Father Figure in Graham Greene's A Burnt-Out Caseand The Heart of the Matter

Abstract

The present research studies Querry, the protagonist inA Burnt-Out Case and Scobie, in The Heart of the Matteras the persons with the attitude of Father figure. Querry goes to foreign land, Congo where he comes in contact with Rycker's wife, Marie, a nymphomanic woman, and gets involved in pleasure seeking tendency as he is governed by unconscious principle. In the absence of her husband, he cohabits with her when he was in unconscious mood and she becomes pregnant. He takes theres ponsibility of that unborn baby and locates himself in father's position. In The Heart of The Matter, Scobie is a protagonist whose daughter Catherine hasalready died and his wife, Louise departs to South Africa. Then Helen Rolt, a young widow of 19 years old, comes in his life to fulfill the lack of his daughter and wife.Firstly, he sees her as a child who is analogous to his daughter, Catherine and so does Helen who sees him as a resemblance of her own father. In this way, they become the father and daughter. However, she is guided by passionate desires. As a result, they commit adultery as in Electra complex which is the outcome of their unconscious selves.Thus, the novel depicts Scobie as the figurative, analogous and fornicated father of Helen.