Good Bye To Berlin - Christopher Isherwood
[alert-success] Good Bye to Berlin
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Good bye to Berlin commences with Christopher
Isherwood, the narrator, seeing urban scenes in Berlin from his window. He is a
British national and experiences solitude in the unfamiliar metropolis.
Isherwood portrays Frl. Schroeder, his landlady, as a woman of approximately 55
years of age who addresses him as "Herr Issyvoo." Previously, Frl.
Schroeder was a financially independent woman and had high standards when
selecting lodgers. Currently, Ms. Schroeder lacks a dedicated space within her
own residence and instead sleeps in the living room, separated by a screen.
Miss Schroeder has learned that Isherwood was formerly a medical student. She
confides in him that she is dissatisfied with the size of her bosom and
expresses concern about the strain it places on her heart.
Chapter One
Isherwood shares the flat with four other
lodgers: Frl. Kost, Frl. Mayr, Bobby, and a commercial traveler. Miss Kost is
engaged in the profession of prostitution, Bobby works as a bartender in a
prestigious bar called the Troika in the western part of the city, and Miss
Mayr is a performer of traditional yodeling in a music-hall. Isherwood hardly
encounters the commercial traveler.
Chapter Two: Sally
Bowles
Isherwood is acquainted with Sally Bowles,
an English actress who performs as a singer at the Lady Windermere, through his
acquaintance Fritz Wendel. Sally and Isherwood arrange to meet again, but
Isherwood initially mistakenly thinks that Sally has assumed he is affluent
based on her knowledge of her previous relationships.
Isherwood encounters Sally in her residence
where she proceeds to recount her journey to Berlin. She reveals that she
relocated from England in the company of her acquaintance, Diana, who is an
older actress and renowned for her exceptional ability to exploit wealthy
individuals for personal gain. Diana ultimately relocated to Paris with a
financier, leaving Sally behind in Berlin. Sally informs Isherwood that she is
19 years old, contradicting his previous assumption that she was approximately
25.
Isherwood is perplexed by Sally's choice of
residence and contends that Sally could secure a more superior flat for the
amount of money she is now expending. Sally articulates her reluctance to
vacate her flat due to her amicable relationship with the landlord and her
concern that the landlady may contemplate suicide if Sally were to depart.
Sally explicitly informs Isherwood that she has never engaged in sexual
relations with Fritz and is aware that Isherwood is not wealthy.During Sally's
visit to Isherwood's residence for tea, she nonchalantly reveals that she had a
sleepless night due to her new romantic partner.
Chapter Three: On Ruegen
Island (Summer 1931)
In the summer of 1931, Isherwood resides in
a beach house on Ruegen Island alongside Peter Wilkinson, an Englishman of
similar age, and Otto Nowak, a German adolescent from the working class,
perhaps 16 or 17 years old. Isherwood recounts Peter's past struggles with
academia, familial relationships, and his family's affluence. Peter has
experienced numerous episodes of severe psychological distress and has sought
the assistance of various psychotherapists in order to alleviate his anxieties.
When Otto is with Peter in the beach house, his presence has a calming effect
on Peter's fears and neuroses. The chapter subtly hints at an unstated
relationship between the two men, implying that Peter has love feelings for
Otto.
Otto and Peter engage in multiple disputes
on Otto's conduct. Otto ventures out throughout the nighttime to engage in
dancing activities, but Peter anxiously remains awake, eagerly anticipating his
return. Peter appears possessive of Otto, while Otto derives pleasure from
socializing with ladies and leading Peter on.
Isherwood, Peter, and Otto encounter a
surgeon from a hospital in Berlin. The doctor ardently endorses Hitler and
asserts to Isherwood that communism is merely a delusion. A psychiatric
disorder" (87).
Chapter Four: The
Nowaks
Isherwood pays a visit to Frau Nowak, Otto's mother, at their
residence in Berlin. Isherwood is seeking a more affordable lodging option
within the vicinity. While Otto and Isherwood are exiting the apartment to
search for a new place for Isherwood, Frau Nowak summons Otto to have a
conversation with him. Otto informs Isherwood that Frau Nowak wishes to extend
an invitation for him to reside in their household. Ms. Nowak expresses concern
that the situation may not meet Isherwood's expectations. Nevertheless,
Isherwood makes the decision to remain in the company of the Nowaks.
Mrs. Nowak frequently expresses
dissatisfaction with the perceived laziness of her 12-year-old daughter, Otto
and Grete. According to Frau Nowak, her other son, Lothar, is regarded as an
exemplary son. Otto jestingly taunts his mother and sister while his mother
expresses her objections. Upon Herr Nowak's arrival, Frau Nowak reprimands him
for his inebriation. Lothar is in the company of Herr Nowak. Lothar, a
20-year-old individual, is currently enrolled in night school with the purpose
of obtaining a degree in engineering. Frau Nowak asserts that Lothar is engaged
in Nazi politics. Mr. Nowak asserts that his political stance is based on the
principle of equality, stating that all individuals, regardless of their
nationality, are of equal worth and importance. Otto reveals to Isherwood a
concealed container containing correspondence and pictures from fans.
