Point Counter Point by Aldous Huxley
"Point Counter Point" is a novel by Aldous Huxley, published in 1928, that explores complex themes of relationships, morality, and the intellectual life of the British middle class in the interwar period. The story centers on Walter Bidlake, who finds himself entangled in a troubled relationship with a married woman, Marjorie Carling, while developing an infatuation for another woman, Lucy Tantamount. This love triangle creates emotional turmoil as Walter grapples with guilt and moral obligations, juxtaposed against his desire for independence.
Huxley intricately weaves together various characters, including Philip Quarles, a self-absorbed novelist, and Denis Burlap, an editor struggling with his magazine's lack of success. Their lives intersect in a social milieu marked by deceit, unfaithfulness, and personal crises, reflecting the broader moral conditions of the time. The narrative delves into themes such as the nature of love, the impact of societal expectations, and the struggles of artistic expression amidst personal turmoil.
"Point Counter Point" combines satire and deep psychological insight, providing a critical examination of human relationships and the search for meaning in an increasingly chaotic world. Through its multifaceted characters and their interactions, Huxley invites readers to contemplate the complexities of life, love, and the often contradictory nature of human desires.
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Point Counter Point by Aldous Huxley
First published: 1928
Type of work: Novel
Type of plot: Social realism
Time of plot: 1920’s
Locale: England
Principal characters
Philip Quarles , a novelistElinor , his wifeSidney , his fatherRachel , his motherJohn Bidlake , Elinor’s fatherMrs. Bidlake , her motherLittle Philip , Philip and Elinor’s sonDenis Burlap , the editor ofThe Literary World Beatrice Gilray , his mistressSpandrell , a cynicEverard Webley , a disciple of forceWalter Bidlake , Elinor’s brotherMarjorie Carling , Walter’s mistressLucy Tantamount , the woman with whom Walter is infatuatedMark Rampion , an artist
The Story:
Walter Bidlake has been living with a married woman named Marjorie Carling for a year and a half, and he is growing tired of her. He feels tied to her by a moral obligation but oppressed by her attempts to possess him; she has rejected his proposal that they live together as close friends but leading independent lives. In any case, it is too late for that now, because Marjorie is pregnant. Her jealousy toward his latest infatuation, Lucy Tantamount, pricks Walter’s conscience, and he is angry with himself for making Marjorie unhappy by going to a party at Tantamount House without her.
Elinor and Philip Quarles travel abroad, leaving little Philip behind under the care of a governess and his grandmother, Mrs. Bidlake. Philip is a novelist, and his life consists of jotting down in his notebook incidents and thoughts that might make material for his next novel. His mind is turned inward, introspective, and his self-centered interests give him little time for emotional experience. Elinor wishes that he would love her as much as she loves him, but she resigns herself to the unhappy dilemma of being loved as much as Philip could possibly love any woman.
Denis Burlap, editor of The Literary World, flatters himself with the just conceit that although his magazine is not a financial success, it at least contributes to the intellectual life of his time. Walter, one of his chief contributors, asks for more pay; Burlap hedges until Walter feels ashamed of his demands. Burlap is attracted to Beatrice Gilray, a pathetic figure who has feared the very touch of a man ever since she had been attacked by her uncle while riding in a taxicab. Burlap hopes eventually to seduce Beatrice. Meanwhile, they are living together. Also part of this social set is Spandrell, an indolent son of a doting mother who supports him, and Everard Webley, a friend of Elinor and the leader of a conservative militaristic group called the British Freemen.
Philip’s father, Sidney Quarles, pretends that he is writing a long history, but he has not progressed much beyond the purchase of office equipment. His wife, Rachel, assumes the burden of managing their affairs and patiently endures Sidney’s whims and mild flirtations. Now it is apparently someone in London, for Sidney makes frequent trips to the British Museum to gather material for his history. The young woman appears one day at the Quarleses’ country house and in loud and furious tones informs Sidney that she is pregnant. When Rachel appears, Sidney quietly leaves the room. Rachel settles the affair quietly.
Marjorie continues to arouse Walter’s pity and cause him to regret his association with Lucy Tantamount, particularly because Lucy is not much interested in Walter. She becomes tired of London and leaves for Paris. When Elinor and Philip return from abroad, they find their son faring well under the care of his governess and his grandmother. John Bidlake learns that he is dying of cancer and returns to his wife’s home. He has become a cantankerous patient and treats little Philip alternately with kindness and harshness.
Since Lucy is in Paris, Philip is able to persuade Walter to take Marjorie to the Quarles home in the country in the hope that this will lead to some sort of reconciliation. Rachel Quarles begins to like Marjorie, and the pregnant woman becomes more cheerful in the new environment. Shortly after she and Walter arrive at the Quarles estate, Walter receives a letter from Lucy in Paris, telling him that she has found a new lover who seduced her in a shabby Parisian studio. With her newly acquired contentment, Marjorie feels sympathy for Walter, who is crestfallen at Lucy’s rejection.
