Schizophrenic Characterization in The Golden Bowlby Henry James

Abstract

This thesis analyses Henry James’s Novel The Golden Bowlvia schizophrenic characterization. Money is at the centre of the novel; hence, we find the reciprocal relationship amid the characters. Money evokes multiple desires in these characters which are never to be mitigated. Characters are the desiring machines that are after their desires, be it social, professional or erotic. James very cunningly postulates the failure of family life in the Western Culture because of extreme capitalism. Every character is schizophrenic and paranoid having unlimited desires. The character like Charlotte is haunted by her erotic instinct as well as money. Amerigo, the main protagonist is also multi-dimensional who betrays all his well wishers. This is to say that Henry James presents schizophrenic characters that are crushed into the capitalistic mode of production; for this reason, they are multifaceted and unstable.