"The History Man" and "The Affair"

Examples of how singular people are expelled from colleges on the basis of divided political opinions

Exposé Écrit pour un Séminaire / Cours , 2007 , 14 Pages , Note: 2,3

Philologie Anglaise - Littérature

This paper deals with the dismissal of a college-member in C.P. Snow’s The Affair and the desertion of a college-student in M. Bradbury’s The History Man, and with the reasons which led the characters that are involved to that decisions. What makes these two events so interesting that they become the topic of a term paper? What functions do they fulfill in these two university novels? Are there any similarities and/or differences between the colleges, the staff or the two cases? Which conclusions could be drawn? These kinds of scandals illustrated are triggering off whole strings of events in communities of colleges. They are indicators of political participation as well as the reason for a division or separation of the members of a college. Are the political participations of the victims the main reason for their dismissal or desertion, as it seems at first sight, or rather a superficial reason, more than that, the camouflage for personal ambitions of some characters in the two university novels discussed in this paper? Both narrators, Lewis Eliot and Howard Kirk, present their colleges as societies in society, almost hermetically sealed. Many authors, e.g. C.P. Snow, use the term microcosm for this phenomenon, that means, while the college gives outstanding people the impression of being a comprehensive and cohesive system, seen from the inside it shows a variety of social structures and interrelations. It does not only split into institutional coexistence of departments and courses, even in between these unities there are differences like social background and social status, ethnic-religious affiliation, age and gender. As we will see these characteristic features lead to a formation of a social hierarchy and sometimes even to the discrimination or exclusion of the bearer. In this connection college presents itself as a faithful reflection of the English society. Within the faculty, there is a distinct gradation, too, expressing itself in the rate of title and the authority connected with it. This feature triggers off a competition, even a rivalry within the faculty for benefits and power. College is, like the state it belongs to, “[a] world of professional success, power, ambition, influence among men”. -As The History Man shows us, not only among men. But the ways of life in colleges are not identical.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Introduction.
• The British University:
  • A Microcosm.
  • Cambridge University.
  • Watermouth
• The Expulsion:
  • The Affair and Howard's Dismissal
  • The History Man and Carmody's Desertion.
• Similarities and Differences
• Conclusion.
• References:

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This paper analyzes the dismissal of a college member in C.P. Snow's The Affair and the desertion of a college student in M. Bradbury's The History Man, examining the factors that led to these decisions. The paper investigates the role of political participation and how it relates to the dismissal or desertion of individuals within the context of these university novels. Furthermore, it explores potential similarities and differences between the colleges, their staff, and the two cases, drawing conclusions based on the presented evidence.

• The expulsion of individuals from university colleges due to political differences.
• The portrayal of British universities as microcosms of society.
• The impact of political beliefs on social structures within university colleges.
• The interplay of personal ambition, political ideology, and social hierarchy in university settings.
• The contrasting environments of traditional Cambridge University and the modern university of Watermouth.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• Introduction: This chapter sets the stage for the paper by introducing the central topic: the dismissal of a college member in "The Affair" and the desertion of a student in "The History Man." The chapter highlights the events' significance and the questions that will be explored throughout the paper, such as the role of political participation, similarities and differences between the colleges, and the underlying reasons behind these events.
• The British University: This chapter examines the portrayal of British universities as microcosms of society. It delves into the social structures and hierarchies within these institutions, focusing on the contrasting atmospheres and practices of traditional Cambridge University and the modern university of Watermouth. The chapter highlights how universities reflect broader societal dynamics, including political beliefs, social stratification, and power dynamics.
• The Expulsion: This chapter focuses on the specific events of dismissal and desertion in the two novels. It examines the characters involved, their motivations, and the circumstances leading to these actions. This chapter explores how these events are triggered by political differences and how they reveal the complexities of social dynamics within university communities.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The paper focuses on the themes of political participation, university colleges, social hierarchies, and the portrayal of British universities as microcosms of society. Key concepts include the contrasting environments of Cambridge University and Watermouth, the impact of political beliefs on social structures, and the interplay of personal ambition, political ideology, and social hierarchy in university settings.

• Université: University of Duisburg-Essen
• Note: 2,3
• Auteur: Ismail Durgut (Auteur)
• Année de publication: 2007
• Pages: 14
• N° de catalogue: V90950
• ISBN (ebook): 9783638055154
• ISBN (Livre): 9783640108992
• Langue: anglais
• mots-clé: History, Affair, Bradbury, Snow, Man, Malcolm, C.P., University novel, university, expulsion, Universitätsroman