Paul Zindel, The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds

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Paul Zindel is perhaps best known for his young adult novels including

The Pigman

,

My Darling, My Hamburger

, and

Pardon Me, You're Stepping on My Eyeball

, but the height of his career was in 1971 when he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his play,

The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the Moon Marigolds

. According to Zindel's introduction to

Marigolds

, the play is semi-autobiographical relating to his dysfunctional relationship with his own mother, a dissatisfied woman who was constantly thinking up schemes for preposterous undertakings that were designed to make her family get rich quick. Although all the characters in the play are female, most critics consider the lead character, Matilda Hunsdorfer nicknamed Tillie, as representative of Zindel himself, since she, like her…

3137 words

Citation: Meyer, Michael J.. "The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 27 April 2009 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=26469, accessed 29 March 2024.]

26469 The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds 3 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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