Hans Schnier is the "Clown" of the novel's title and invariably the spokesperson for Boll as the author. A contradiction of terms, the twenty-seven-year-old Hans is at once worldly and naive, emotional and lethargic, antagonistic and remorseful. Possessing a genuine faith in humanity, Hans is searching for a meaningful existence, yet his quest seems inevitably doomed to failure. Agnostic as well as enigmatic, Hans rejects the organized institutions of society in favor of self-conceptualized isolation. Consequently, although his integrity as an individual is preserved, his personal life and professional reputation are sadly destroyed.

Throughout the novel, Hans remains the primary focus of attention, and apart from a visit by his father, the only character physically introduced to the reader. Of interest, however, either by telephone conversation or recollection, the reader becomes intimately familiar with the major participants in the protagonist's life: family, former friends, professional associates, and personal...