Book reviews

The Heart of the Matter
Graham Greene Book Review

Read a book review online (click here to search reviews)
Books Movies  
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Mystery/Thriller Literature Romance Biography Video
Graham Greene Books
New book search
Graham Greene Message Board
Get more information about this book
Plot Summary of The Heart of the Matter
"In The Heart of the Matter, Graham Greene lays out a situation where a man who is a believing Roman Catholic takes his own life, rather than face up to what his life has become. As a government agent/diplomat in an African country, he has responsibilities to carry out with little in the way of resources to help him and he has been involved both with corruption and adultery. The constant illnesses he faces mixed with legal pursuit of his corruption and his wife's impending arrival and its effect on his adultery leads him to take the coward's way out - he kills himself. "
Kelly Whiting, Resident Scholar

"Religious convictions and love and pity for 2 women force main character to choose not romance but suicide in an attempt to free both women from sadness."
Dan, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of The Heart of the Matter
Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Tone of book? - depressed - thoughtful
Time/era of story - 1900-1920's
Romance/Romance Problems Yes
Kind of romance: - GENERAL--no other subplots apply - playing footsy while inconveniently married
Training/promotions story Yes
Poverty, surviving Yes
Kind of living: - general poverty story
Internal struggle/realization? Yes
Struggle over - midlife crisis - vague finding self/purpose in life (i.e. no plot to book)
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Job/Profession/Status story Yes
Ethnic/regional/gender life Yes
Druggie/Wino problems? - alcohol

Main Character
Gender - Male
Profession/status: - diplomat - police/lawman
Age: - 40's-50's
Ethnicity/Nationality - White (American)
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - average physique

Main Adversary
Identity: - none - Male
Age: - 40's-50's
Profession/status: - trader
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a little/some
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - average physique

Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings? - 7 ()
Africa Yes
Kind of Africa: - Black Africa
Jungles? Yes
Small town? Yes
Misc setting - fancy mansion - prison - resort/hotel - fort/military installation

Style
Person - mostly 1st - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment - moderately detailed references to deaths
Sex in book? Yes
What kind of sex: - vague references - descript of kissing
Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
Most similar books to The Heart of the Matter
The Butcher's Dog by Eliza Hemingway
Confessions of Zeno by Italo Svevo
The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann
Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck
Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham


Click here for more information about this book


Graham Greene Resident Scholar Profiles

TOP SCHOLAR:
  
David Fletcher  

SCHOLARS:
Tomas Turreiro Manzini  Jessica  Jóhanna  Dan  


Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
Three ways to search for Literature books!

1) One-click plot searches! Simply click on a plot or subplot below!

Animal story

Crime & Police story

Ethnic/regional/gender life

Exploring into the wild

Family, caring for ill

Family, loving relations

Family, struggle with

Internal struggle/realization?

Job/Profession/Status story

Kids growing up/acting up?

Political/social activism

Poverty, surviving

Pregnancy/Child rearing

Religion theme?

Romance/Romance Problems

Sports Story?

War/Revolt/Disaster on civilians



or 2) Simple lookup
(title or author)

or
3) Even more search options available with a Detailed Booksearch (click here)

Use our site!
17 FREE Sci-Fi Ebooks!
FREE "How to be happy" Ebook!
Feedback


Most recent discussions:

General Book Talk
Book writing discussion
Off-topic message board
George W. Bush 2:32:02 AM
Anonymous 2:03:39 AM
Erin Hunters 9:00:01 PM
Betty Mahmoody 6:00:22 PM
Judith McNaught 11:55:44 AM
Iris Johansen 9:03:43 PM
Norah Lofts 1:11:37 PM
Jane Rubino 9:32:45 AM
Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twersky 11:28:51 PM
Faye Kellerman 12:37:41 AM
LaVyrle Spencer 7:25:23 PM
Robert James Waller 8:30:15 PM
Suzanne Weyn 12:50:03 AM
Deric Longden 2:54:11 PM
Wilma Counts 1:23:32 PM
Kin Platt 12:58:29 AM
Lilian Jackson Braun 10:05:52 PM
G.A. McKevett 10:03:31 PM
David Williams 10:03:01 PM
Steven Pressfield 10:02:30 PM

More message boards