Stiller (I'm Not Stiller), by Max Frisch
Title: Stiller (English title: I'm Not Stiller)
Author: Max Frisch
First published: Suhrkamp-Verlag, Frankfurt am Main, 1954
Edition I read: Suhrkamp-Verlag, Frankfurt am Main, 1963
Page count: 518 pages
Summary (from Google books): The unabridged version of a haunting story of a man in prison. His wife, brother, and mistress recognize him and call him by his name, Anatol Ludwig Stiller. But he rejects them, repeatedly insisting that he's not Stiller. Could he possibly be right--or is he deliberately trying to shake off his old identity and assume a new one?
As the summary above says, the main conflict in this book is the question over the identity of the main character. The set-up reminded me a lot of the Jodie Foster-Richard Gere film 'Summersby', in which a man returns to his old life after a mysterious absence of several years, but there are things which don't add up, putting his identity into question. Is it really him, or is it someone who is just pretending to be him? Also as in Summersby, if Stiller is really Stiller, he apparently will have to answer for a crime.
The difference here, though, is that everyone around the protagonist insists that he must be Stiller. He is the only one who continues to deny it despite mounting evidence, giving instead the name of James Larkin White (a real historical figure, the discoverer of the Carlsbad Caverns, which story 'Stiller' also claims as his own). It is clear, though, that he is not so much trying to be White as he is trying to avoid being Stiller.
Various possible solutions to the identity question present themselves as the book progresses, ranging from a doppelganger to a conspiracy to insanity to a scam to avoid prison. I won't give away the answer (which may or may not be one of the things I just listed) so that you can see for yourself whether you figure out the answer before it's revealed. I don't think it would spoil the book to know, though, and in fact it might be interesting to go back and re-read it knowing what his true identity is.
The main reason this book is so popular, though, is not the plot, but the Big Ideas that are explored. Well, that and the brilliant prose style of the author, but more on that in a minute. The main themes include, obviously, identity: how it is determined, whether it is something that defines a person, or whether a person can define themselves or change their identity.
Another major theme is marriage and relationships, particularly between men and women. There isn't any sex (at least not directly, although it is implied), so it's more of an intellectual exploration of what constitutes a marriage - and suffice it to say, the author doesn't seem to believe it has anything to do with what's on a piece of paper.
Further themes include patriotism (perhaps more interesting in post-War Europe than it is today), freedom, love, responsibility, theater and art.
I don't want it to sound like this is just one big philosophical 'Schmusefest', though. There are many anecdotes, parables, and tales throughout the book to keep things interesting, variously involving murder, a beautiful 'mulatto' named Florence, the Spanish Civil War, a cat who just won't die, a Mexican volcano, the aforementioned discovery of the Carlsbad Caverns, a bolt of cloth that no one wants, and even Rip Van Winkle.
Most of the book is written in the first person, in the form of a journal or personal transcript that Stiller keeps during his imprisonment (or more accurately, period of remand; he cannot be charged with anything until his identity is determined). It is an author's artifice that you shouldn't think too hard about: extensive conversations are repeated verbatim, impossible if from memory, and details are given that the average observer would not have noticed. Still, the voice is beautiful and mesmerizing, with train-of-thought prose roaming across entire pages without a period, yet without becoming confusing or pretentious. (I read this in the original German, so I'm not sure how the language comes out in translation.) The last section of the book is also in the first person, but from the point of view of the man who becomes Stiller's best - and perhaps only - friend. It serves to allow us to see Stiller from the outside, and consider the subjectivity of his report.
Symbolism. I have to mention the symbolism. The characters' names all have meanings. Stiller, for example, means 'the quiet one', while White suggests 'carte blanche' or 'a blank slate'. Stiller's wife's tuberculosis, Easter morning, smashing plaster and bronze busts, going up into the mountains, it all Means Something. There are also copious subtle nods to various authors and philosphers including Kierkegaard, the Bible, Goethe, Thomas Mann, C. G. Jung, Ludwig Klages, Albin Zollinger, Ernst Jünger, Theodor Fontane, Leo Tolstoi and Bertolt Brecht. (That list is from Wikipedia; I'm not that well read.) There would be enough material for English Lit papers ad nauseum. You don't have to read it that closely to enjoy the book, but it's certainly an added dimension if you're into that kind of thing.
It was a real stroke of luck that I got assigned this book, because I live near Zurich, Switzerland, and have been to many of the places where the main action of the book takes place. I think I was also able to appreciate some of the little jokes and ironies about Swiss bureaucracy and 'Ordnung muss sein' mentality better because of having lived here for so long. There were times when I was also reminded of Kafka's 'The Metamorphosis', and in fact many reviews also compare this book to works by Kafka and Camus. I have never read Camus, but I definitely found this book more entertaining than 'The Metamorphosis'.
In certain respects, this book is very much bound to the time and place of its creation, but I think it can also be called a true classic. The themes handled are timeless, and the story is entertaining and varied with just the right amount of suspense, adventure and humor mixed with introspection, melancholy, and tragedy. I don't know if you must read this before you die, but it's a great piece of German literature.
