Christopher Isherwood (2012)
Genre
Historical Fiction
Reading Time
225 min
Key Themes
See below
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In 1931 Berlin, a young writer observes memorable characters, from the 'divinely decadent' Sally Bowles to a doomed Jewish family, as they face a world on the edge of Nazi power.
The story begins with Christopher Isherwood, an English writer and tutor, arriving in Berlin in 1930. He rents a room in Fraulein Schroeder's lodging house on Nollendorfplatz. Fraulein Schroeder, a worried but kind landlady, shows the daily lives of ordinary Berliners. Christopher observes his fellow lodgers and the lively, often chaotic, life of the city through his window. He quickly starts a routine of teaching English to various students and visiting local cafes and bars, immersing himself in the bohemian atmosphere of Weimar Republic Berlin. His first impressions show the city's mix of exuberance and underlying tension, setting the stage for the personal stories that follow.
Christopher meets Sally Bowles, a young, eccentric Englishwoman who sings at the Kit-Kat Klub. Sally is immediately captivating with her theatrical personality, her dramatic statements, and her seemingly careless approach to life. She quickly moves into Christopher's lodging house, sharing his room for a time. Their friendship grows as Christopher becomes a confidant for Sally's romantic affairs, professional goals, and chaotic life. Sally shows a certain decadent freedom of Berlin, living for the moment and often unaware of the gathering political storm. She gives Christopher a fascinating subject for his observations and writing.
Christopher takes on a student, Otto Nowak, and through him, meets the wealthy and cultured Landauer family, specifically Natalia Landauer, a young Jewish heiress. He tutors Natalia and occasionally visits their elegant department store. Through his interactions with the Landauers, Christopher learns about the lives of successful Jewish families in Berlin. However, he also sees the subtle rise of anti-Semitism, with minor insults and open threats starting to appear. The Landauers represent a part of Berlin society that is increasingly vulnerable, and their story subtly introduces the growing political danger that will soon engulf Germany.
Christopher's social circle grows to include Otto Nowak, a young, working-class German, and Peter Wilkinson, a wealthy, somewhat effeminate Englishman. Otto and Peter have a complicated, on-again, off-again relationship with jealousy, manipulation, and economic reliance. Christopher observes their struggles with a detached, yet sympathetic, eye, chronicling their arguments, reconciliations, and the instability of their lives. Their story shows the challenges faced by gay individuals in Berlin at the time, navigating personal desires amid societal pressures and economic hardship, often finding refuge in the city's lively but sometimes dangerous nightlife.
Sally Bowles continues her series of dramatic romantic affairs. She falls in love with various men, often wealthy or influential, but the relationships quickly fail due to her impulsive nature and their own flaws. One important event is her becoming pregnant by a wealthy American, Clive. Despite Christopher's attempts to guide her, Sally, in her characteristic naivety and desperation, decides to have an abortion. This event is shown with a sense of grim reality, showing the difficult choices young women faced at that time and Sally's vulnerability beneath her flamboyant exterior. Christopher remains a supportive, if somewhat passive, observer throughout these personal problems.
Christopher spends time with the Nowak family, Otto's working-class relatives. He observes their daily struggles with poverty, unemployment, and the harsh economic conditions in Berlin. He sees the cramped living quarters, the constant worry over money, and how these hardships affect family dynamics. He even tutors Otto's sister, Grete, providing a small source of income for them. This section contrasts sharply with the more bohemian or affluent circles Christopher usually inhabits. It grounds the story in the grittier realities of 1930s Berlin and shows the widespread social unrest that fueled political extremism.
Throughout his time in Berlin, Christopher observes the subtle rise of the Nazi party. At first, their presence is slight, limited to street corner speeches and minor disturbances. However, as months pass, their visibility increases greatly. Swastikas appear more often, brown-shirted thugs parade openly, and acts of violence against political opponents and Jews become more common. The political tension affects conversations, daily life, and casts a growing shadow over the city's lively but fragile freedoms. Christopher, while mostly detached, cannot ignore the ominous changes transforming Berlin.
After her various romantic and professional disappointments, including her failed attempt to become a serious actress, Sally Bowles decides to leave Berlin. She announces her departure with her usual dramatic flair, leaving to pursue new ventures, possibly in London or Paris. Her exit ends a significant chapter in Christopher's Berlin experience. Sally, always a transient and impulsive figure, shows the fleeting nature of the city's pre-Nazi era. Her departure symbolizes a loss of innocence and the inevitable end of a certain kind of bohemian existence.
