Quinn Harris

Late Modernism
Professor Sanchez
April 14, 2014
Final Paper
The Silence of Isherwood and Woolf
Christopher Isherwoods Goodbye To Berlin and Virginia Woolfs Between
the Acts are two classic texts of the late modernism period that detail the years
before the outbreak of the Second World War. While both texts seem to shy
away from explicit mentions of the war, it overshadows the tone of the novels and
actions of its characters. Due to the obvious presence of the war in these texts
and extent to which it goes unremarked, this paper will argue that the true
meanings of the two novels is found in what is left unsaid and that silence (as
opposed to what is spoken) is the key theme in Isherwood and Woolfs novels
because it represents decisions of great psychological importance . In short,
where most novels find meaning in what is said, these two find meaning in what
is left unsaid.
In both Virginia Woolf and Christopher Isherwoods novels, the war is an
imposing presence that permeates the background actions and words . The war
in both Goodbye to Berlin and Between the Acts is an unrealized one. Although
Woolfs novel takes place in immediate proximity to the outbreak of World War II
and Isherwoods is somewhat more distanced as it details the rise of Nazi
Germany, the war undoubtedly inhabits the plots . In both texts, the presence of
the war can be described as the threat to mental space (Cersonsky, Afhauser) .
While the characters in Between the Acts consciously try to avoid any
reference to the impending war, Isherwoods Christopher attempts to be
completely objective and uses the camera technique. He attempts to be
completely passive, simply recording his surroundings without judgment. The
narrator of Goodbye to Berlin is withdrawn from the action; he catches trick and
detail, movement, gesture, motive, and personality; he gives the world its due

and more than its due and does not regret his expenditure he is the alienated
man, in whom alienation is embodied as the master theme (Rosenfeld) . For this
reason, one can argue that the importance of silence or what is unsaid in
Isherwood is obvious and literal than in Woolf.
Again, the key idea in Goodbye to Berlin is the fact that the main character
attempts to be like a camera with its shutter open, quite passive, recording, not
thinking (Isherwood 11). Because of this technique he rarely, if ever passes
judgment and the reader must instead look in between what is presented . On
example of this is the homosexual relationship between Peter and Oliver that is
hinted at while never being distinctly stated. In one instance, when Peter goes on
a date with a girl, the narrator makes special reference to the fact that he did not
kiss her goodnight (Isherwood 88). In another, he remarks that Peter is not on
speaking terms with anyone in his family but his sister, perhaps owing to his
alternative lifestyle that was hardly accepted at that time . Finally there is the Nazi
doctor, who remarks that, My work in this clinic has taught me that it is no use
trying to help this type of boy [] this type of boy always reverts (Isherwood 94) .
In the quote, the words this type of boy seems to be a clear hint towards
homosexuality but again shows the ambiguous and unresolved nature of
Isherwoods text. So much is left undefined that the reader also wonders if
Christopher, the lead character, is also homosexual . He is frequently with Sally,
who seems to have at least some attraction and yet they never kiss .
What this means is that while Isherwoods text might seem silent, or
boring, there are many things going on outside of the immediate descriptions . In
his text, and in Woolfs, the filler becomes the point of the novel . This subversion
of the typical plotting technique relates to the fact that the authors are attempting
a different type of realism (a psychological one), which possesses the idea that
its characters are attempting to avoid something in their boredom or normality .

The homosexual subtext between Peter, Oliver, and possible Christopher

is a minor example of the meaning found in silence in Goodbye to Berlin. The
most important and overarching example of this is the rise of Nazism . Isherwood
is silent about the subject in that he passes no judgment nor muses about
morality; instead he leaves the reader to form their own opinion on what he
decides to tell. When the Nazi doctor remarks that he sees nothing but Jews!
(Isherwood 92) it goes unnoticed by the other characters and arguably so for the
reader as well. As Christopher states late in the novel, People laugh at them
[Nazis], right up to the last moment (Isherwood 179) . Isherwood presents the
Nazi party only in the margins, which creates the effect that it is not something
being taken seriously.
When there is a character that is a Nazi (Ottos brother), he is shown to be
a responsible and caring member of the family. The absence of clear and
obvious evil makes it easy for the novels characters to ignore the problems
associated with the Nazi party. This ignorance is very similar to that of World War
II in Between the Acts. It is a sort of purposeful ignorance where the dangers of
the world seem quite unreal to many characters and almost outside of their own
personal world. At one point, Frl. Schroeder remarks to Christopher that, Im
sure I dont know what makes you want to leave Berlin, all of a sudden, like
this (Isherwood 205). While specific references to the party are few, the final
book in Goodbye to Berlin titled A Berlin Diary (Winter 1932-3) shows
everything coming to the forefront, with Nazis marching through the streets
smashing shop fronts, beating up those who get in their way (Berloiz) .
While silence in association with the war was a conscious decision on
behalf of Woolfs characters, it is not clear whether the characters in Isherwood
are simply confused about the party or dont want to acknowledge how far the
Nazis will go. On one hand it seems to be a decision not to acknowledge the rise
of Nazism (and coming war), and one that is less because of fear but rather the
hope of being innocent bystanders, or innocent by disassociation , while it also

