by Annette Ferran
The
Heart of the Matter
Graham Greene is a writer who never
disappoints. Nevertheless, of his
many novels published in the 20th century, only one—The Heart of the Matter—makes the Modern
Library’s list at #40.
Written
and published at the tail end of World War II, set in Africa with British
characters, this is a story about moralism. It involves a main character who
commits acts against his core beliefs and then makes an ultimate decision that
he understands to be a generous one designed to set things right again. The
paradox is, however, that it represents a special kind of self-absorption: the
superior notion that he has the right to determine what is best for others. This is the attitude of the so-called
“white man’s burden” espoused in tandem with imperialism. This man, therefore, is a metaphor for
the British in Africa.
This
novel is more than a fable or allegory.
A signature style of Greene’s is that his novels tend to have a
detective-story feel, and also have something of an O. Henry twist to them. The
story unfolds as if a mystery was presented to be solved. He writes with the sensibility
of a filmmaker: the stories present themselves visually and viscerally. They
are easy and engaging reads, while also intellectually and morally
involved.
Greene
published between the early 1920s, when he was himself only in his 20s, and the
early 1980s, within a decade of his death. His stories are contemporary to his time. This makes him
truly a writer of the 20th century. Greene is a go-to writer for
me. Each of his novels is fully absorbing,
of the kind that you’d rather not break from until it’s done, and then rather
not have it done. There is a
similarity to them that borders on formulaic (like a detective novel), but his
eye for detail and the depth of his compassion save them from being mere
entertainments (though they can be that as well). The End of the Affair,
The Quiet American, and The Third Man
top my list of favorites from Greene’s hand. But The Heart of the
Matter was singled out for acclaim, perhaps because of the overt moral argument
it presents. Like The Bridge of San Luis
Rey (reviewed in the previous column), this novel is one about Catholicism.
The dogmatic ethics contrast with the seemingly unruly native society, allowing
the story to explore the nature of adherence and accommodation.
Some of the ideas that arise
from this story are these: Pity has erosive effects. Sticking to rules doesn’t
work in the real world, not for everyone at least, not when the society is
heterogeneous and imbalanced, when some people are privileged and some are not.
Rules-following might be a luxury of privileged people. Religious dogma, particularly Catholic
tenets, might be suffocating, unsuited to real life by real people. Life is unpredictable, and a single
person cannot know what is best for other people or even for himself, even when
his faith in himself is unshakeable.
People are intriguing.
Those we have to live with are baffling. People might not get what they deserve; they might well just
continue on in a life unburdened by the demands of consistency.
Mostly, though, this novel
falls in the category of a good read. Greene’s writing is flawless. His characters
are believable while also representing a new world for the reader. The themes
make you think and the plots keep you engaged. And because of his prolific
output, one Graham Greene can lead to another, which is a good habit to have.
Annette Ferran
lives in Philadelphia where she works as an editor for a medical
publisher. She is also the
Associate Editor for 10,000 Tons ofBlack Ink, a Literary Writers Network publication. She has a degree of
dubious practical use, in German, and is a lifelong avid reader of fiction and
lover of lists. She has had a few short stories published, most recently in
RE:AL.
