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Emely Callejas
Professor Jennifer Rodrick
QS English 115
8 December 2016
A Single Man
When one thinks of the 1960s, one thinks of the King of Rock n Roll, The Civil Rights

Movement, The Vietnam War or how women aspired to fit the mold of Audrey Hepburn. In A
Single Man, by Christopher Isherwood, the author offers the audience a different perspective of
the 1960s that we have grown accustomed to. Taking place in Los Angeles, California, a gay
middle-aged professor named George constantly lives in pain, mulling over the tragic death of
his former lover, Jim.Georges actions were caused by the lack of love and attention towards
George, others opinions on George, reckless distractions and feeling comfortable with other
men. The saying the older, the wiser doesnt relate to George because throughout his journey,
he is still desperately struggling to find his peace and happiness. However, he is always finding
himself ending with depression.
Everyone needs attention and love, whether they deny it or not. George feels the same
way and he needs love from another man and the author shows how George is on a search to find
just that certain affection no matter what the circumstances

may be. In A Single Man, Christmas

is just around the corner and George has thoughts about fleeing to Mexico for the holidays to get
away from the cheerfulness of it all. At the thought of Christmas, George feels a chill of
desperation. Maybe he'll do something drastic, take a plane to Mexico City and be drunk for a
week and run wild around the bars (Isherwood 23). Christmas time is about spending the special

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moments with loved ones. Unfortunately for George, he really doesnt have anybody to spend
the holidays with thus he tries to compensate for the empty void by drinking. In an blog called
Asylum, John Self comments on how George fills in his void in hopes of finding new men. ...
living alone since the death of his lover Jim in a car crash, and consoling himself with the sight
of beautiful young men (Self). In Mexico, George hoped to find a man like Jim to give him love
and affection, in spite of it being with a complete stranger. When in need of compassion, it drives
one to look for the slightest amount of human affection, wherever it may take them.This
demonstrates why George thinks the way he does because he needs love and affection from other
characters if not he feels the need to go find it while he is drunk. In another scene, Georges
student named Kenny bought George a pencil sharpener as a friendly gesture but George saw it
more than than what Kenny wanted to display. Oh, but--well, thank you! George is actually
blushing a little. It's as if he has been offered a rose (Isherwood 23). Since George is in such
desperation for affection from another man, he will see little actions from men as something
more than displayed. Later in the novel, George is with his student Kenny at the bar just chatting
the evening away. George brings up that he still has his sharpener that Kenny gave him. Kenny
replies that he already lost it. To Kenny, the sharpener he gifted his professor with, had no
significance to him. This portrays that Georges feelings and thoughts was just him imaging a
false fantasy between him and his student Kenny, which is why George flirts with Kenny. In
another blog called Connection

Failed: An Analysis of Christopher Isherwoods [A Single Man],

Angel Matos talks about how George is quite desperate for any type of attention from a man.
His sexuality pushes him to feel a desire that is nearly impossible to quenchthus forcing
George to live vicariously through small interactions, touches, and brief exchanges that he has

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with other men.What is clear here is that George is a man who is starving for connection. He
craves to feel part of whole, even if this connection with the whole is momentary (Matos).
George is deprived of affection from a man so any chance he gets, he will take seize the moment
and make it his own, even if it is just thoughts or small gestures that have no affectionate
relevance whatsoever. Another example of why George flirts with men and tries to find the
affection from random men because he knows his life needs attention, which is why he does the
things he does.
George is always faces the fear of how others perceive him. In a scene from the novel,
George looks at himself in the mirror every morning, picking out his appearance according to
how he wants people see him especially being a college professor. By the time it has gotten
dressed, it has become he; has become already more or less George--though still not the whole
George they demand and are prepared to recognize (Isherwood 11). George is afraid that if he
dresses differently, he will be constantly reminded of the time he didnt dress up to the standards
others placed before him. George dresses and acts the way he does because he wants to fit into
peoples ideals on how he should look and act. George does not feel whole as a human being
should be, as Angel Matos states that George is characterized by being overly concerned about
what other people think about him. When other characters are talking to him, Georges mind
engages in a frantic interpretive mode in which he tries to determine what is going through the
other speakers mind.therefore, is a contributing factor that adds to Georges notions on
fragmentation and the lack of wholeness in his life (Matos). George wants to fit into a normal
category, despite the fact that it would leave him feeling demoralized. Sadly, George is forced to
play the role of a college professor in A Single Man. With the skill of a veteran he rapidly puts