Author: Max Frisch
First published: Suhrkamp-Verlag, Frankfurt am Main, 1954
Edition I read: Suhrkamp-Verlag, Frankfurt am Main, 1963
Page count: 518 pages
Summary (from Google books): The unabridged version of a haunting story of a man in prison. His wife, brother, and mistress recognize him and call him by his name, Anatol Ludwig Stiller. But he rejects them, repeatedly insisting that he's not Stiller. Could he possibly be right--or is he deliberately trying to shake off his old identity and assume a new one?
As the summary above says, the main conflict in this book is the question over the identity of the main character. The set-up reminded me a lot of the Jodie Foster-Richard Gere film 'Summersby', in which a man returns to his old life after a mysterious absence of several years, but there are things which don't add up, putting his identity into question. Is it really him, or is it someone who is just pretending to be him? Also as in Summersby, if Stiller is really Stiller, he apparently will have to answer for a crime.
The difference here, though, is that everyone around the protagonist insists that he must be Stiller. He is the only one who continues to deny it despite mounting evidence, giving instead the name of James Larkin White (a real historical figure, the discoverer of the Carlsbad Caverns, which story 'Stiller' also claims as his own). It is clear, though, that he is not so much trying to be White as he is trying to avoid being Stiller.
Various possible solutions to the identity question present themselves as the book progresses, ranging from a doppelganger to a conspiracy to insanity to a scam to avoid prison. I won't give away the answer (which may or may not be one of the things I just listed) so that you can see for yourself whether you figure out the answer before it's revealed. I don't think it would spoil the book to know, though, and in fact it might be interesting to go back and re-read it knowing what his true identity is.
The main reason this book is so popular, though, is not the plot, but the Big Ideas that are explored. Well, that and the brilliant prose style of the author, but more on that in a minute. The main themes include, obviously, identity: how it is determined, whether it is something that defines a person, or whether a person can define themselves or change their identity.
Another major theme is marriage and relationships, particularly between men and women. There isn't any sex (at least not directly, although it is implied), so it's more of an intellectual exploration of what constitutes a marriage - and suffice it to say, the author doesn't seem to believe it has anything to do with what's on a piece of paper.
Further themes include patriotism (perhaps more interesting in post-War Europe than it is today), freedom, love, responsibility, theater and art.
I don't want it to sound like this is just one big philosophical 'Schmusefest', though. There are many anecdotes, parables, and tales throughout the book to keep things interesting, variously involving murder, a beautiful 'mulatto' named Florence, the Spanish Civil War, a cat who just won't die, a Mexican volcano, the aforementioned discovery of the Carlsbad Caverns, a bolt of cloth that no one wants, and even Rip Van Winkle.
Most of the book is written in the first person, in the form of a journal or personal transcript that Stiller keeps during his imprisonment (or more accurately, period of remand; he cannot be charged with anything until his identity is determined). It is an author's artifice that you shouldn't think too hard about: extensive conversations are repeated verbatim, impossible if from memory, and details are given that the average observer would not have noticed. Still, the voice is beautiful and mesmerizing, with train-of-thought prose roaming across entire pages without a period, yet without becoming confusing or pretentious. (I read this in the original German, so I'm not sure how the language comes out in translation.) The last section of the book is also in the first person, but from the point of view of the man who becomes Stiller's best - and perhaps only - friend. It serves to allow us to see Stiller from the outside, and consider the subjectivity of his report.
Symbolism. I have to mention the symbolism. The characters' names all have meanings. Stiller, for example, means 'the quiet one', while White suggests 'carte blanche' or 'a blank slate'. Stiller's wife's tuberculosis, Easter morning, smashing plaster and bronze busts, going up into the mountains, it all Means Something. There are also copious subtle nods to various authors and philosphers including Kierkegaard, the Bible, Goethe, Thomas Mann, C. G. Jung, Ludwig Klages, Albin Zollinger, Ernst Jünger, Theodor Fontane, Leo Tolstoi and Bertolt Brecht. (That list is from Wikipedia; I'm not that well read.) There would be enough material for English Lit papers ad nauseum. You don't have to read it that closely to enjoy the book, but it's certainly an added dimension if you're into that kind of thing.
It was a real stroke of luck that I got assigned this book, because I live near Zurich, Switzerland, and have been to many of the places where the main action of the book takes place. I think I was also able to appreciate some of the little jokes and ironies about Swiss bureaucracy and 'Ordnung muss sein' mentality better because of having lived here for so long. There were times when I was also reminded of Kafka's 'The Metamorphosis', and in fact many reviews also compare this book to works by Kafka and Camus. I have never read Camus, but I definitely found this book more entertaining than 'The Metamorphosis'.
In certain respects, this book is very much bound to the time and place of its creation, but I think it can also be called a true classic. The themes handled are timeless, and the story is entertaining and varied with just the right amount of suspense, adventure and humor mixed with introspection, melancholy, and tragedy. I don't know if you must read this before you die, but it's a great piece of German literature.