seems that some characters brush off the party in a way that shows they do not
take it seriously.
Woolfs novel also contains the late modernist idea of the everyday and
highlights unoriginal and barrenly silent forms of communication (Cersonsky,
Afhauser). In Between the Acts, the filler or in between action moves the novel
forward. Not a lot happens in her novel; there are the pageant preparations, we
watch some of the play, and other than that there is very little action . What there
is, though, is an abundance of words and everyday small talk, almost none of
which references the war. While Europe is bursting like a hedgehog (the whole
of Europe over there was bristling like hedgehog (Woolf 53), the novels
protagonists are focused on a minor town play. This relates to the rise of Nazism
in Isherwoods text and the fact that his protagonists chose to ignore it . This nonacknowledgement seems to be an element of escape . Woolfs characters have
little to say other than the obvious and impending war, so they concern them
selves with minute details such as weather and the play. Again, the important
things are those unsaid.
It can be argued that the silence regarding large events in both novels is a
result of an acclamation to the carnage in their lives . Humans can only maintain
levels of care and fear for so long, so regardless of the outside world, routines
develop. In Isherwoods novel, the carnage is placed alongside this routine; Herr
Bernstein fears that his car will be destroyed due to rioters (I will not have them
throwing stones at my beautiful car it will cost me perhaps five hundred marks
[Isherwood 27]) while Bernhard brushes Nazi death threats off as
inconsequential, remarking that he will do nothing (Isherwood 179) and that it is
of minor importance.
The title Between the Acts describes the cohesive whole of the two
novels. There is a very clear hierarchy of information in them, and what
information we do get is important in some way. While excerpts from the texts
may seem to contradict this notion they actually drive home further the point . In

Between the Acts, Woolf writes, It didnt matter what the words were; or who
sang what (Woolf 94). While the words themselves may not matter in this
context, they do matter in the sense that they hint at larger themes of the novel .
The characters rambling on with superficial words shows their emotional distance
from the true or more pressing matters of the time and place . Their words are
empty in that they have little ramifications, but are full in that they are all an
attempt to avoid unfortunate fears.
Stylistically, Woolf creates the importance of silence or the in between by
utilizing the same hierarchy of information. She writes,
No, I dont go by politicians. Ive a friend whos been
to Russia. He says And my daughter, just back from
Rome, she says the common people, in the cafes,
hate Dictators Well, different people say different
things (Woolf 121)
The most obvious trait here is the ellipses. They allude to the fact that
things have been cut out and leaves the reader wondering what and if it is
relevant. The sections is entirely superficial, with mention of vacations, children,
and other non-serious subjects and furthermore, the reader is not told who is
speaking or when. The entire excerpt is an exercise in nothingness . The reader
is also left wonder what has been cut out where there are ellipses and if it is
relevant to the story. At the mention of Russia we have ellipses perhaps owing
to the fact that they were to become embroiled in the upcoming war . There are
also ellipses after the word Dictators. Essentially, any reference to the war or
politics, however vague, is avoided and replaced with nonsensical speak .
While both novels have a plethora of thematic silences, Woolfs also
contains words literal being cut off because of the war . She writes that while the

villagers speak pageants theme (all liberated; made whole [Woolf 183]) their
words are interrupted by planes in the sky. According to Woolf:
The word was cut in two. A zoom severed it. Twelve
aeroplanes in perfect formation like a flight of wild
duck came overhead. That was the music. The
audience gaped; the audience gazed. Then zoom
became drone. The planes had passed. (Woolf 193)
These are violent images; the word is cut in two and a zoom severs it.
Woolf shows that all these people have, their words, are being destroyed much
like their state of mind.
What this all leads to the silence, unsaid, the in between, is the
aforementioned invasion of mental space. In her diaries, Woolf wrote that she
was thinking: we live without a future. Thats whats queer: with our noses
pressed to a closed door (Poole 278). The future (war, Nazism) is extremely
present and imposing in the two novels and is inherently an unknowable one .
One technique of late modernism texts is a new psychological realism, a
technique Woolf and Isherwood use in abundance . While there may be a slight
presence of a harmful bodily threat, the novels focus primarily on a psychological
one. The planes flying overhead in Between the Acts and growing number of
Nazis in Goodbye to Berlin are instances of the future disturbing our present
(Woolf 82). It is important that the war is not yet there in either case and so the
threat is purely mental.
As Woolf writes in a letter, the war to her characters is waiting while the
knives sharpen for the operation (Woolf, Letters) and that is has has taken
away the outer wall of security (Woolf, Letters). The war is not only one of
violence, or destruction, but also the invasion of peace of mind . For this reason,
her characters avoid acknowledging it; they are empty, empty, empty; silent,

silent, silent (Woolf 36) and put on the play in an attempt to distract each other .
Yet according to Woolfs narrators, the attempt is futile, as the silence becomes
one of the sounds like a sound on a shell . The sound is everywhere (Mah).
In conclusion, Virginia Woolfs Between the Acts and Christopher
Isherwoods Goodbye to Berlin contrast with most novels in that they find
meaning in what is left unsaid. They both present narratives that are focused on
a series of characters attempting to avoid something in the background, be it the
Nazi party or bomb squad planes of World War II. The silence in these texts
shows a new psychological realism found in the late modernist era, one where
the characters find their mental space invaded with fears and worried of a future
not yet present.

Works Cited
Berloiz, Florence. "Goodbye to Berlin." Miss Darcys Library. N.p., 2011. Web. 6 Apr. 2014.
Cersonksky, Emily, and Anne Afhauser. "Between the Acts." The Modernism Lab at Yale
University. Yale University, 2010. Web. 5 Apr. 2014.
Isherwood, Christopher. Goodbye to Berlin. London: Triad/Panther, 1977. Print.
Mah, Cleo. "Incandescent Clichs in Virginia Woolf's Between the Acts." Colorado State
Writing. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Apr. 2014.
Poole, Roger. The Unknown Virginia Woolf. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1978. Print.
Rosenfeld, Isaac. "Isherwood's Master Theme." JSTOR. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Apr. 2014.
Woolf, Virginia. Between the Acts. New York: Harcourt, Brace and, 1941. Print.