Cunningham, Michael: *1952
A Home at the End of the World, 1990 - Information about the Book
- General Information
- The novel is about a boy who has experienced many losses in his life, grows to manhood, and enters into a love triangle with a woman and his boyhood friend.
- Information from Wikipedia
- Facts
- Michael Cunningham was in his thirties and had not been able to sell anything yet. His goal had always been to sell something to "The New Yorker," and he tried very hard to write something that would please the editors. But all his documents were returned. Then one day he decided not to write for publishers anymore, but to write what pleased him. A friend of his encouraged him to send "Home at the End of the World" to "The New Yorker."
Again the document was returned, but this time with a letter asking him to call them or they would call him. He did not call, but soon received a call. Eventually two chapters were published with the title "White Angels."
Publishers started to notice him and eventually "Home at the End of the World" was published by Farrar, Strauss and Giroux.
From a talk I had with Michael Cunningham. Provincetown, MA; July 14, 2006 - Awards: The novel won the Lambda Literary Award for Gay Men's Fiction in 1990.
- Bobby Morrow - The narrator for parts of the novel. Bobby comes from a dysfunctional family in suburban Cleveland, where he witnesses the deaths of his mother and brother at a young age. He befriends Jonathan in high school and they experiment sexually.
Jonathan Glover - Bobby's best friend from a more sheltered family. Jonathan is slowly coming to terms with his homosexuality as a teenager. He later moves to New York City and lives with Clare.
Clare - An eccentric woman who plans to have a baby with her gay friend Jonathan. She ends up seducing Bobby and becoming pregnant by him instead. The three form an unconventional family unit together.
Alice Glover - Jonathan's mother, who takes Bobby in after his father dies. She catches Bobby and Jonathan masturbating together as teens.
Developed by AI
- Unconventional Families and Relationships
The novel centers around the unique family unit formed by Jonathan, Bobby, Clare, and their child, defying traditional norms. It examines non-traditional relationships, same-sex love, and the complexities of human bonds beyond societal conventions.Coming-of-Age and Self-Discovery
The narrative follows the journeys of Jonathan and Bobby from childhood to adulthood, chronicling their struggles with identity, sexuality, and finding their place in the world. It delves into the universal experiences of growing up and self-acceptance. AIDS Epidemic Set against the backdrop of the AIDS crisis in the 1980s-90s, the novel poignantly portrays the devastating impact of the epidemic on the LGBTQ+ community and those affected, capturing the fear, loss, and resilience of that era.Intergenerational Relationships
Cunningham explores the complex dynamics between parents and children, touching on themes of loneliness, regret, and the desire for connection across generations, particularly through the character of Alice, Jonathan's mother.Urban Life and Societal Changes
The novel offers a nuanced portrayal of urban life, relationships, and the societal shifts occurring during the time period, reflecting the changing attitudes towards sexuality, gender roles, and alternative lifestyles.With its intimate and honest storytelling, "A Home at the End of the World" talks about these profound topics, inviting readers to contemplate the complexities of human experience, love, and the search for belonging.
Developed by AI
- The novel was well-received by critics for its lyrical prose and emotional depth. Michael Cunningham's writing was praised for its sensitivity and the way it explored complex themes such as friendship, love, and family dynamics.
One of the standout features of the book is its rich character development. Readers and critics alike appreciated the authenticity and depth of these characters.
Many readers found the novel to be emotionally impactful, with its exploration of love, loss, and the complexities of human connections. The narrative's poignancy and the empathetic portrayal of its characters' struggles and triumphs left a lasting impression on its audience.
Overall, the novel is remembered as a thoughtful and moving exploration of human relationships, cementing Michael Cunningham's reputation as a skilled and empathetic storyteller.
Developed by AI- Reader Rating:
- Author
- Michael Cunningham talks about love as portrayed in the novel. Host: Hans Fischer. SwissEduc; Provincetown, MA; July 15, 2006
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TransctriptHans Fischer - Welcome to SwissEduc. My name is Hans Fischer and my guest is Michael Cunningham. Welcome Mr. Cunningham. People live together as heterosexual couples, same sex couples, and in "A Home at the End of the World" you show a way where three people live together. Bobby and Clare, two heterosexual persons, and Jonathan, a gay person, and they love each other.
Michael Cunningham - Yeah, they do.
Hans Fischer - When they move off to the country, they seem to be the perfect family. Yet you destroy this family. And it's not Jonathan, who does not get any sex, but you have Clare leave and begin a new life. Why don't these three people have the possibility to live together?
Michael Cunningham - They surely have the possibility, it's just not what happens with these particular people.
Hans Fischer - Why not?
Michael Cunningham - Because of who and what they are. Novels are not generally concerned with happy families with whom everything works out just fine. That's not to say there are not happy families of all sorts, including unorthodox ones, for whom everything works out just fine. Fiction, at least the fiction that is most interesting to me, is about our ability to survive, about our ability to go on even when things don't turn out exactly the way we expect them to. And I feel like that's what I turn to novels for. I don't need companionship in my happiness.
Hans Fischer - You talk about love in it, something we all want and then you say that Clare's parents were not lovers, they didn't even care for one another. Or Jonathan says, "Love was what ruined our parents. Love had delivered them to a life of mortgage payment and household repairs." What's the matter with love?
Michael Cunningham - I am all in favor of love. Love will be in all of our funerals. Both of those characters are voicing their skepticism. I think not about love in general, but about a sort of traditional marriages that their parents lived through. Part of what seems important to me in writing about this unorthodox marriage between three people was that it not be romanticized. That it not be read as some kind of pamphlet in favor of a new and better way of loving other people. There are just infinite varieties of same eternal ways for us to love other people.
Hans Fischer - Mr. Cunningham, thank you very much.
Michael Cunningham - It was a pleasure.
This interview took place in Provincetown, MA, on July 15, 2006.
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Transctript
- Michael Cunningham talks with Michael Silverblatt about the novel. KCRW, Santa Monica; March 12, 1991 - loads slowly
- Articles
- Such Good Friends: "The novel may have problems with form, but in spirit it is memorable and accomplished." The New York Times; November 11, 1990
- Reader Rating:
- Michael Cunningham was in his thirties and had not been able to sell anything yet. His goal had always been to sell something to "The New Yorker," and he tried very hard to write something that would please the editors. But all his documents were returned. Then one day he decided not to write for publishers anymore, but to write what pleased him. A friend of his encouraged him to send "Home at the End of the World" to "The New Yorker."