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Dr. Berger
Carl Peterson is a resident of the Freeland Republic. One day, he is summoned by Dr. Benway for an appointment at the Ministry of Mental Hygiene and Prophylaxis. Though he did not ask for the appointment himself, the thought would never occur to Carl not to go—this is because Freeland is a welfare state that meets all the needs and desires of its citizens, a kind of overt and excessive benevolence that functions to crush any inklings of revolt. Carl is engaged to be married to a woman, but Dr. Benway suspects Carl may be a closeted gay man and wants to perform tests to rule out Carl’s possible homosexuality. Carl pasts the first two tests, but Dr. Benway nevertheless asks him about the sexual encounters he had while serving in the army. While with Dr. Benway, Carl has an intense flashback of a homosexual experience he had with a man named Hans. When he returns to the present, he seems to be experiencing an altered state of consciousness, suggesting Dr. Benway may have drugged him to unearth this memory and uncover Carl’s deviant secret.
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Carl Peterson Character Timeline in Naked Lunch
The timeline below shows where the character Carl Peterson appears in Naked Lunch. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
18. The Examination
Back in Freeland, Doctor Benway summons Carl Peterson to an appointment at the Ministry of Mental Hygiene and Prophylaxis. Even though Carl himself...
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When Carl Peterson shakes Doctor Benway’s hand, he realizes the doctor looks familiar, but he cannot say why....
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Doctor Benway returns the conversation to the subject of sexual deviation. He looks directly at Carl Peterson with eyes devoid of any emotional expression and explains to Carl that current treatment for...
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Carl Peterson asks Doctor Benway why he is telling him these things, to which Benway replies that...
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Doctor Benway wants to test Carl Peterson ’s semen to confirm his sexual orientation, so a nurse leads Carl to a different...
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When Carl Peterson returns for his follow-up appointment, Doctor Benway tells him his test was “negative” and that...
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Doctor Benway then shifts his tone to that of a con man and asks Carl Peterson to disclose any past “homosexual acts.” He taps Carl’s file while waiting for Carl’s response,...
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Suddenly, Carl Peterson has a flashback to a sexual experience he once had with a man named Hans....
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