The art of literature has many faces. One of it is David Lodge, a British author and literary critic. With his literary work he explores society and culture as well as religion. It is the aim of this pre-academic work to analyse and compare two of his earlier novels: "The British Museum is Falling Down" (1965) and "How far can you go?" (1980). As a first step, the biographical background of David Lodge with a special focus on faith is examined. Moreover, it is clarified why he can be called a “Catholic novelist”. It is depicted how he has developed as a “Catholic novelist”.
Secondly, this work concentrates on the analysis of the two novels. Aspects of "The British Museum is Falling Down", which are central to Lodge’s literature, are analysed. Notably: Realism, Intertextuality and Catholic aspects. Furthermore, the same crucial aspects of "How far can you go?" are analysed, focusing on Catholic context. As a final step, the two novels are compared in a literary and Catholic context. Considering the elaborated aspects of the two novels ideas are established of how Catholic society has developed and how it has rebelled against the Church over the time.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Biographical Overview
- David Lodge as a “Catholic author”
- Brief overview of the novels “The British Museum is Falling Down\" and \"How far can you go?\".
- Aspects of the novel “The British Museum is Falling Down”
- Realism
- Intertextuality and Parody
- Catholic Aspects
- Aspects of the novel “How far can you go?”
- Realism
- Intertextuality
- Catholic Aspects
- Comparison of \"The British Museum is Falling Down” and “How far can you go?”.
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This pre-academic work aims to analyze and compare two novels by David Lodge, “The British Museum is Falling Down” and “How far can you go?”, examining their Catholic themes and literary elements. The analysis focuses on Lodge’s background and development as a “Catholic novelist,” exploring the evolution of Catholic society and its relationship with the Church as depicted in the novels.
- David Lodge's development as a “Catholic novelist”
- Realism and intertextuality in Lodge's works
- Catholic aspects in “The British Museum is Falling Down” and “How far can you go?”
- Comparison of the two novels in a literary and Catholic context
- Evolution of Catholic society and its relationship with the Church
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The introduction sets the stage by presenting the two novels as a fascinating blend of Catholicism, humor, and literary features. It acknowledges the influence of Judith Terezija Pimperl's thesis on the topic. The biographical overview delves into David Lodge's background and his transformation into a “Catholic novelist.” Chapter 3 analyzes “The British Museum is Falling Down” focusing on realism, intertextuality, and Catholic aspects. Chapter 4 similarly examines “How far can you go?” with an emphasis on the same themes. Finally, a comparison of the two novels, focusing on their literary and Catholic context, examines the development of Catholic society and its relationship with the Church.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The core keywords of this work include David Lodge, Catholic novelist, realism, intertextuality, parody, Catholic themes, social development, British Museum is Falling Down, How far can you go?, Catholic society, Church, Judith Terezija Pimperl.
- Quote paper
- Anonym (Author), 2020, A Literary and Catholic Discourse on David Lodge's novels "The British Museum is Falling Down" and "How far can you go?", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/904774
