I have often amused myself with thinking how different a place London is to different people.
James Boswell
What is a city? Some people associate it with diversity, size, mobility, freedom, hope, glamour, change etc. For the others, on the other hand, the city stands for chaos, crowds, misery, poverty, noise, loneliness, anonymity, despair, decadence and crime. Some are glad to live there and others try to escape from it.
One of the most important, biggest and famous cities in the world is London. The capital of Great Britain that lies on the river Thames has a very long history. Today London is a very important industrial, commercial and cultural centre, not only in Great Britain but also in the entire world. It is a city with thousands of different faces and places.
For centuries, London inspired writers such as V. Woolf, P. Ackroyd, J. Sinclair and in particular Charles Dickens, who is regarded as the first London novelist.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Notes on Author
- Biography
- Intention
- Critique
- Cultural Background
- About the Novel
- The Representations of London in Absolute Beginners
- Analysis of the Setting
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper aims to analyze the representation of London in Colin MacInnes’s novel Absolute Beginners. It examines how the city is portrayed in the novel and explores the relationship between London, the characters, plot, and story time. The paper will investigate the significance of the setting in the novel and its influence on the story's plot and characters. Additionally, it will delve into the cultural background of the 1950s in London and how social, political, and economic factors of the time period might have influenced the story. The paper will also explore the author's personal connection to London and whether he draws upon his own life in the novel.
- Representation of London in the novel
- Relationship between London, characters, plot, and story time
- Significance of the setting and its influence on the plot and characters
- Cultural background of 1950s London
- Author's personal connection to London
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The introduction explores the multifaceted nature of London as a city, highlighting its diverse interpretations and the role it plays in literature. The chapter then focuses on Colin MacInnes's contribution to London literature, emphasizing his exploration of the city's hidden worlds and subcultures. It discusses his trilogy of London novels, including Absolute Beginners, and his fascination with the emerging popular cultural activities of the city.
Chapter 2 delves into the author's biography, intention, and critique. It provides insights into MacInnes's background and his motivations for writing about London. The chapter also discusses critical reception to his work, highlighting the significance of Absolute Beginners within the context of postwar British literature.
Chapter 3 examines the cultural background of 1950s London, highlighting the social, political, and economic characteristics of the time period. It explores the complexities of postwar society, including the rise of youth subcultures and the emergence of multiculturalism. The chapter also examines how these social changes are reflected in MacInnes's novels.
Chapter 4 provides an overview of the novel Absolute Beginners, its plot, and key elements. It introduces the main character and the setting, providing a foundation for the subsequent analysis of the representation of London. This chapter also emphasizes the importance of understanding the plot for a comprehensive analysis of the setting.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The main keywords and focus topics of the text are representations of London, setting analysis, 1950s London, postwar British literature, Colin MacInnes, Absolute Beginners, youth culture, multiculturalism, and urban space.
- Quote paper
- Stasy Adams (Author), 2009, Representations of London in Colin MacInnes’s "Absolute Beginners", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/165125
