are abrupt, refusing reader comfort. This style masterfully creates the novel’s signature atmosphere: disorienting, hypnotic, emotionally resonant yet coolly observed. It forces readers into an active, participatory role, mirroring the characters’ own struggles for coherence.

How Was “Prostitutes’ Superior” Received by Critics?

Reception was polarized, praising its ambition and style but divided on its accessibility and emotional impact.

Praise: Critics lauded its bold formal experimentation, unique and haunting atmosphere, evocative prose, and profound exploration of identity and desire. Many recognized it as a significant work of literary innovation. Phrases like “hypnotic,” “achingly beautiful,” and “fearlessly fragmented” were common.
Criticism: Detractors found it frustratingly opaque, emotionally cold, and overly reliant on style at the expense of character depth or narrative engagement. The fragmented structure was seen by some as alienating rather than illuminating. The lack of traditional plot and clear resolution proved challenging for many readers.
Legacy: Despite initial division, it has gained a cult following and is increasingly studied as a noteworthy example of early 21st-century experimental fiction. It cemented Haskell’s reputation as a writer unafraid to challenge conventions.

The novel remains more respected in literary/academic circles than widely popular, often described as a “writer’s writer” book.

Why is the Novel Considered Challenging Yet Rewarding?

Its difficulty lies in rejecting traditional storytelling, demanding readers relinquish expectations for plot and character. The fragmentation, shifting perspectives, and elusive themes require patience and active interpretation. However, the rewards come precisely from engaging with this challenge. Readers who surrender to its rhythm discover:

A profound meditation on universal human experiences (desire, isolation, the search for self).
A uniquely immersive and atmospheric depiction of a psychological and emotional landscape.
Stunningly beautiful and precise prose.
A deeply resonant, albeit unsettling, portrayal of modern alienation.
Intellectual stimulation through its formal innovation and thematic depth.

It rewards rereading, revealing new connections and layers of meaning upon each encounter.

How Should Readers Approach Interpreting “Prostitutes’ Superior”?

Focus less on “solving” the plot and more on experiencing the atmosphere, language, and thematic resonances. Embrace the ambiguity and fragmentation as integral to the novel’s meaning. Pay close attention to:

Recurring Motifs: Light/shadow, masks/costumes, bodies (especially skin, hands, eyes), falling/flying, disappearance, mirrors/reflections.
Sensory Language: Haskell meticulously describes textures, sounds, sights, and physical sensations. How do these descriptions evoke emotion or theme?
Shifts in Voice/Perspective: Notice when the narrative voice changes. Who is speaking? How is perspective limited or distorted?
Connections (Even Fleeting): How do characters or scenes echo each other? Look for thematic parallels rather than causal plot links.
The City: Treat the setting as a character. How does its description contribute to mood and theme?

Don’t expect definitive answers; instead, reflect on the questions the novel raises about self, desire, and connection.

What are Common Misinterpretations or Mistakes to Avoid?

Avoid forcing a conventional narrative or moral judgment onto the text.

Mistake: Trying to pin down a single, linear plot or demanding clear character backstories.
Mistake: Reading it solely as a gritty “realist” portrayal of prostitution or circus life. It’s more symbolic and existential.
Mistake: Dismissing it as pointless because it lacks a traditional resolution. The lack of resolution *is* the point.
Mistake: Overlooking the lyrical beauty because of the fragmentation or dark themes.
Mistake: Assuming the “Superior” state is purely sexual or religious. It encompasses a broader, more elusive yearning.
Mistake: Ignoring the role of the reader’s own projections and interpretations in constructing meaning from the fragments.

Approach it as a poetic, experiential work rather than a social document or thriller.

How Does “Prostitutes’ Superior” Compare to Other Experimental Novels?

It shares formal daring with key postmodern works but carves its own niche through its intense focus on embodiment and atmosphere.

Compared to Paul Auster’s “New York Trilogy”:

Similarities: Urban setting (NYC), detectives, identity dissolution, metafictional elements, existential mystery.
Differences: Haskell is less overtly puzzle-like and metafictional than Auster. His prose is more consistently lyrical and sensual, focusing more intensely on physical presence and the body. Auster’s work often feels more cerebral.

Compared to Don DeLillo’s Later Works (e.g., “The Body Artist”):

Similarities: Exploration of grief, performance, time, fragmented identity, spare prose, haunting atmosphere.
Differences: DeLillo often engages more directly with contemporary media and global systems. Haskell’s scope feels more intimate, claustrophobic, and focused on primal sensations and desires. DeLillo’s fragmentation often serves a broader cultural critique, while Haskell’s feels more psychological.

Compared to Marguerite Duras’s “The Lover” or “The Ravishing of Lol Stein”:

Similarities: Lyrical, fragmented prose; obsession with memory, desire, and elusive figures; haunting, dreamlike atmosphere; exploration of female experience (though Haskell has multiple perspectives).
Differences: Duras often roots her narratives more firmly in specific biographical or historical contexts (French colonialism). Haskell’s setting is deliberately vague and universal. Duras’s work often feels more overtly autobiographical in its emotional core.

Why is “Prostitutes’ Superior” Considered Significant?

It stands as a bold testament to the power of literary form to embody complex psychological and existential states. Its significance lies in:

Formal Innovation: Pushing the boundaries of narrative structure to authentically represent fragmentation and alienation.
Unique Atmosphere: Creating an immersive, unsettling, and deeply memorable sensory and emotional world.
Provocative Themes: Offering a raw, unsentimental, and profound exploration of identity-as-performance and the consuming nature of desire.
Lyrical Precision: Demonstrating masterful control of language, balancing minimalism with poetic intensity.
Enduring Challenge: Refusing easy consumption, demanding engagement and rewarding thoughtful rereading, ensuring its continued relevance for readers interested in the possibilities of the novel.

While not universally embraced, it remains a powerful, unsettling, and artistically vital work that continues to provoke discussion about what fiction can and should do.

Prostitutes’ Superior: Unpacking John Haskell’s Provocative Novel