A Burnt-Out Case is one of the latest novels by the British author Graham Greene, first published in 1960. This brilliant work deals with the search for meaning in life by the main character, Querry, a world-famous ecclesiastical architect. He arrives anonymously at a leper colony, but in spite of his efforts he cannot conceal his identity for too long, so he takes his vocation back again, and by doing so he starts connecting back with the emotions he used to experience towards his art and towards people as well.

Commentary

The scenery is perfectly set by the author, through a series of very vivid descriptions of the environment, that transmit wonderfully the feelings provoked by the climate, the vegetation and the landscape. Sensations of dampness, humidity, heat and discomfort are automatically perceived by the reader, as the narrator describes the river journey and the village. Smells are...