Helene And Roger example essay topic

1. One Fat English Man 2. The author of the novel is Kingsley Amis, copyright 1963.3. Kingsley Amis was a British writer from England. 4. Major Characters Roger Micheldene is the man the book focuses primarily upon.

He is a shortish fat Englishman of forty (6) and a publisher. Of the seven deadly sins Roger considers himself to be gluttony, sloth and lust. He considers himself most qualified in the sin of anger (8). He is so fat that his hips have fused together and he is forced to wear a brace. He also drinks excessively and uses Snuff. His drink of preference is gin with water added and no ice.

He has a wife in England, but still enjoys interludes with women. His character does not change within the novel. He remains a selfish, fat, Englishman who is quick to anger, is willing to cheat on his wife whenever possible and drinks heavily. Thus he considered a round, fully developed, but static character. Through out the novel he seems to be drawn by a need to receive love from women, although he discounts their thoughts and general stature. Through all his encounters he seeks love from Helene far more than the others.

He feels he is a great man when he conquerors her. Helene Bang was born in Denmark, but her parents brought her to America when she was ten. She settles with her family in Idaho. When she was twenty-one, while on a visit in Denmark, she met Ernst Bang. She married Ernst and moved back to America with him. Although she was born in Denmark she considers herself an American.

She is a very attractive woman; many of the male students at Budweiser find her attractive, too. She is a round character, but still static. She lives a life endeared to her husband and son through out the novel. Even in her affair at the end of the novel with Irving she still claims sh cannot lie to her husband. However, she confirms she is not in love with Roger, when I go to bed with you I [simply] feel less sorry for you (185). Irving Mac her is a brilliant young Jewish kid from New York who attends Budweiser.

(9). He is the author of a bizarre novel, Bli kie Heaven, which Joe asked Roger to critique and publish. Physically he is described by Roger as brown-haired freckled, with a mild crew-cut with nothing noticeable about him but a pair of restless grey eyes (11). He is a round character; Amis develops him through various encounters with Roger, but static also.

He is Rogers antagonist. Every time Roget tries to win the love of Helene he steps in to mess things up. For example, he steals Rogers lecture notes before Roger is to give a speech before a few hundred men, is apart of a trick that involves a young lady biting Rogers neck and takes Helene to New York. He is a young who is ready to argue, but also willing to admit his weaknesses. 5.

Minor Characters Ernst Bang is a Germanic philologist, who was originally from Denmark. He moved to America after taking a leave from Copenhagen, a university he taught at in Denmark, and received a years appointment at Budweiser. He is married to Helene. In Rogers mind Ernst is the only thing standing between him and Helene. He is young and attractive. He is also very trusting, and does not suspect Roger is having an affair with Helene.

Arthur Bang is the son of Helene and Ernst. He attends a farm school and has especially high aptitudes and study habits. He is important because he spoils a lot of Rogers romantic plans. For example, on Halloween Helene uses the excuse that Arthur would be home too soon from school for the two to carry out a physical part of the affair (57).

Mollie Atkins is married to Strode Atkins, who considers himself an Englishman. The two seem happily married. However, she has numerous affairs, including one with Roger. She is drunk one of the last times that she sees Roger. Father Colgate is a priest at Budweiser. He is a flamboyantly handsome and muscular man of thirty, dressed in well-tailored clerical garb (88).

He has a serious concern for Rogers current state of being and worries over his soul. Father Colgate is added to the novel to symbolize the constant battle Roger has between whats right, Gods way, and what he does. 6. Three Main Settings Joe Derlangers home is one of the most important settings within the work. It is here that Roger is reunited with Helene and also has his first physical encounter with Mollie Atkins. Roger arranges to meet with Mollie at a later time and to call Helene.

It is here, too, that the group freely speaks about English men and bash on the British. For example, in a charade game they played the group acted out the word Brutishly. The whole gang, including Helene, managed to make Roger feel degraded (25). The author uses this moderately neutral atmosphere to acquaint the characters in a relatively short time span and allows Rogers mind to wander, divulging the past.

The Bangs home is where Helene and Roger carry out their affair. The author specifically uses this setting because he is pointing out the fact Roger cares for no one but himself. Ernst trusts Roger enough to let him stay with his family, and Roger repays him by sleeping with his wife. This also puts Helene in an awkward situation. She is forced to deal with hiding the truth from her son, too. Despite the awkward conditions the two manage to continue with their passionate interludes.

