Go, Went, Gone Summary
Jenny Erpenbeck

Go, Went, Gone Overview

Go, Went, Gone follows Richard, a retired Berlin professor, as he confronts his own indifference after encountering African refugees protesting for asylum. Initially detached, he gradually engages with their stories—of war, drowning, and bureaucratic limbo—transforming from observer to advocate. As he helps them navigate Germany’s hostile immigration system, their struggles expose the hollowness of European compassion and the weight of historical guilt. The novel ends in bleak ambiguity, with deportations underscoring the fragility of human connection against systemic cruelty.