Nothing

Stanley Spencer, The Sisters, 1940

By Henry Green, n.l.: Dalkey Archive, 2000

Green is an intriguing, witty author and reading Nothing only makes me want to revisit Living, Loving, and Party Going.  There's little background or context in Nothing.  The novel is composed almost solely of dialogue.  Set among upper-class Londoners after WWII, I initially felt bored and confused by the story.  What, exactly, I wondered is going on here?  The talk was so trivial and posh that this world was totally unintelligible to me.  I kept thinking of the cliche that England and United States are two cultures separated by a common language.  

Jane Weatherby and John Pomfret are former lovers who are reunited when their children--Philip and Mary, respectively--decide to wed.  Jane dislikes John's daughter, Mary, judging her to be penniless, plain, and dim.  Jane works to end Philip's relationship with Mary while convincing John that his best interest lies in marrying her.  Jane persuades John to send Mary off to Italy and then spreads the rumor that Philip and Mary are actually half-siblings. John looks up at the end of the story and finds he is hopelessly in love with Jane.

The novel's tone and style, what I admired in Green's other works, felt alien.  The characters spend most of the novel in French restaurants breezily chatting about "nothing."  For example, here is Jane telling John that her former boyfriend--Richard--and his former girlfriend--Liz--are now dating:

"D'you actually pretend you hadn't heard my dear?" she cried.  "Why I thought everyone knew!"

"Knew what?"

"Just that they've started the most tremendously squalid affair. In one way I'm so glad for Richard, even if I do pity the poor idiot."

"Nonsense" he said.  "I don't believe a word. And why are you glad?"

"You ask simply anyone" she replied. "But as to Richard in some respects he's even dearer to me than myself. I'd give almost anything to see the sweet man happy."

"Then is Liz the only future for his happiness?"

"John dear you are so acute.  D'you know I'm really rather afraid she is."

"I thought his allegiance was elsewhere" Mr. Pomfret suggested and gazed hard at Mrs. Weatherby.

"Oh no" she admitted with a cheerful look.  "All that became over and done with ages back.  Isn't it dreadful?" she giggled.

Who are these people? Mrs. Weatherby recalls Patti LuPone as Mama Rose in Gypsy Rose Lee.  She's a vicious mother.