A Quick Guide to "A Burnt-Out Case"

By Students' Academy

“A Burnt-Out Case” is, in fact, a study of a man who happens to have burnt out on life in a metaphorical sense.

The man in the discussion is Querry, an internationally famous architect. He grows disillusioned with his talent, his name and fame, and his love life.

Querry takes a big decision. To escape his present situation, he decides to escape into the jungles of the French Congo. Having entered the jungles, he ends up at a leproserie.

The story revolves around Querry who lives a meaningless life there. Eventually, he goes back to his meaningful life. The story describes the problems he faces when a local palm oil merchant, Rycker, recognizes him.

A Quick Guide to "A Burnt-Out Case"
Copyright
Chapter One: Introduction
Chapter Two: Plot Overview
Chapter Three: Characters
Chapter Four: Complete Summary
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Part Five
Part Six
Chapter Five: Thematic Analysis

• Language: English
• Publisher: Raja Sharma
• Release date: Jan 29, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311568779

Students' Academy

Easy study guides for the students of English literature.

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A Quick Guide to A Burnt-Out Case

Students' Academy

Copyright

A Quick Guide to A Burnt-Out Case

Students' Academy

Copyright@2014 Students' Academy

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Chapter One: Introduction

The novel A Burnt-Out Case by Graham Green was first published in 1960. It was a very much successful novel and most of the reviews received were positive.

The title of the novel has been taken from the situation in which Doctor Colin identifies a condition. There happen to be some lepers in the story and they develop a very severe psychological numbness owing the disease they suffer from.

Though the patients are cured and they do not feel pain, these ‘burnt-out-cases’ are not successful in re-entering the society. They are bound to learn their humanity in a different way in which they must accept their mutilated state.

A Burnt-Out Case is, in fact, a study of a man who happens to have burnt out on life in a metaphorical sense.

The man in the discussion is Querry, an internationally famous architect. He grows disillusioned with his talent, his name and fame, and his love life.

Querry takes a big decision. To escape his present situation, he decides to escape into the jungles of the French Congo. Having entered the jungles, he ends up at a leproserie.

The story revolves around Querry who lives a meaningless life there. Eventually, he goes back to his meaningful life. The story describes the problems he faces when a local palm oil merchant, Rycker, recognizes him.

Before the publication of the present novel, Graham Greene’s earlier book The Heart of the Matter had proved to be very successful. A very large number of Catholic readers had admired that book. Some of his readers had petitioned Graham Greene for inspiration in their faith.

Since Graham Greene was a Catholic novelist he did not want it. He did not know how to inspire his Catholic readers in their faith. He writes that he had literally gone mad by the spiritual assistance people had begun asking for. He said that he was