The Novelist
A JASON YOUNG FILM
The Novel
The story of the novelist is a tale of the past taking hold of the present. Jerry Downing is an aspiring writer trying to publish his first novel, but his present reality is being swallowed up by his father's personality taking over, paralysing the development of his human behaviour.
His father, Nicholas Downing, is a man incapable of living in the present because of his obsession with the past. It is as if he were meant to be born in the eighteenth century but ended up living in the 21st century. His substitution for this is writing novels but he has failed to secure a publishing deal. The cure for this is transferring his dream onto his son.
The grip of Nicholas' ambition starts to dominate Jerry's personality throughout the film, swallowing him up scene by scene. The sudden intrusion in his life re-enacts his father's behaviour, confining him to a sofa spectatorship, watching the happiness of other people that does not belong to him. Jerry Downing is in danger of becoming his father.
The novel is a representation of Jerry's father, and his pursuit of publication is a way of living out his father's dream. He outgrows this habitual attitude through a deep relationship with his true ally and mentor, Karen Glinda. Together, they workshop the novel, identifying motivations behind his own behaviour which he was not entirely aware. When the novel is accepted for publication, the triangular relationship between Jerry, Karen and Nicholas are all freed from the past.
His father, Nicholas Downing, is a man incapable of living in the present because of his obsession with the past. It is as if he were meant to be born in the eighteenth century but ended up living in the 21st century. His substitution for this is writing novels but he has failed to secure a publishing deal. The cure for this is transferring his dream onto his son.
The grip of Nicholas' ambition starts to dominate Jerry's personality throughout the film, swallowing him up scene by scene. The sudden intrusion in his life re-enacts his father's behaviour, confining him to a sofa spectatorship, watching the happiness of other people that does not belong to him. Jerry Downing is in danger of becoming his father.
The novel is a representation of Jerry's father, and his pursuit of publication is a way of living out his father's dream. He outgrows this habitual attitude through a deep relationship with his true ally and mentor, Karen Glinda. Together, they workshop the novel, identifying motivations behind his own behaviour which he was not entirely aware. When the novel is accepted for publication, the triangular relationship between Jerry, Karen and Nicholas are all freed from the past.
Excerpt from 'The Swordsman of Trelawny'
The moonlight swirled around Soubise as he reined in his stallion in the courtyard. The sound of insects and birds played a sweet melody that danced on his ears. He mounted the horse, balanced himself in the saddle and then pointed its head in the direction that he wanted it to go. He gave instructions with his hips, guiding the horse into a medium trot and then progressing to a canter. He felt a delicious peace flow through his being, feeling at one with the universe.
The moonlight swirled around Soubise as he reined in his stallion in the courtyard. The sound of insects and birds played a sweet melody that danced on his ears. He mounted the horse, balanced himself in the saddle and then pointed its head in the direction that he wanted it to go. He gave instructions with his hips, guiding the horse into a medium trot and then progressing to a canter. He felt a delicious peace flow through his being, feeling at one with the universe.