Everard Webley has long been in love with Elinor. Sometimes she wonders whether Philip will care if she leaves for another man, and she decides that it will be Philip’s own fault if she turns to Everard. She feels that a breach is forming between herself and Philip, but she cannot arouse his attention to make him realize what is happening. She arranges a rendezvous with Everard.
Behind the scenes of lovemaking and unfaithfulness lurks the political enmity between Spandrell and Everard. Elinor Quarles is home alone awaiting Everard’s call when Spandrell and a telegram arrive simultaneously. The telegram informs Elinor that little Philip is ill and urges her to come to her father’s home. Elinor asks Spandrell to wait and tell Everard that she cannot keep her appointment with him. Spandrell agrees. When Everard arrives at Elinor’s home, Spandrell attacks him and kills him. Spandrell lugs the dead body into a car and drives away. Later that evening, he meets Philip and tells him his son is ill.
Philip arrives at the Bidlake estate the next day in time to hear the doctor say that young Philip has meningitis. Elinor stays by the child’s side for days, waiting for the crisis to pass. One night, the sick boy opens his eyes and tells his parents that he is hungry. They are overjoyed at his apparent recovery; later that night, he dies suddenly. As they had done in the past, Elinor and Philip escape by going abroad.
For a long while, the Webley murder baffles the police. Despairing of ever escaping from his meaningless existence, Spandrell sends the British Freemen a note stating that Everard’s murderer, armed, will be found at a certain address at a certain hour. On their arrival, the Freemen find Spandrell pointing a gun at them. They shoot him.
Burlap is the only happy man among these sensualists and intellectuals. One night, he and Beatrice pretend they are children and splash merrily while taking their bath together.
Bibliography
Baker, Robert. The Dark Historic Page: Social Satire and Historicism in the Novels of Aldous Huxley, 1921-1939. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1982. Presents four of the novel’s main contrapuntal plot lines, which are centered on relationships with parents, lovers, death, and God. Argues that Spandrell is central to each of these plot lines.
Barfoot, C. C., ed. Aldous Huxley: Between East and West. New York: Rodopi, 2001. Collection of essays, including analyses of the themes of science and modernity in Huxley’s interwar novels, utopian themes in his work, his views of nature, and his use of psychedelic drugs and mescaline.
Bedford, Sybille. Aldous Huxley: A Biography. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1973. Detailed biography based primarily on oral sources that traces Huxley’s intellectual and moral development from early childhood on. Presents a fascinating insight into the Huxley family. Discusses the novel’s theme, characterization, and critical reaction.
Bowering, Peter. Aldous Huxley: A Study of the Major Novels. New York: Oxford University Press, 1969. Presents Huxley as a novelist of ideas who uses minimal plot and character development to focus on theme and satire. Discusses Huxley’s relationship with D. H. Lawrence and its influence on the themes and ideas in Point Counter Point.
Meckier, Jerome. Aldous Huxley: Modern Satirical Novelist of Ideas—A Collection of Essays. Edited by Peter Firchow and Bernfried Nugel. London: Global, 2006. This collection of Meckier’s essays written from 1966 through 2005 includes two discussions of Point Counter Point: “Quarles Among the Monkeys: Huxley’s Zoological Novels” and “Philip Quarles’s Passage to India: Jesting Pilate, Point Counter Point, and Bloomsbury.”
‗‗‗‗‗‗‗. Aldous Huxley: Satire and Structure. London: Chatto & Windus, 1969. An excellent introductory source that isolates major themes of Point Counter Point and provides the clearest overview of its structure. Includes an analysis of Rampion’s central role and of his ruthless assessments of other characters, as well as the use of models for many characters.
‗‗‗‗‗‗‗, ed. Critical Essays on Aldous Huxley. New York: G. K. Hall, 1996. Includes thoughtful essays on Huxley’s oeuvre, including several pieces interpreting Point Counter Point.
Murray, Nicholas. Aldous Huxley: A Biography. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2003. Murray’s 500-plus-page biography and intellectual history is a wide-ranging survey of Huxley’s writing and his social, personal, and political life. Covers Huxley’s early satirical writing, his peace activism, his close relations and friendships with Hollywood filmmakers and other intellectuals, and his fascination with spirituality and mysticism. Illustrations, bibliography, and index.
Nance, Guinevera A. Aldous Huxley. New York: Continuum, 1988. A clear introductory work that discusses Huxley’s intellectual development and his detached, reflective presentation of a society without balance. Analyzes the characters, parallel story lines, and recurring themes of Point Counter Point.