The Berlin Stories: The Last of Mr. Norris, Goodbye to Berlin Summary
Christopher Isherwood

The Berlin Stories: The Last of Mr. Norris, Goodbye to Berlin Summary

The Mysteriousness of the Individual

There are several instances, throughout both "The Last of Mr. Norris" and "Goodbye to Berlin," in which an individual's true identity (feelings, motivations, perspectives, beliefs, etc.) are kept hidden from the individuals around him/her. A primary example is the title character of "... Mr. Norris," who keeps the narrator (William) guessing about who he truly is and what he's really about for the entire narrative. Even at its conclusion, when William knows some of the specifics about what Mr. Norris has been up to while in Germany, it becomes clear that he (William) still doesn't understand the true nature of Mr. Norris' relationship with the aggressive, blackmailing Schmidt. Also in "...Mr. Norris," the true character of the Baron remains hidden from William as well, with the eventual revelation that the Baron is well connected with the German government coming as a significant surprise.

This motif (pattern) repeats itself... View more of the The Berlin Stories: The Last of Mr. Norris, Goodbye to Berlin Summary