In the Clap Shack

by William Styron

A military hospital is the setting for this darkly humorous play by the #1 New York Times –bestselling author of Darkness Visible and Sophie’s Choice .In the summer of 1943, a young Marine named Wally Magruder arrives at a Navy hospital in the American South, stricken with what doctors diagnose as a severe case of syphilis. Trapped in the stifling confines of the urology ward, Magruder and his fellow patients rebel against the authoritarian Dr. Glanz, a physician who delights in the power that sickness gives him. But as they seek to reclaim their identities against dehumanization, the ward becomes a hell more real than any of them could have imagined.Inspired by Styron’s own experience, In the Clap Shack is a searing indictment of military brutalization and a brilliant defense of individualism and personal freedom from the National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Confessions of Nat Turner and other acclaimed works.This ebook features new manuscripts, rare photos, and never-before-seen documents from the William Styron archives at Duke University.

Paperback

First published January 1, 1973

About the author

William Styron (1925–2006), born in Newport News, Virginia, was one of the greatest American writers of his generation. Styron published his first book, Lie Down in Darkness, at age twenty-six and went on to write such influential works as the controversial and Pulitzer Prize–winning The Confessions of Nat Turner and the international bestseller Sophie’s Choice.

Reviews

[Greg · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the Clap Shack centers on the experience of a young Marine named Wally Magruder in WWII. Intended as a critique of the military and authority, Magruder finds himself sent to a urology ward and surrounded by less-than-admirable individuals, all suffering from venereal disease. The soldiers, and Magruder, are dehumanized by the military treatments, and especially by Dr. Glanz. Dr. Glanz refuses to believe that Magruder is not suffering from venereal disease, and forces him to confess his experiences even though they have no bearing on his treatment. Glanz is attempting to destroy Magruder’s ideals, usurping his individual freedom for his own perverted sensibilities. Ultimately, this is a very dark comedy.

[Viki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written in play form, it is the story of soldiers during WWII being treated for veneral diseases. Rough and raw language make the story realistic.