So far, I like A Sense of an Ending. It’s kind of like what would happen if Dostoyevsky had written about kids and adolescents instead. This thought came to mind when I read the part where the main character mentions that he and his friends “didn’t want to believe what they were told to believe”. It made me go back and think about all the discussions we had about free will.
I also completely see how the book is simplistic, yet meaningful. Within a couple sentences maximum, an important point was made. Barnes mentions in the story that Adrian’s family was originally dubbed a “broken home”; the “broken home” then adopted a more politically correct and less harsh-sounding name, the “single parent home”. This reminded me of when we talked about society making shifts back and forth between left wing views to right wing views. These “shifts” were made in order to accommodate the masses that are constantly changing their schools of thought. After all, what really is the societal structure without anyone following it/beneath it?
I believe that the characters are very relatable. I feel that if adults were to read this book, they would be reminded of how life was before they dove into the stressful world that is adulthood. We all have our friend groups that have their oddities and running jokes and what not. We have all experienced parents that, as Barnes describes it, “worry beyond our actual experience”.
You can also see how the characters in this book are all influenced by their peers. They all notice Adrian keeps to himself and seems to have no complaints. According to them, though, he has every reason to be upset. However, he’s not and it baffles Tony and friends. His behavior shapes this thought in their head that his way of life has to be preferable if they have a million and one complaints about their parents and he does not.
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