Here are some brief notes concerning T.C. Boyle, author of "Greasy Lake."
Boyle's short story is full of tension and conflict, and the characters can be quirky, yet appealing to readers. Boyle aims to mix entertainment--telling a good story--with insights into the human condition. This story also clearly traces the narrator's character arc from a tough "wannabe" "bad" person (all based on bravado) to a young man questioning his character and mortality by the end of the narrative.
"Greasy Lake" was inspired by music--a song entitled "Spirits in the Night" by Bruce Springsteen. He includes a lyric from this song before his narrative begins. He also infused some autobiographical details of his own life as a teenager of the 1960s (or as a "pampered punk" as he liked to call himself) into the story as well. Although not overtly specified, Boyle intends the story to be set soon after the end of the Vietnam War--this was a time of civil unrest, particularly from youth who distrusted the government and overall, just a time for a reinvention of an identity for America (and this could be applied to youth searching for their own identity in a volatile time).
Boyle also likes to create seemingly normal characters and settings but then something happens that transports them into a bizarre, unpredictable situation. There is always something sinister or unusual lying just beneath the surface of everyday life for Boyle's characters, and, often, an important life lesson.
http://engl611-nixon.wikispaces.umb.edu/file/view/Boyle,+Greasy+Lake.PDF ---> this is the story.
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Discussion Questions for Consideration:
For “Greasy Lake:” 1) Although the narrator and his friends find themselves thrown into an unpredictable, violent situation, what textual evidence is presented that demonstrates that they arenotreally as “bad” and “dangerous” (at least initially) as they think they are? (Give at least two to three examples; remember to place quotation marks around your direct quotes). 2) What factors cause these characters to cross the line from seemingly normal teens to potential criminals? 3) How do you feel the narrator has changed by the end of the story?Remember that this is told from his perspective only so we are only privy to his change (and can only assume about change for his friends).