Monkey Grip: Analysis of Major Characters
"Monkey Grip" is a novel that delves into the lives of its complex characters, primarily shaped by their interpersonal relationships and struggles with addiction. The narrator, Nora Lewis, is a thirty-three-year-old writer for a feminist newspaper in Melbourne, who grapples with her independence following her tumultuous marriage to Jack and her romantic involvement with Javo, a young actor battling heroin addiction. Through Nora's experiences, the narrative explores themes of love, loss, and the quest for self-identity.
Supporting characters, such as Gracie, Nora's daughter who faces challenges at school, and a cast of friends and lovers—including Martin, Julian, and Selena—add depth to the story, each with their unique struggles and perspectives. Javo's character epitomizes the toll of addiction, as he oscillates between attempts to restore his life and the reality of his drug use. The relationships among characters, including moments of betrayal and support, highlight the interconnectedness of their lives, reflecting the broader societal issues surrounding addiction and personal growth. Overall, "Monkey Grip" offers a poignant exploration of human connection amid chaos and the pursuit of meaning in the face of adversity.
Monkey Grip: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Helen Garner
First published: 1977
Genre: Novel
Locale: Melbourne, Sydney, and Tasmania
Plot: Love
Time: 1974–1975
Nora (Nor) Lewis, the thirty-three-year-old narrator. A writer for a feminist newspaper in Melbourne, Australia, she also sometimes works as a film extra. Previously married for six years to Jack, she now tries to be independent, though she likes men, the latest being Javo. She snorts cocaine and smokes marijuana, but she is not a junkie. After Javo's return from Cambodia, they separate. Distressed, Nora gets a crewcut with a tail, and she resigns herself to his absence.
Gracie, Nora's daughter, who celebrates her sixth birthday. She does not like school, runs away from it, and refuses to talk about it.
Javo, also called Javes and Javaroo, a tall, twenty-three-year-old actor and heroin addict. He has piercing blue eyes, and his face shows the ravages of drugs: He looks to be forty years old. He drifts into and out of Nora's bed as he attempts in vain to break his drug habit or hide it from her. He journeys to Cambodia with Martin; they are arrested and jailed for carrying drugs through Bangkok. After Julian secures their release, he returns to Melbourne, where he acts in a Bertolt Brecht play and keeps apart from Nora. In the end, he lives with Claire.
Martin, Nora's lover when she meets Javo. He travels to Cambodia with Javo, where they are jailed together.
Julian, one of Martin's brothers. A former junkie who deals in smack, he pulls his long hair back to pass customs. He raises bail for Martin and Javo in Bangkok.
Joss, Martin's mystical elder brother, whom Nora meets when he returns from America. He has messy bleached-out hair and large scars on his arms and feet.
Lou, Martin's green-eyed friend who wears a green earring. He comes down with hepatitis. He had once been Lillian's lover.
Selena, Lou's lover who comes down with hepatitis and gets an abortion.
Eve, Nora's friend who lives with Georgie and Clive. When Nora cannot endure Rita's problems with Juliet, Nora moves to Eve's commune.
The Roaster, Eve's son, who is about the same age as Gracie.
Rita, Nora's friend and housemate, who is in love with Nick. Always in a hurry, she has difficulty with Juliet, her daughter.
Angela (Ange), a singer. Although she is a close friend of Nora, she tells Nora that she has been angry at her for preying on everyone else's lovers. She fears that Rita will threaten her relationship with Willy.
Francis, a twenty-three-year-old director of a film about drug addiction. He sports a hippie beard, has pale skin with freckles, and wears his hair long and tied back. Thin but strong, he was once an athlete. He and Nora sometimes sleep together during Javo's absences.
Lillian, a good-looking woman with long legs. She broke up Nora's marriage with Jack after an affair with Lou. Nora dislikes her because she does not share men.
Gerald, a rock musician (guitarist) who tells Nora that he wants to sleep with her after she breaks up with Javo.
Hazel, Javo's mother, who lives in Hobart, Tasmania. She and Javo quarrel while he and Nora visit her.
Cobby, a friend of Nora. Back from America, she shares her views of American ways. She has blonde hair, and she is dressed like a Vietcong when she arrives at the airport.
Jessie, a friend of Nora, formerly Javo's lover. Their relationship was destroyed by his smack habit. She has straight red hair. Just back from Europe, she tells Nora that Javo has returned from Cambodia.
Paddy, an artist with her own house. Nora visits her for talk and marijuana. Paddy has lived with Willy for years. Although now they are apart, she is still attracted to him.
Willy, a rock musician (drummer). Formerly Paddy's lover, he is now with Bonny. He has short blond hair, wears wire-framed glasses, and looks like a European intellectual.
Mark, a saxophone player. Javo hangs out with Mark's sister, Sylvia, in Hobart.
Peggy (Peg), Nora's friend. She lives near Sydney, where she is visited by Nora, Javo, and Gracie. She offers a kind audience for Nora, who is distressed because Javo is breaking away.
Tom, Nora's friend who lives in Bondi. He helps comfort Nora during her breakup with Javo.
Bonny, a woman who sleeps with Willy, though she does not object to sharing him with Nora.