Billiards at Half-Past Nine novel

Heinrich Boll’s book Billiards at Half-Past Nine was published in 1959. The entire plot centers on the events of September 6, 1958, and uses flashbacks to reveal past events that affected significant characters. It details the early years of the Faehmel family from the late 19th century to 1958. It provides a reflection on Boll’s opposition during the Nazi era and his strategy of avoiding war. In 1972, Boll won the Nobel Prize in writing. Focusing on the synopsis, themes, Form and Structure, and Point of View, this essay offers a review of the work. Leonore who is Robert Faehmel’s assistant describes Robert as a man with an extraordinary routine in his life. Robert was meticulous in virtually all aspects of his life. Whenever an old acquaintance could visit Leonore, she could send them to Prince Heinrich Hotel where he was a commoner. Robbert frequented this place as from 9:30 to 11:00. There erupts a trouble within Faehmel family. This family is composed of architects that originate from three generations that is Heinrich Faehmel, his son Robert and grandson Joseph. Jochen, the Hotel bellboy, denies Nettlinger who allegedly wanted to disturb the patron. The patron was already in the billiard room.

At the billiard which is positioned upstairs, Robert is narrating to his friend Hugo about his life. From the story, we realize that Nettlinger was once a Nazi police officer. Though, Robert as well his ally Schrella who were once classmate to Nettlinger had opposed the Nazis. It describes the notion behind Nettlinger constrain to see Robert. On the other hand, Schala flew away after being tortured by Nettlinger who was their gym teacher and doubled up as Nazi policeman. Not only did Nettlinger as well as old wobbly beat up Schrella and Robert but also corrupted three siblings of Robert who died in 1942 next to Kyiv. The act of trying to save Jews cars and cattle moving towards extermination camps had resulted in the mother, Johanna Kilb being taken to a mental hospital. During Heinrich’s 80th birthday he meets Robert after paying a visit to Johanna. They discuss a lot as they see each other after a long time. At the same time, Schrela had returned to Germany and tried to reconcile with Nettlinger over their past life. Though their differences had not changed and his status quo remains as an opportunist. Schrella visits his old home for the first time in a while.

Mariane who was Joseph Faehmel’s girlfriend is introduced. At this particular moment, Joseph realizes that Robert had destroyed the magnificent Abbey built by the grandfather. This act upsets Joseph. Marianne narrates her ordeal about her family: she describes her father as a Nazi associate who committed suicide when the war collapsed. Notwithstanding the Father had ordered the mother to execute the children. She survived from the act when some strangers arrived the mother had hanged her little brother.

Johanna in her right senses had just left the sanatorium in a position of a pistol. She intends to use it to punish the old wobbly of their past sins when the whole family had gathered at Prince Heinrich Hotel in a birthday celebration, Johanna kills the state secretary while watching a military parade from the motel balcony. It was to replicate the adoption in a community lead by the buffalo whose associates were not aware of the world’s horrors. Hugo, the bellhop, was adopted by Robert. A birthday cake in the shape of an Abbey was brought in the billiard. The first slice is given to Robert by the father.

Majority of the plot took place in Cologne. It is a reflection of Bolls regarding its history. Boll was born in Cologne. Cologne was colonized by the Nazi and later bombed by the friend as the war collapsed. This act destroyed Cologne which was the cultural capital of Germany. The bombing led to the death of 20,000 civilians.

In Cologne, a lot of the action occurred in Prince Henrich Hotel. This where Robert plays billiards during the weekday. Most of Roberts’s routine was structured at the billiards room. Robert relishes this new routine just after the unsettling time of the war. He avoids playing billiard as his routine by the rules that are stipulated since to him it is all about winning or losing that is motivated by the reaction and action when the law of science is constant. During this time of war, Robert is affected by the result of war such as demolition that stresses him and allows him to give up.

On the other side, St. Antony Abbey where the plot takes place though not in totality. It was built by Heinrich Faehmel as a young architect, and it forms one of his preliminary designs in his career that made him successful. It was later demolished by his son Robert towards the end of the World War 2. It was finally built by Joseph who was Robert’s son when he learned that it was destroyed by the father. At the end of the novel, Heinrich’s birthday cake is made from St. Antony model to replicate the reconciliation in their family history with the view of emblematic of Germany’s history to set up St, Antony Abbey. Today St. Antony Abbey also known as Maria Laach Abbey is a symbol of remembrance of the monks who were accused of collaborating with the Nazi regime at the time of war.

Themes

The most distinct issue that is captured in this book is as a result of conflict between the receiver of “the Host of the beast” and the opposition who received “The Host of the Lamb.” In other terms, it is viewed as the Nazi against pacifists. Meaning that the “Lamb” associates are kind-hearted people, free thinkers, none oppressors whereas “Beast” include the indifferent mass, aggressor, totalism accomplice. For this case, Paul Von Hindenburg was a major victim of the act.

Forms and Structure

A greater part of the play does not take place at the present time but it involves many incidences of flashbacks in which characters remember past incidences related to the story. Consequently, characters are enabled to conduct a detailed exploration of things that are not related to the present, but based on past memory. The story presented by each character has depth which involves the use of memories and emotions in their attempt to remember past events. Both the reader and the characters have the understanding of these events in a more effective manner and are able to relay them in an accurate manner. It is possible to see the effects of the actions of characters in virtually all events that take place as presented in a number of incidences of flashbacks. The relationship between a number of family members also becomes easy to understand due to the incidences of flashbacks in which they relate with each other. There is an interconnection in the stories about Henirich, Roberts, and Joseph which makes them become the same in the end.

Point of View

The novel is significant in terms of its point of view and the fact that it is written in the first person narrative creates a deep insight. Most characters present their perspectives in first-person point of view and each chapter has a different point of view depending on the person presenting the views. Points of views are presented by characters such as: Robert’s Secretary, Jochen, Heinrich, Nettlinger, Marianne, and Schrella. The points of views provided by different characters affect the way in which we understand the novel. While this can result into lack of reliability of a story, the points of views presented by different characters contribute to the enhancement of the story.

Due to the points of views, the story presents the views of characters in different ways. The manner in which father and son, husband and wife relate is presented in different ways which makes them easy to understand. For instance, the point of view of Robert enables understanding of Schrella, the point of view of Schrella provides an insight about Nettlinger and through Robert’s father, we are able to understand him. Due to the description of one person by different narrators, we are able to understand different sides in relation to the stories.

Bibliography

Boll, Heinrich, and Jessa Crispin. Billiards at half-past nine. Melville House, 2010.