The Landauer family becomes a direct target of Nazi persecution. Their once-thriving department store is vandalized, and they face increasing threats and discrimination. Natalia Landauer, a symbol of cultivated Jewish life, must confront the harsh reality of her family's vulnerability. This section shows the escalating anti-Semitic violence and intimidation that became common as the Nazis took power. Christopher witnesses the destruction of the store firsthand, a stark and chilling reminder of the systematic targeting of Jewish businesses and individuals, signaling the catastrophic future awaiting them.
As the political situation in Berlin quickly worsens, with street violence, censorship, and the constant threat of the Nazi regime, Christopher Isherwood recognizes that the city he once knew is permanently changed. The bohemian freedom and lively decadence have given way to fear and oppression. He decides to leave Berlin, understanding that his time as a detached observer of its unique culture is over. His departure signals the end of an era, not just for him personally, but for Berlin itself, as it enters the dark period of Nazism.
The Protagonist
He begins as a detached observer, immersing himself in Berlin's vibrant life, but ultimately leaves as the city transforms under Nazi rule, losing its unique charm.
The Major Supporting
She remains largely unchanged in her impulsive and naive nature, despite personal setbacks, ultimately leaving Berlin to pursue new, equally ill-defined dreams.
The Supporting
She remains a constant, worried figure, adapting to the changing political landscape with a mix of resignation and practical concern for her livelihood.
The Supporting
She transitions from a sheltered, cultured young woman to someone facing the harsh reality of persecution and loss due to her Jewish heritage.
The Supporting
He remains largely unstable and dependent, his personal struggles mirroring the broader societal anxieties and economic hardships.
The Supporting
He continues his tumultuous relationship with Otto, his personal dramas largely unaffected by the rising political tensions.
The Mentioned
He serves as a catalyst for Sally's pregnancy and subsequent abortion, then exits the narrative.
The Mentioned
His family and business face increasing persecution, symbolizing the destruction of Jewish life in Berlin.
The novel clearly shows Berlin in the early 1930s as a city of great personal freedom and moral uncertainty. Characters like Sally Bowles live a bohemian lifestyle, seeking pleasure, art, and unconventional relationships without much concern for social rules. The city's cabaret scene, diverse subcultures, and tolerant atmosphere allowed for a time of artistic and sexual experimentation. Christopher, as an observer, is drawn to this freedom, which contrasts with the more rigid social structures of his home country, England. This theme shows the liveliness and appeal of Berlin before its fall, as seen in Sally's carefree attitude and the city's nightlife.
“I am a camera with its shutter open, quite passive, recording, not thinking. Recording the man shaving at the window opposite and the woman in the kimono washing her hair. Some day, all this will have to be developed, carefully printed, fixed.”
A constant theme is the subtle and eventually overwhelming rise of the Nazi party. At first, the political unrest is a background, seen through snippets of conversation, street posters, and minor incidents. However, as the story continues, the presence of the brownshirts, the acts of violence, and the growing anti-Semitism become more noticeable and threatening. Christopher's detached observation slowly gives way to an awareness of the irreversible changes. The fate of the Landauer family and the attack on their store are clear reminders of the coming totalitarian regime, contrasting sharply with the earlier sense of freedom.
“Presently, I shall have to go. For now the whole city is filled with the unmentionable. The unmentionable is in the air. It is in the faces of the people on the street, in their eyes. It is in the advertisements. It is in the newspapers.”
Many characters in the novel, including Christopher, are dealing with their identities. Christopher comes to Berlin to define himself as a writer, looking for inspiration and detachment. Sally Bowles constantly changes herself, trying on different personas and chasing various dreams, never quite finding a stable sense of self. Otto Nowak struggles with his sexuality and economic status, seeking validation and stability. Berlin, with its anonymity and freedom, allows for these explorations, letting characters shed conventional expectations and experiment with who they are, even if these explorations often lead to disappointment or uncertainty.
“I was trying to write, and I found that I couldn't. I had nothing to say. I had merely been observing, like a camera. And I felt a sudden, sharp pang of loneliness.”
Christopher Isherwood's narration is famously detached, like a camera. He records events and conversations without explicit judgment or emotional involvement, aiming for an objective portrayal of his surroundings. This method allows for many characters and situations to be presented, from the glamorous to the squalid, without the author imposing a moral framework. While this detachment helps him capture Berlin's multifaceted reality, it also shows a certain passivity in the face of escalating political horror. This raises questions about the artist's role in troubled times.
“I have no opinions. I am a camera.”
The novel subtly but consistently shows the economic struggles many Berliners faced in the early 1930s. The Nowak family's poverty, Otto's unemployment, and Fraulein Schroeder's constant worries about money and her tenants' ability to pay rent show the widespread hardship. This economic uncertainty contrasts with the lives of the wealthy Landauer family and expatriates like Peter Wilkinson, showing clear social inequalities. These economic pressures are presented as a significant factor in the political climate, creating fertile ground for extremist ideas that promised solutions to the struggling people.
