What a brilliant book! Never before have I felt compelled to contribute to a blog on a novel – I read it last night because I couldn’t sleep – and I recognized parts of myself in Tony. Unfortunately. I was wondering if they all had biblical names for a reason? Western Literature and all that?
Sara – Sarah – gives birth late in life – is beautiful even in old age - In Biblical times, the changing of one's name was significant and used to symbolize the binding of a covenant. In this case, God promised to put an end to her barrenness and give her a child (Isaac). Sarah isn’t barren as she has Jack and Veronica, however. Sarah in the bible and in the novel is deceptive and seems to be her daughter’s rival. Why does she write to Tony, then later leave him £500 and the Diary of Adrian? Tony’s letter has been saved with the diary – both are connected to Adrian’s suicide – but only emerge after Sarah’s death. Sarah kept them to be returned to Tony – why – so that he would understand the connection? To punish him? To reward him? Blood money is reparation to the next of kin following an unlawful death – is she paying Tony because she herself always felt responsible/guilty for Adrian’s death?
Mary – Virgin Mary? Mary Magdalen? Veronica in the novel is known by two names – Veronica and Mary. Known as Mary to Adrian junior – why? Is he the child she never had? Born damaged because of Sarah’s age? Is Adrian jr a holy fool?
Veronica - Saint Veronica or Berenice, according to the "Acta Sanctorum" published by the Bollandists (under February 4),[3] was a pious woman of Jerusalem who, moved with pity as Jesus carried his cross to Golgotha, gave him her veil that he might wipe his forehead. Jesus accepted the offering and after using it handed it back to her, the image of his face miraculously impressed upon it.
The name "Veronica" itself is a Latinisation of Berenice (Greek: Βερενίκη), a Macedonian name, meaning "bearer of victory". Folk etymology has attributed its origin to the words for true (Latin: vera) and image (Greek: εικόνα). Does Veronica have any victory? Is she moved with pity for the “cross” that Tony bears? He only realizes the cross upon re-reading his vicious letter – but will be burdened by guilt until death now. Her name means true image – Tony tarnished her image for the reader and his wife Margaret - to salvage his own hurt/rejection/mystification. Maybe Tony’s unease stayed with him – realized during the weekend he stayed with Veronica’s family – and exhibited through his failures in later life to engage with his wife and daughter, keep in touch with his friends etc. Unease about who and what he is in relation to others. It reminds me here of Sebastian Faulkes “Enderby” – an inferiority complex of such magnitude that it becomes sinister!
Anthony – Anthony the Hermit (c. 468 – c. 520), also known as Antony of Lérins, is a Christian saint. Anthony was born in Italy in the late 5th century, and raised from the age of eight by his relative St. Severinus. Upon the death of Severinus, Anthony was sent to Germany and put in the care of his uncle, German bishop Constatius of Lorsch.
In 488, at about 20 years of age, Anthony returned to Italy to take up an eremitic life. He was eventually joined by numerous disciples and chose to seek greater solitude in Gaul.
At Lérins, Anthony continued his life as a monk and became well known for his holiness, although he resided there only two years before he died.
Anthony the Hermit is commemorated on 28 December by the Western Rite Orthodox and in the Roman Catholic Church.[1]
Tony leads a closed life – when he emerges from it - it is disastrous to his sense of self as he had written it. He is not seen as “holy” – but he does see himself as “justified” – and nice – until he is forced to acknowledge that he isn’t! He is a stalker at the end, isn’t he? Spending his time over an obsession to understand before death the meaning of life – which is not understandable! Are we all stalkers after truth? Killing truth – turning our back on it?
Adrian – name of saints, the English pope – and educator. He explains things to Tony in the novel. He tries to examine misery via logic. His inability to deceive himself results in his suicide. Self-deception is necessary to life, and life is good, therefore self deception is good?
