The Loser: Analysis of Major Characters
"The Loser: Analysis of Major Characters" delves into the complex lives of individuals living under the oppressive atmosphere of post-World War II Hungary. Central to the narrative is T, a dedicated Hungarian Communist in his fifties, who has endured a lifetime of struggle for a just society, facing betrayal from both the Nazis and his Soviet allies. His emotional detachment leads to the dissolution of his marriage with his much younger wife, who seeks joy elsewhere after being neglected. T’s younger brother, Dani, embodies a darker narrative as he succumbs to selfishness and ultimately tragedy, resulting in familial strife and loss. Key characters also include T's mistress, Sophie, whose tragic fate deepens T's emotional decline, and G., a former comrade turned oppressive figure, illustrating the moral complexities of survival and power dynamics within their community. The juxtaposition of T's idealism with the harsh realities of those around him paints a poignant picture of disillusionment, loyalty, and the personal costs of political struggles. This character-driven analysis invites readers to reflect on the intricate relationships and ethical dilemmas faced by individuals in a repressive regime.
The Loser: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: George Konrád
First published: A cinkos, 1980 (English translation, 1982)
Genre: Novel
Locale: Budapest and other areas in Hungary
Plot: Psychological realism
Time: The 1980's
T, a dedicated Hungarian Communist. A man in his fifties, he has fought all of his life for a just society. Rejecting the hierarchical system of his family, he risked his life to fight the Nazis, only to be distrusted by his supposed Soviet brothers. In the postwar reorganization, during the brief uprising crushed by the Soviets, and in the following decades, he has gained influence only to lose it because of his intellectual honesty. He has suffered arrest, imprisonment, and torture, and at last been released, only to be once again confined. At the beginning of the novel, he is freed from a mental institution but no longer feels at home in the outside world.
T's wife, a translator. Seventeen years younger than T, she is small and almost childlike, a bright, exuberant creature. During twenty years of marriage to him, she has kept her capacity for joy and hope. When T becomes incapable of giving himself to her emotionally, however, she leaves him for a young lover.
Dani, T's younger brother. A dark-bearded, charming man, he has always been mercurial, infatuated with danger but essentially selfish, willing to inform on others, even his brother, to save himself. When his girlfriend blocks his attempt to escape to the West, in frustration he turns on her, killing her and then eventually hanging himself.
Teri, Dani's girlfriend. A girl with a fair complexion, an appealing mouth, and an insatiable sexual appetite, she is un-principled and disloyal. Because she cannot bear to lose her power over Dani, she informs on him. He chokes her to death.
T's grandfather, the owner of a hardware store. A small but forceful man, he is respected for his sincere piety, his generous and forgiving nature, and his courage. His home, where T and Dani were reared, was full of kindness and love.
T's grandmother, the mother of a large family. From the time of her marriage, she would flout tradition, for example, refusing to cut off her luxuriant red hair. Tenderly and joyfully sensual, she is adored by her pious husband. In temperament, she is much like T's wife.
T's mother, the daughter of a landowner. Given to her Jewish husband because of his wealth, she was a cold, bitter woman and a defiant shoplifter. While still young, she died of cancer.
T's father, a large, lusty, red-haired man who died at the age of fifty-five in pursuit of a young woman. Like T's grandparents, he symbolizes a richer, warmer life than is possible under Communism.
Sophie, an art teacher, T's mistress, and his fellow revolutionary. A sensitive woman, she fears arrest and torture. When the Nazis try to break T by torturing her in front of him, he chooses to let her suffer rather than betray his companions; thus, he begins his long process of emotional death. After she is taken to Auschwitz, Sophie kills herself.
V., a Hungarian Communist. A cheery man, he is above all a survivor. Taken to the Soviet Union, he becomes a Soviet colonel; returning to Hungary, he establishes a sound economy, avoids trouble during the difficult decades when T is so often in prison, and finally becomes the general manager of a coal mine.
G., a Jewish tailor and a dedicated Communist. A small, balding man with a skimpy mustache, he is so ordinary in appearance that he is an ideal spy. After the war, when he is haphazardly appointed police chief, he seizes power and, with his torture chamber, becomes the most feared man in the new society. Eventually, he arrests and tortures almost all of his former companions, including T. At one point, however, he is imprisoned.
R., a Communist whom T befriended when they were both in Moscow. He depends on G. for his power, although he despises and fears him. Eventually, he is blamed by the Soviets for excessive murders and is himself taken to the Soviet Union and killed.