The atmosphere advances the plot in that Roger uses the home as a base and continues experiencing the various aspects of America and women while always returning to the room located next to Helene and Ernst. Atkins apartment in New York is a setting that the author first introduces at Joes party, but is not an intricate part of the novel until close to the end. Strode Atkins offers Irving a key to the apartment as a refuge for the young man. Irving takes Helene to the apartment. They sleep together and spend a night out on the town. This setting is used as a conflict point between Irving and Roger and between Roger and Helene.

Roger is angry that Irving took Helene to New York not because he was worried for her safety but because he was jealous and angry. He traveled all the way to New York to catch them at the apartment, but did not plan what hed do. He instantly becomes angry with Irving, wanting to pounce on him, but is stopped by Helene. Irving comments, Im not only a coward, Im also a liar and a thief and I value worldly success too much In any event sticks and stones may break my bones, only were agreed sticks and stones are out, and words will never hurt me, no words youre likely to think of uttering anyhow (182).

Robert also faces a confrontation with Helene. She asks him to go away, and tells him she has never felt the same kind of love for him that she has felt for her. This is a good setting for this to occur because no one else is around to stop the dispute. This is a good setting for Amis to use for a final battle between Irving and Roger, fairly neutral ground. 7. Plot Synopsis The novel begins before an evening party at the estate of Joe D erlanger.

Roger Micheldene and Joe are discussing the guests what will arrive shortly. Here the author sets the scene as being relaxed and non confrontational. In the initial scenes the reader is acquainted with most of the novels characters. Also the reader learns Roger is only in the United States for sixteen days. He hadnt seen Helene for nearly eighteen months. The past begins to unravel at Joes party.

Roger remembers the last time he tried to make verbal love to Helene, and how Arthur interrupted them. The group then decides to go swimming. Roger is too embarrassed of his obesity to swim with the others. Instead he sits neat the side of the pool and tries to enjoy the Helenes physical appearance.

After dinner that evening, he has a chance to speak with Helene while the group is playing a game and she gives him her phone number. Less than an hour later Roger is attracted to Mollie Atkins and sets up a place to rendezvous with her, too. Roger goes to the Helenes home and the two carry on their affair (56). She eventually walks away from his lap with the excuse that she has a telephone call to make.

She then works in the kitchen and tells Roger no more can happen that day because Arthur will be home from school soon. Roger says outright, Lets go to bed. She says no because its Halloween and the school will probably let out early. The reader is given a new look at Roger.

He is not simply upset with the fact Arthur will be home early, but with the fact Helene did not tell him this earlier. He is upset that he spent the whole day with her and traveled all the way to her home thinking that theyd go to bed but thinks the entire day was a waste of his time because they did not. This shows Roger is not solely interested in spending time with Helene, but in receiving sexual pleasure. Arthur then returns home, followed by Ernst. The tension between Arthur and Roger is evident during their initial conversation and the Scrabble game that the two play together. Roger is so upset that he could not carry out his plans with Helene and dislikes Arthur to the point that he calls Mollie Atkins and sets a time for them to meet.

They met at Mollies shop and then ventured into a forest to be alone. They have a picnic and sleep together on the grass. Mollie tells Roger how dissatisfied she is with her marriage, but that she stays with him because she has no money or skills (84). While theyre making love Roger is disturbed by the turtles that are watching them. The next day he travels to Budweiser and speaks with Father Colgate. There his entire plan is to trick the father into telling him all about his religious beliefs and then scrutinize them.

As a true Englishman Roger states he is from the Roman Catholic Church. The conflict that took place between the two was rather large and not subdues until Irving stepped in and told Roger that he, Roger, is too scripted in his thoughts and conversations. After overhearing the conversation between Roger and the father Irving states, pretty competent, sir, but overly scripted, wouldnt you say A little lacking in spontaneity (92) Roger then regretfully confronted Irving and was sidetracked. Once again, Irving is Rogers adversary. Amis spends some time diving into Rogers psyche and showing the reader Rogers full view on America. As Roger looked out the window of a building at Budweiser he commented: For sophomores or seniors or whatever they were of Budweiser College, Pa., they seemed not hopelessly barbarous.

