Niagara: A Stereophonic Novel: Analysis of Major Characters
"Niagara: A Stereophonic Novel" presents a unique narrative structure through its use of multiple characters and perspectives, providing a rich tapestry of human experiences centered around Niagara Falls. The novel features various character archetypes, including an old married couple revisiting the site after thirty years, just-married couples exploring their new lives, and contrasting voices of Black gardeners introducing themes of racial and socioeconomic disparities. Throughout the twelve chapters, characters such as the old madam with her young gigolo and the vile seducer with his easy prey delve into complex themes of desire, loss, and identity.
The narrative is enhanced by a narrator and an announcer who guide the audience through the story, providing context and commentary without naming the characters directly, thereby emphasizing their roles over individual identities. This framework allows for a layered exploration of the characters' emotions and interactions, making the novel not just a story about a place, but an examination of relationships and societal dynamics. Each character's journey offers insight into the human condition, reflecting on change, nostalgia, and the connections that shape our experiences at this iconic location.
Niagara: A Stereophonic Novel: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Michel Butor
First published: 6,810,000 Litres d'eau par seconde: Etude stereophonique, 1965 (English translation, 1969)
Genre: Novel
Locale: Niagara Falls
Plot: Impressionistic realism
Time: 1963
The narrator, who provides directions for the staging/reading of this stereophonic novel.
The producer, who chooses which and how many of the novel's ten “tracks” (A-J) to air.
The listener, who is able to adjust the balance and volume of the audio production.
The readers, who possess greater freedom and mobility than the listener. They are able to follow one or more of the novel's ten tracks, separately or together, and to adjust the “volume,” according to the narrator's directions, from very soft to very loud.
The announcer, the voice positioned at the center, providing background and describing the contemporary scene and events. The announcer eventually comes to comment on the characters—always, however, by type, never by name.
The reader, also located at center of the audio performance and printed text. This voice alternates with that of the announcer, reading descriptions of Niagara from three works by Viscount François-René de Chateaubriand.
The old married couple, who are returning to Niagara Falls after thirty years. They see how it has changed and how they have changed. Over the course of the novel's twelve chapters (one for each month, April to March, alternately or concurrently and stereophonically covering a two-day period), the names of the old couple introduced in chapter 2 will change, though their role (as the old married couple) will remain the same. Thus, as the year and novel progress, the Charles and Diana of chapter 2 become or flow into Chris and Delia, Clem and Dorothy, Clifford and Deidre, Cary and Dora, Charlton and Doris, Claudius and Dollie, and Clinton and Dolly.
Just-marrieds, introduced in chapter 2, who cross the border into Canada and into marriage, devoting themselves to each other and to the metaphorically erotic activity of identifying and describing flowers. Their names are Abel and Betty, Arthur and Bertha, Andrew and Bettina, Alex and Betsey, Alec and Bessie, Alan and Billie, Albert and Bella, Anthony and Barbara, and Alfred and Beatrice. They are the character type that appears most often.
Black gardeners, introduced in chapter 3, whose voices correspond and contrast most closely with those of the old married couple. They introduce the novel's racial theme, the socioeconomic segregation of what are in fact complementary, even parallel, groups. They are visiting Niagara Falls for the first time and in certain cases work either for the old married couple or for the parents of the just-marrieds. Their names are Elias and Fanny, Elmer and Flossie, Emil and Florence, Edmund and Frieda, Errol and Fanny, Ernest and Flannery, Enoch and Felicia, and Elliot and Flora.
Old madam and Gigolo, who are introduced in chapter 4. Having first visited the falls with her husband, the old madam returns now in the company of a young gigolo in an effort to reclaim her youth and beauty. She complains of others' gawking at them, he of having had to come at all. Their names are Gertrude and Hector, Gene and Humphrey, Gerda and Hubert, Georgia and Henry, Gracie and Hugh, Grace and Horace, Gina and Helmut, and Gaby and Herbert.
Vile seducer and Easy prey, who are introduced in chapter 5. The sexual depredation evident in these pairings is deepened (in chapter 8) by the seducer's “disgust” as his conquest only proves that the girl is not who or what he desires, by the prey's inability to resist, and by her subsequent feeling of terror. Their names are Irling and Jenny, Irving and Jane, Igor and Judy, Ivo and Juliet, Ivor and Judy, and Iannis and Janet.
Young man alone, who is introduced in chapter 6, listening to and enviously watching others. His names are Keith, Klaus, Karl, Kent, Kenny, and Kenneth.
Young woman alone, who is introduced in chapter 7, wondering for what she has come looking. Her names are Lana, Lena, Liddy, and Laura.
White wife and husband, named Dinah and Carroll. As are all of the couples in chapter 7, they are “divorced” in that “each character speaks as if he were alone.”
Widower, who is introduced in chapter 8. He is made desolate by the loss of his wife. The sights help him recall his wife, and the sounds “push” her further into darkness and oblivion. His names are Morris, Milton, and Morgan.
Widow, who is introduced in chapter 9. She longs either to dream her husband back to life or to cross over to the dead. Her names are Nelly, Nadia, and Nora.
Black widower, who is introduced in chapter 10. He speaks chiefly in fragments and short elliptical sentences. His names all begin with the letter O.
Black widow, whose names all begin with the letter P.
Quentin, a Frenchman, a visiting professor at the University of Buffalo. In his only line, an incomplete sentence, he notes that he is separated from his wife, not by death but by the Atlantic Ocean.