This Side of Paradise Book I, Chapter 4: Narcissus Off Duty Summary & Analysis

Summary

In January of Amory's senior year, he learns that a number of juniors are thinking of resigning from their clubs as a form of protest. Burne Holiday (Kerry's brother) is the instigating force. In discussions with Burne, Amory realizes the extent to which he has allowed himself to become idle. Burne reignites Amory's intellectual flame, which had almost gone out. Though serious in demeanor, Burne has a history of organized mischief, involving pranks like assembling a taxicab in a dean's office.

Amory and Burne, who is gradually distancing himself from social convention and becoming somewhat of a martyr, strike up an intense friendship. Burne explains to Amory how he comes to understand other people, that "it always makes everything all right to project yourself completely into another's place." Amory assumes an attitude similar to Burne's and disturbs the Cottage club by bringing eccentric guests to dinner there. Alec is disturbed by Amory's new attitude, but Amory asks him to accept it as long as he is the same old Amory in private.

As a postscript to a letter, Monsignor Darcy asks Amory to visit a poor, widowed relation of his in Philadelphia. When Amory finds Clara, though, he is somewhat disappointed that she is not the image of poverty and squalor that he imagined; he also falls in love with her. She is beautiful and charming; although she likes Amory, she announces she has never been in love and does not love him. Still, she observes that Amory is really quite humble and has neither much self-respect nor much judgment. Amory considers her the only girl he has ever met whom he could understand might prefer another man to him.

The war reaches America and men start to enlist. Burne declares himself a pacifist, sells all his belongings and leaves for Pennsylvania on a battered bicycle. Amory and the others set off for the war, all of them trying to figure out whom to blame for the violence. Amory writes a poem blaming the Victorians. Amory and Tom say an emotional goodbye to Princeton.

Analysis

In this chapter, entitled "Narcissus off Duty," Burne helps to dislodge Amory from his egotism and open him up to a new world. Unlike Amory, who simply idled out of convention, Burne openly confronts it. The charge Burne leads against the social clubs acts as an open revolt against the world Amory came to oppose through self-involved apathy. Amory absorbs Burne's thoughts and opinions and learns a great deal from his ability to empathize with other people. Burne reawakens the fundamental Amory.

Yet, Amory can only absorb Burne's ideas by changing on the outside; his change is merely skin-deep. He adopts much of Burne's persona as a pose, not as a true change. Amory's conversation with Alec reveals to what extent Amory's change is merely a pose, another phase.

Clara sees through a number of Amory's other poses. She observes that he is egotistical only out of a lack of self-confidence, and that his personal mythology concerning his lack of willpower actually stems from lack of good judgment. Clara makes another chink in Amory's self-indulgent narcissism where even Burne could not: in his conception of himself as irresistible. Clara is an independent woman and, in refusing Amory, reveals to him that he is not the most perfect match for every woman. Like Burne, she deflates Amory's self-image in many ways.

Burne carries his earnest and thoughtful rebellion into his pacifist response to the war. While his brother Kerry entered the most chivalrous squadron early, Burne conscientiously objects to the war. Amory admires them both as he dutifully--but not enthusiastically--enters the war himself. In many ways, his enlistment reveals how much he is still swept into the conventional currents around him. His emotional goodbye to Princeton, however, shows the depth of emotion he is now capable of feeling.