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on the psychological make-up for this role he must play (Isherwood 41). George is very used to
playing the role for the reason that people have standards they expect him to reach. George
knows he has to play the role of a college professor which is why he is so used it because he has
been doing so for a long time.. Angel Matos also states His role, as he sees it, is to keep calm
and carry on.Yet when he approaches another day of his lecturing job as putting on the
psychological makeup for this role he must play (Matos). This supports the idea of George
being forced into the role because even though he seems calm and collective on the outside, it is
only due to the fact he has become accustomed to the role. Negative atmospheres did have a
great affect on Georges life, which led him to be unhappy with himself by the cause of never
overcoming his insecurities. However, the situation didnt improve because people constantly
looked at George for the role he must play.
Although George constantly fears the judgement of other characters, he manages to find a
place where he feels comfortable. In a scene where George goes to the gym on an unusual day,
he finds himself feeling at peace. How delightful it is to be here. If only one could spend one's
entire life in this state of easygoing physical democracy. Nobody is bitchy here, or ill-tempered,
or inquisitive (Isherwood 109). George finally finds an environment where frankly, people
dont care who you are; you are one of them for a moment. In an article called Asylum, the
author John Self writes that for a moment, George isnt thinking about suicidal thoughts while he
mentally challenges Webster at the gym with a sit-up race. George gets his fix of death-denial
in the gym, panting in both senses as he challenges a teenager to sit-ups (Self). George doesnt
face judgement while he is at the gym working out, people
see him as just George. The gym is a place where George

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doesnt have to act the part. One could imagine George as the cartoon shown and it depicts his
daily notion of having to fake his role. In this picture you see a man who has to disguise himself
by switching from mask to mask to please people. While George is at the gym, he doesnt have
to switch anything about him. George faces a tremendous amount of pressure from people on the
daily basis, but working out at the gym gives him a sort of acceptance which gives him a reason
to go to the gym where George doesnt have to put on a mask. The gym is a place where George
can be a free spirit which is why he goes to the gym because he isnt seen differently.
George is known to drink heavily, do reckless things and to doze off while hes driving
because it acts a temporary escape for him. When he driving on the freeway, George feels
relaxed. And George, like a master who has entrusted the driving of his car to a servant, is now
free to direct his attention posture elsewhere. As they sweep over the crest of the pass, he is
becoming less and less aware of externals--the cars all around, the dip of the freeway ahead, the
Valley with its homes and gardens opening below (Isherwood 36). George lets his body go in
automatic while he relaxes and enjoys the ride. Angel Matos states that George does this to do as
he pleases. George undergoes experiences that separate his thoughts from the actions that his
body partakes inalmost as if his body were engaging in auto-pilot mode, leaving the pilot of his
consciousness free to do and think whatever he please (Matos). Even in the most uncommon
spaces where you are expected to provide your full focus, George finds a way to distract himself
from his problems. George often gets drunk to take his mind off of things and he ends up
swimming naked with his student Kenny. The last remaining minim of George's caution is
aware of the lights and the possibility of cruise cars and cops, but he doesn't hesitate, he is no
longer able to; this dash from the bar can only end in the water. He strips himself clumsily,

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tripping over his pants (Isherwood 162). He was very much aware of the consequences but he
didnt care because he felt young; like he belonged somewhere. A blog called Vishys Blog
writes an article named Book Review No.28 A Single Man by Christopher Isherwood. The
writer who goes by the pen name Vishy, talks about drinking is a good distraction for George.
But George is drunk in a good way, and one that he seldom achieves (Vishy). Vishy states he
doesnt get drunk to cause problems, but it helps George with his self-esteem. George distracts
himself because he knows that those place is where he can find his true self and for a solitary
moment he can block out everything out to feel at ease.
George shapes his identity in many forms like distractions, the need of affection from a
man, being himself in a judge free environment and by shaping his identity to form others
standards. Although, in A Single Man ends with George dying in his sleep, one can interpret this
as his mind finally being set free or finally reuniting with Jim. Most of his life, George was part
of a minority and continues to talk about the majority being a better and desirable place, that he
longs to be there. No matter what George did throughout his life, he ended up in the way anyone
would want to; a peaceful death with a smile on his face. The night George passes away, he finds
himself with clarity on why his life opened up a pathway in which led to his very last moments.
Although George died with hopes of finding another Jim, he learned that Jims death is in the
past. The past should be left with the past and to continue with lifes journey and live every
moment as if it was the last.

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Works Cited Page

How to Make People Feel Comfortable Around You. Digital image. WikiHOW. Google Images,
n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2016.

Isherwood, Christopher. A Single Man. Minneapolis: U of Minnesota, 2001. Print.

Matos, Angel Daniel. "Connection Failed: An Analysis of Christopher Isherwoods [A Single

Man]." The Ever and Ever That Fiction Allows. N.p., 22 Jan. 2014. Web. 15 Nov. 2016.

Self, John. "Christopher Isherwood: A Single Man." Asylum. N.p., 25 Jan. 2010. Web. 15 Nov.
2016.

Vishy. "Book Review No.28 A Single Man by Christopher Isherwood." Vishy's Blog.
Wordpress, 15 Oct. 2010. Web. 15 Nov. 2016.