Literature Help: Homo Faber

By Students' Academy

Technology, probability, and logic rule the world view of the protagonist, but a sequence of incredible coincidences challenge his world view.

The novel seems to be a little autobiographical, but less than the author’s other works. Walter Faber has some obvious similarities to Max Frisch, the author.

During his youth, Max Frisch was said to be engaged to a German Jewess, but eventually they got separated because she felt that Max did not love her. This affair is almost similar to what Walter Faber goes through in the story when he falls in love with Hanna.

Literature Help: Homo Faber
Copyright
Chapter One: Introduction
Chapter Two: Plot Overview
Chapter Three: Characters
Chapter Four: Complete Summary
Chapter Five: Critical Analysis

• Language: English
• Publisher: Raja Sharma
• Release date: Oct 24, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311625328

Students' Academy

Easy study guides for the students of English literature.

Book preview

Literature Help: Homo Faber

Students' Academy

Copyright

Literature Help: Homo Faber

Students' Academy

Copyright@2014 Students' Academy

Smashwords Edition

All rights reserved

Chapter One: Introduction

Homo Faber by Max Frisch was first published in 1957. The German title of the novel is Homo Faber. Ein Bericht. The novel was first published in German language in Germany.

When the book was translated into English, its first English Edition was published in 1959 in England.

Walter Faber is the protagonist of the novel. The story is written as a first person narrative. Walter happens to be a successful engineer. He travels throughout Europe and the Americas on behalf of UNESCO.

Technology, probability, and logic rule the world view of the protagonist, but a sequence of incredible coincidences challenge his world view.

The novel seems to be a little autobiographical, but less than the author’s other works. Walter Faber has some obvious similarities to Max Frisch, the author.

During his youth, Max Frisch was said to be engaged to a German Jewess, but eventually they got separated because she felt that Max did not love her. This affair is almost similar to what Walter Faber goes through in the story when he falls in love with Hanna.

Walter Faber believes in living in the present and he does not care much about the Nazi past and new hope of socialism in Eastern Europe. He does not believe in the development of the Third World. The historical events remain in the background in the story.

It is said that Max Frisch was an active pacifist. He was dead against fascism and racism. He never fully agrees with the idea that Switzerland should remain aloof during the war.

Since Switzerland was able to deal both with the Nazis and with the Allied nations, it received huge economic benefit.

Homo Faber has been translated into several other languages. The film was adapted into a movie in the year 1991. The title of the movie was Voyager. Sam Shepard was in the lead role in the movie.

In all respects, Homo Faber has been a hugely successful novel.

Chapter Two: Plot Overview

The story begins during the 1930s. Walter Faber, the protagonist of the novel, works at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich.

He comes across Hanna, an art student. Soon after their meeting, they start dating and become lovers. One day, Hanna informs Faber that she is pregnant. Faber wants her to marry him, but she is not certain and expresses hesitation.

In the meantime, Faber gets an offer sent by UNESCO. They want him to work in Baghdad. Faber accepts that assignment. There is consequent split up between Faber and Hanna. However, before leaving for Baghdad, Faber instructs his friend Joachim to take care of Hanna. Joachim agrees. Faber