England England Summary by Julian Barnes

England England Summary by Julian Barnes

An Introductory Note :

England, England is a satirical postmodern novel by Julian Barnes, published and shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 1998. While researchers have also pointed out the novel’s characteristic dystopian and farcical elements, Barnes himself described the novel as a ‘semi-farce’. One of Barnes’s finest and funniest novels, England, England calls into question the idea of replicas, truth vs fiction, reality vs art, nationhood, myth-making, and self-exploration.

Background:

Julian Barnes’s England, England (1998) invokes a non-existent tradition of fiction that represents the emotional mythology of Englishness while Barnes is known for his Francophile affiliations. The novel presents us with a fictional Theme Park that distils national images and myths, run by an entrepreneur who treats England and Englishness as products for tourists. Englishness is represented as an empty illusion, but the chapter argues against approaches to England, England as a work of satire.

Instead, Barnes’s novel draws us with great delicacy toward the possibility that there is an authentic emotion among those who share a sense of belonging and a memory of the lost county.

Substance :

The novel is divided into three parts entitled “England”, “England, England” and “Anglia”. First written in 1998, England, England by Julian Barnes is a story about the protagonist, Martha Cochrane. The story is divided into three parts of her life, which are “England”, “England, England” and “Anglia”. Martha’s stage of life is written chronologically in three chapters of England, England.

The first chapter is her childhood and adolescence, the second is her adulthood, and the last chapter is her old age. The first part showed Martha’s childhood memories when she was growing up in the English countryside. Her childhood becomes a crucial part to construct her character from her interaction with her parents and peers. Her experiences made her vow never to blame anything on her parents after she turned 25 years old.

Set in postmodern England, “England, England” was the second part of Martha’s life when she was in her late thirties as a consultant manager. She was working under an eccentric and megalomaniac employer, Jack Pitman. Realizing the fading influence of England out of his patriotism and businessman nature, Jack Pitman creates a replica of England. He formed a team to develop the idea. They did market research, made fifty quintessences of Englishness, and surveyed Isle of Wight as the location.

Martha was romantically involved with her coworker, Paul Harrison. They blackmail Jack Pitman for his peculiar sexual fetish and make Martha the CEO of Pitman House. England, England turned into a successful project that made Old England lose its culture and identity. Martha was conflicted with the situation in England, England project because she became a part of something she did not believe. Martha had to leave the island because of her failure in managing it. Regressed Old England was depicted in the third part of the novel or “Anglia”.

The dwindling state of Anglia and constant development of England, England were elaborated. Anglia, or previously Old England, lost its Englishness to England, England project. Traditional life was implemented to keep the country existing. The world looked down upon Anglia because of its regressed condition. England, England project got profit and recognition around the world.

Englishness was imitated continuously until it became different from the original in the theme park. People considered England, England project as the true England. Martha helped the citizens to rebuild Old England with her knowledge of the past. The current state of the mainland helped old Martha to relinquish and appreciate the real England and let her spend the time to reflect on her own life.

*************************************************

England England Summary by Julian Barnes England England Summary by Julian BarnesEngland England Summary by Julian BarnesEngland England Summary by Julian BarnesEngland England Summary by Julian BarnesEngland England Summary by Julian BarnesEngland England Summary by Julian BarnesEngland England Summary by Julian BarnesEngland England Summary by Julian BarnesEngland England Summary by Julian BarnesEngland England Summary by Julian BarnesEngland England Summary by Julian BarnesEngland England Summary by Julian Barnes

 

Ode on Intimations of Immortality Questions and Answers

Leave a Comment

error: Content is protected !!
× Buy Notes