What is the main conflict in Lost in the Funhouse by John Barth?

Lost in the Funhouse is a post-modern collection of short stories published in 1963. John Barth is considered one of the premier American post-modern writers and his fiction has been studied extensively over the past 50 years. The title piece is perhaps the most famous and has become synonymous with the post-modern literary canon. In the introduction to the book, John Barth explains all of the pieces can be read separately, but that the order of the book is laid out in a particular way on purpose and the stories are really meant to be read, or performed, in that order. Barth experimented with different styles of writing based on the style with which he intended for it to be read or performed. Certain stories should be read quietly, on an individual basis, while others are meant to be read aloud, listened to from a recording, or performed by several players.