None of them was chewing gum or smoking a ten-cent cigar or wearing a raccoon coat or drinking Coca-Cola or eating a hamburger or sniffing cocaine, or watching television or mugging anyone or, perforce, driving a Cadillac (90). Amis is speaking through Rogers thoughts and satirizing American culture. Next Roger is supposed to speak before a large group of people about the publishing industry. However he is very distressed to find that his research and carefully formulated speech is missing. However, the committee still wants him to speak, they try and talk him into giving an impromptu speech but he will not.

He wanted to speak marvelously to impress Helene, but refused to speak impromptu out of anger over the thought that Arthur had stolen his work and placed a comic book in its place. He comments, If you think Im going out there to give those people a fifty-minute impromptu chat youre doomed to disappointment. They might not be able to tell the difference between that and a serious lecture but I can. I wont do it (100).

Roger then storms back to the Bangs home and accuses Arthur. Helene defends his son from the accusations, Let me have a look at that thing But this is Crazy magazine, not a comic book. Kids dont read this-not kids of Arthurs age. Its way beyond them. Its far to sophisticated (105). In Rogers rage he proclaims, Arthurs remarkably intelligent.

The matter is settled when Ernst turns to the back page of the magazine and reads the inscription, Property of Rho Epsilon Chi Fraternity: not to be removed from reading room. Roger then left, got drunk, and then returned to his room in the Bangs home only to hear Ernst and Helene together in the other room. Roger woke the next morning and prepared for the evenings party on a Barge that night. In the afternoon, before the party, Helene drops Arthur off at the zoo with a neighbor so Roger and her may have a few hours alone to continue their affair. During which time Roger receives a phone call from Irving, at which time he confesses to having taken Rogers materials.

Roger is so concerned with this change in developments that he puts his time with Helene on hold and attempts to take action against Irving. Helen is unhappy with this and simply leaves Roger. That night Roger Irving and a young woman play a trick on Roger. Roger ends up with bite marks on his neck, Mollie knowing that he was ready to have an affair with a young woman and Roger left humiliated in the dark on the island.

Once again Irving catches Roger off guard. The next day Helene left home without telling Ernst where she went and simply put things on order for her family. Ernst and Roger talk about where she could be; the whole time Ernst does not suspect Roger could be having an affair with Helene. Roger figures he knows where Helene is, with Irving. He gets a hold of Strode Atkins apartment key and taxis to New York to find them. In New York he finds the apartment with no one inside.

So he waits for a while and then searched the town for them. Eventually Roger catches them. However, he is caught off guard, too. Helen tells him that she has never really loved him and only slept with him out of pity.

She orders him to leave and states she doesnt want to have anything more to do with him (181). This obviously hurts Roger, but theres nothing he can say in response. The following day he leaves for England. Ernst and Helene are reunited and all seems back to normal. After sixteen days of nothing he returns to his wife the same man as when he arrived in America. Although Helene flatly said shes through with him and Mollie wont sleep with him again, he still has a hope that they will get together during his next stay in America.

8. Conflicts A major conflict within the novel is Rogers lack of self worth due to the fact he is fat. This is evident in the fact that he believes he is too fat to take of more than his jacket on a hot day and his belief that his mammary development would have been acceptable only if he could have shed half his weight as well as changing his sex (7). His obsession with drinking also has to do with his lack of self-esteem. He is a womanizer and drinks when he feels down and depressed, nearly all the time.

Another conflict is the fact Roger sees himself as a proper Englishman and does not agree with most of Americas customs and its abuse of the English language. He normally made a point of not conforming to American usage or taste in the smallest particular (7). He has a tough time submitting to the different language that Americans use and their way of thinking. One night he got into a deep conversation with a cab driver while drunk. The cab driver responded, Your basic objection to Jack Kennedy appears to be that he is an American. Dont think I dont sympathies, but unfortunately we have this law here that says the President of the United States has to be a citizen of the Republic.

Unreasonable, I grant you, but there it is. Dura lex sed lex, old man, which is Iroquois for Why dont you go back to your island and stay there. Good-night (108). There is also a very evident conflict-taking place between Roger and God. It is obvious God does not agree with Rogers lifestyle. However, Roger chooses to call upon the Lord at times that pleases him.

One of his chronic difficulties was reconciling his belief in the importance of priests and the Church with his apathy towards most of the former and aversion from most of the doctrines and practices of the latter, a conflict also to be seen in his relations with the Omnipotent (89). He continues in such fashion by stating religion Superhuman only on scale (91). Obviously Roger does not want to bow before a force that does not permit him to have the kind of fun he wants to. Father Colgate also has a conflict between himself and Roger.

