Literature Help: The Heart of the Matter

By Students' Academy

“The Heart of the Matter” by Graham Greene was first published in 1948. This novel by the English author revolves around the experience of Henry Scobie. The story details a life-changing moral crisis that Henry Scobie has to face.

Graham Greene was a British intelligence officer in Freetown, Sierra Leone. The story is inspired by the author’s own experiences in that country. The name of the town in Sierra Leone is not given in the novel; the author later confirmed the location as Freetown, in “Ways of Escape,” a memoir which the author published later in his life.

“The Heart of the Matter” is considered as one of the most famous novels written by Greens. According to the literary critics, this book is a part of “Catholic Trilogy” written by Green. The other two books in that trilogy are “The Power and the Glory” and “The End of the Affair.”

Literature Help: The Heart of the Matter
Copyright
Chapter One: Introduction
Chapter Two Plot Overview
Chapter Three: Characters
Chapter Four: Complete Summary
Book One
Book Two
Book Three
Chapter Five: Critical Analysis

• Language: English
• Publisher: Raja Sharma
• Release date: Apr 21, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310314889

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Literature Help: The Heart of the Matter

Copyright

Literature Help: The Heart of the Matter

Students’ Academy

Copyright@2015 Students’ Academy

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Chapter One: Introduction

The Heart of the Matter by Graham Greene was first published in 1948. This novel by the English author revolves around the experience of Henry Scobie. The story details a life-changing moral crisis that Henry Scobie has to face.

Graham Greene was a British intelligence officer in Freetown, Sierra Leone. The story is inspired by the author’s own experiences in that country. The name of the town in Sierra Leone is not given in the novel; the author later confirmed the location as Freetown, in Ways of Escape, a memoir which the author published later in his life.

The Heart of the Matter is considered as one of the most famous novels written by Greens. According to the literary critics, this book is a part of Catholic Trilogy written by Green. The other two books in that trilogy are The Power and the Glory and The End of the Affair.

More than six decades have passed since the publication of The Heart of the Matter, but is still remain immensely popular because the novel is highly insightful and intellectually rigorous.

Some of the most important themes that the novel explores are pity, religion, suffering, and responsibility. The author is highly admired for encapsulating the essence of an exotic setting in a single book. The writing style of the novel was also appreciated by both critics and readers.

Henry Scobie is the complex protagonist of the novel. He happens to be a weak man but he possesses good intentions. He feels a deep sense of pity but lacks self-awareness, and it causes the doom of his good intentions.

Having written the book, Greene actually thought that it was going to be a failure, but it proved to be one of the most celebrated works by him.

When the book was first published and released, more than three hundred thousand copies were sold in a very short period of time. Most of the reviews received by the novel were highly favorable.

The New York Times described Mr. Graham Greene as a profound moralist with a technique to match his purpose. The newspaper declared that it was an engrossing novel.

Despite several such favorable reviews, George Orwell’s view was not positive. He wrote, To put is as politely as possible, The Heart of the Matter is not one of Graham Greene’s best, and gives the impression of having been mechanically constructed, the familiar conflict being set out like an algebraic equation, with no attempt at psychological probability. It was obvious that George Orwell did not like the writing style of the novel.

For all that, the novel has remained popular for more than sixty years and it is still in demand. The novel is often discussed in various study circles, readers’ clubs, and academic circles.

Chapter Two Plot Overview

Major Scobie is the protagonist of the novel. As the novel begins, he happens to be living in a colony in the West Coast of Africa during the Second World War. During the wartime, Scobie is responsible for local security.

Louise is Scobie’s wife. She is a solitary and unhappy woman. She likes reading literature and poetry. She is not able to make friends. Scobie thinks that he is responsible for her sorrows, but he does not love her.

Catherine was their only child who had died in England many years before. Louise is a highly religious woman, a devout Catholic. Although Scobie is a convert, he is also devout.

With the passage of time, the rumors arise that Scobie is going to become the Commissioner, but Scobie informs his wife that he has been passed over for promotion. Louise is upset on account of