Chapter Five: The
Landauers
In October, a Nazi protest targeting
individuals of Jewish heritage takes place. All the windows of the Jewish
establishments, including a shop named Landauers', have been vandalized and
broken. Miss Mayr is thrilled by the demonstrations. Isherwood becomes
infuriated and informs Frl. Mayr that he has a close personal relationship with
the Landauers. Contrary to the user's statement, Isherwood has not actually had
any personal encounters with the Landauers. Rather, a common acquaintance has
only provided Isherwood with a letter of introduction to them. Isherwood seizes
this opportunity to correspond with Frau Landauer, with the intention of
meeting her.
Natalia Landauer and Isherwood engage in a
conversation on literature and Isherwood's writing at the Landauers' residence.
Natalia requests that Isherwood procure a copy of the story he has been
diligently crafting. She accompanies Isherwood to the cinema to watch a movie,
but she has reservations about his enjoyment of it because she believes it
lacks the intellectual sophistication he prefers. Natalia has always failed to
comprehend the literary convention of familial conflicts in the literature she
peruses. She informs Isherwood that she is incapable of engaging in arguments
with her parents due to her understanding that their actions are motivated
solely by their love for her. Natalia expresses anxiety regarding the potential
depletion of her family's finances in the future. She desires to withdraw from
school and seek a means to generate income for her family.
Chapter Six: A Berlin Diary
(Winter 1932–3)
The concluding section of the work
comprises a sequence of concise anecdotes:
Miss Schroeder strongly dislikes the cold
weather in winter. Currently, she is experiencing a profound sense of isolation
due to Frl. Mayr's absence in Holland on a cabaret tour. Miss Schroeder is also
displeased with Bobby. He is currently unemployed and is three months behind on
his rent. She harbors suspicions that he is pilfering from her. Bobby currently
resides in the attic, namely in the "Swedish Pavilion". Isherwood
thinks that Frl. Schroeder has not yet recovered from Bobby's liaison with Frl.
Kost. According to Isherwood, the days of tickling and slapping bottoms are no
longer present (187). Miss Kost visits the apartment. She is wearing an
authentic fur coat and shoes made from snakeskin. Miss Schroeder is mostly
struck by the fact that Miss Kost underwent surgery at a private healthcare
facility.
Herr Krampf, a student of Isherwood,
recounts to Isherwood his upbringing in the final years of the war. According
to the text, Frau Krampf had a peculiar sexual preference that involved
visiting a butcher who derived pleasure from pinching and slapping the buttocks
of refined and sensitive females.
Themes
Isherwood's Concealed Sexual
Identity:
Christopher Isherwood, the narrator of the
work, maintains a predominantly enigmatic presence. Based on his interactions
with others, it is evident that he is a courteous and refined individual who
consistently prioritizes caution and tact, and seldom allows his emotions to
guide his actions. Similar to the dynamic between Otto and Peter on Ruegen
Island, Isherwood's sexual orientation is never overtly addressed. Isherwood,
the author, was a publicly acknowledged homosexual writer, however, in the case
of Isherwood the character, his sexual orientation is only hinted at through
vague references. Miss Schroeder is particularly perplexed by Isherwood's
association with Sally Bowles once Klaus Linke begins frequenting their
apartment for her. Sally frequently implies that Isherwood finds it challenging
to comprehend her circumstances. Furthermore, an intriguing occurrence takes
place near the conclusion of the novel, wherein Fritz Wendel and Isherwood exit
the Salomé and are unexpectedly accosted by an American tourist. The American
inquires Fritz about the individuals within the Salomé who are attired in
women's clothing. He is inquiring about their sexual orientation, specifically
if they identify as "queer." Fritz responds, "In the end, we all
become unconventional" (192). The young man is taken aback by this and
inquires of Isherwood if he is homosexual.
Characters as Exemplars of Individuals Most
Vulnerable to Nazi Intimidation:
The work features several characters,
particularly those with their own chapter headings, who embody archetypes of
those who were particularly susceptible to Nazi violence and intimidation.
Sally Bowles embraced a hedonistic way of life, engaging in numerous romantic
relationships with men while openly and candidly expressing her sexuality. In
addition, she undergoes an illicit abortion without informing the child's
father. It is highly likely that Sally, or other women with similar
characteristics, would face significant challenges in the strict conditions of
Nazi Germany. Otto and Peter are a homosexual pair; the Nazis considered
homosexuality to be a criminal offense. The Nowaks reside in the impoverished
areas of Berlin, characterized by substandard living conditions and a high
susceptibility to both physical and mental ailments. This type of
impoverishment would not align harmoniously with the Nazi vision of a
revitalized and purified Germany. The Landauers, being affluent Jewish
businessmen, were perceived as the epitome of malevolence by the Nazis. The
characters in Isherwood's Goodbye to Berlin possess distinct personalities and
traits, embodying the diverse and imperfect German populace that would likely
face persecution during the Nazi regime.
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