He comments, In my calling one very quickly develops what might almost be called an instinct whereby he comes to detect infallibly the signs of a soul at variance with God. You, my son, are very disturbed A man doesnt act like a child unless his is hurting him. Your soul is hurting you, Mr. Micheldene. Wont you allow me to hear your confession, my son Soon.

The sooner the better (101). This is truly a problem and disappointment for Father Colgate because he genuinely cares for Rogers soul. The real conflict for Father Colgate arises when Roger finally asks the father to hear his confessions but is insincere in his repentance. The father must make the call as to whether or not Rogers repenting is valid. There is a conflict between Roger and women in general.

He has been married at least two times and has not managed to remain faithful. He uses women for sexual pleasure, caring only for his own feelings, and then comments on how silly women are. He does not like the power they have over men nor their ability to change men. 9. Major Themes One major theme within the novel is the search for self worth. Roger tries to find his worth in meaningless relationships and alcohol because he is so insecure about himself as an individual.

This is parallel to the fact that he is fat. I think most people have the same type of problem. They feel one aspect of themselves is so hideous that they try to cover it up inside by lashing out on others or simply using others to feel good. Amis is pointing this out through Rogers actions and relationships. Besides that I have a difficult time finding themes within the work. I saw how Amis continually pointed out how lust conquered a man and womans sense of right and wrong.

However, Helene states she cannot lie to Ernst about where she is. Obviously her entire life is a lie because he believes her to be faithful. Perhaps Amis is also trying to point out the fact that things are not always as they seem. People seem to have good jobs and money, but that doesnt account for happiness, as in Joes unhappiness with his life and sudden outbursts of anger.

Also he sort of hints at the fact that men are only out to get what they want and is ready to squash any one who stands in their way. For example, Roger is angrier with Irving over the fact that he stole Helene for the weekend then the fact Irving humiliated him so many times. Overall, I believe Amis wrote very little moral value into the novel, nor did he incorporate major themes. It seems to me the novel is simply a satire about American life. Amis also uses outrageous instances to make us fell sorry for the fat Englishman that is really undeserving of pity because he is so mean and nasty. 10.

My Favorite Scene My favorite scene within the novel is quite simple, but I find it humorous. Roger is at Helenes home and her son Arthur just returned home from school. Arthur is unhappy with Roger being there and Roger is just as unhappy that the childs presence spoiled his afternoon plans with Helene. However, Roger must make an attempt to show Helene that he is compassionate by trying to befriend Arthur.

After a one sided conversation with Arthur, Roger is about to give up. Then Arthur asked Roger to play scrabble with him. The two sat down to play and needless to say Roger drew letters from the bag that offered no chance making a word for quite a while. Arthur, a small child with a smaller grasp on language than Roger, was winning. Eventually Ernst came home and Roger was stuck playing the game in front of both Helene and Roger. The humiliation of being routed at a scrabble game by a seven-year-old seemed destined to pass by Roger (66).

Thus, Roger asked to resign from the game, but Arthur informed him that resigning is not allowed. Thus, they were forced to continue playing. Arthurs next word was N-I-T-E-R. Roger looked at the word curiously and said Niter Whats that supposed to mean Arthur ironically said, You know, like a one-nighter. To which Roger responded No such word and challenged Arthur.

Arthur opened a dictionary and read Niter, a Potassium nitrate. A supposed nitrous element. Roger still argued with Arthur and said the correct spelling is N-I-T-R-E. When Arthur shook his head Roger angrily stammered, But that is a bloody American dictionary. To which Arthur responded, This is bloody America. I found this quite humorous because I could easily visualize the scene. A large man and a small child playing a game, the older man losing and then the childs retort.

I also enjoyed the fact Arthur then quoted Rogers new score of minus 21.11. The Significance of the title The title of the novel is One Fat Englishman. The novel is named this because its main character is an Englishman, Roger, who is considerably overweight, fat. 12. The authors point of view The novels point of view is third person omniscient.

This allows the reader to know not only what Roger is thinking and feeling but what others are, too. Thus, the reader does not simply see everything from Rogers perspective. Also this allows the reader to understand more of what is going on between and in scenes.