Concerning the Bodyguard by Donald Barthelme

And I will always looooove yoooou! - Whitney Houston 

You might think that a short story written almost entirely as a series of repetitive questions would be doomed to fail but Donald Barthelme, the king of playful literary experimentation, actually pulls it off with great aplomb. Concerning the Bodyguard is amusing, esoteric, politically irreverent and has just the right amount of ambiguous intrigue without becoming overbearing with all the questions, which is quite impressive. 

If for nothing else, the author's technical approach is memorable, accomplishing a difficult task that consistently and playfully amuses. The plethora of unanswered questions attempts to sculpt this individual as an artistic symbol in contrast to the wealthy, corrupt and powerful man that he protects. The narrator's interminable queries mainly serve to evoke ambiguity, continually documenting the bodyguard's gradual realization of being exploited and his complicit actions to shield this tyrant from harm. The narrative is self-consciously absurd and yet, the subject matter is rooted in the criticism of modern life and human identity through the shifting roles adopted by the titular bodyguard. As an explicit rejection of narrative conventionally, Barthelme is more concerned with presenting a playful philosophical meditation on identity, subjectivity and purpose in a conforming and repressive society that has become meaningless. 

Would I consider this to be one of Barthelme's best works? Probably not. But you're bound to appreciate it a lot more if you happen to be familiar with the author's work.