“The poor were getting poorer; the rich, richer. And the workers, the masses, were beginning to stir.”
Christopher Isherwood acts as a 'camera', recording events without overt judgment.
The novel is told from the first-person perspective of Christopher Isherwood, who explicitly states his role as a detached observer, comparing himself to a camera. This narrative technique allows for a seemingly objective presentation of the diverse characters and events of Berlin. It creates a sense of immediacy and intimacy, drawing the reader into Christopher's personal experiences, yet also maintains a critical distance. This device emphasizes the idea of documentation and witnessing, particularly as the political situation deteriorates, making the narrator a chronicler of a vanishing era rather than an active participant.
The narrative is composed of loosely connected vignettes and character studies.
Goodbye to Berlin is not driven by a single overarching plot but rather by a series of interconnected episodes and character sketches. Each section, such as 'Fraulein Schroeder', 'Sally Bowles', 'The Landauers', and 'The Nowaks', focuses on a particular set of characters or a specific period. This episodic structure mirrors the fragmented nature of life in Berlin at the time and allows Isherwood to explore different social strata and facets of the city. It creates a mosaic-like portrait of Berlin, where individual stories contribute to a larger, more complex picture of the city on the brink of political upheaval.
Berlin itself functions as a character, embodying freedom, decadence, and ultimate doom.
Berlin is more than just a setting; it is a central character in the novel. It symbolizes a place of unique freedom, artistic expression, and moral ambiguity, attracting individuals like Sally Bowles and Christopher himself. It is a city of vibrant nightlife, diverse subcultures, and intellectual ferment. However, as the narrative progresses, Berlin's symbolic meaning shifts, gradually becoming a symbol of impending political darkness, oppression, and the loss of innocence. The city's transformation mirrors the broader historical changes in Germany, making its streets, cafes, and people representative of an entire era.
Subtle hints of political unrest and future tragedy are woven throughout the narrative.
Isherwood subtly employs foreshadowing through the gradual escalation of political tension. Initially, it's in the background – overheard conversations, minor incidents of street violence, or the appearance of Nazi symbols. As the story progresses, these become more overt, such as the increasing visibility of brown-shirted thugs, the threats against the Landauer family, and the eventual attack on their store. This technique builds a sense of dread and inevitability, allowing the reader to witness the slow but steady creep of totalitarianism, making the ultimate 'goodbye' to Berlin both personal and historically resonant.
“I am a camera with its shutter open, quite passive, recording, not thinking. Recording the man shaving at the window opposite and the woman in the dressing-gown lathering her face.”
— The opening lines, establishing the narrator's detached perspective.
“To feel that you are a writer, you must write.”
— The narrator's reflection on the act of writing.
“I am not a Jew. I am not a Communist. I am not a pacifist. I am not even a Socialist. I am a writer. I am an observer.”
— The narrator defining himself in contrast to the political climate.
“Tomorrow, perhaps, I'll be able to write well. But today I am simply a camera.”
— Further emphasis on the narrator's role as a passive observer.
“The whole city was a stage, and we were all players.”
— A description of Berlin's vibrant and theatrical atmosphere.
“It is a dream, it is a nightmare. It is a world of its own, a world that is dying.”
— Reflecting on the unique and doomed nature of Weimar Berlin.
“I often think that the only way to get on with life is to be a bit mad.”
— A character's cynical view on coping with the world.
“She was one of those women who are always ready for a crisis, and who, when it comes, are surprisingly calm.”
— Description of Sally Bowles's personality.
“I was very fond of her, in a way. She was so completely herself.”
— The narrator's affection for Sally Bowles.
“Don't you understand? This is the end. The end of everything.”
— A character's despair about the political changes in Germany.
“The wind was blowing, and the snow was falling, and the trees were black and bare. The city was dying.”
— A vivid image of Berlin in decline, reflecting the political climate.
“It was impossible to imagine a world in which one could not buy a newspaper. Or listen to the radio.”
— A character's reflection on the loss of freedom and information.
“The whole world seemed to be holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.”
— Describing the tense atmosphere in Berlin just before the Nazi takeover.
“I remember a sense of immense relief at being out of Germany, and yet also a strange sadness.”
— The narrator's feelings upon leaving Berlin as the political situation worsens.
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Christopher William Bradshaw Isherwood was an Anglo-American novelist, playwright, screenwriter, autobiographer, and diarist. His best-known works include Goodbye to Berlin (1939), a semi-autobiographical novel which inspired the musical Cabaret; A Single Man (1964), adapted as a film by Tom Ford in 2009; and Christopher and His Kind (1976), a memoir which "carried him into the heart of the Gay Liberation movement".
