A novel that follows the lives of several members of the British aristocracy as they engage in deep philosophical discussions, political debates, and sordid affairs.

Honestly, I don't know what to make of this novel. I generally enjoyed it and found it to be beautifully written. Huxley has a way of describing death, in particular, that is haunting and evocative. Some of the ideology that is discussed is (unfortunately) provocative even by today's standards, especially the idea of women being sexually liberated. Several of the female characters have a healthy appreciation of sex, and one in particular, Lucy, comes across as a vivacious, independent spirit, very much self-actualized sexually speaking, much to the frustration of her male suitors (specifically Walter, who falls in love with her). She kind of reminds me of Holly Golightly from Breakfast at Tiffany's in that regard.

The goal of the book doesn't seem to be so much telling a solid narrative as using these characters as avatars for Huxley's opinions on art, politics, religion, sex, etc. I can imagine that in the 1920s, using fiction to voice these opinions was the safer route to go, as you can have plausible deniability should your work get you in trouble. Apparently, many of the characters in the book are based on real life contemporaries of Huxley as well, whether they be writers or artists.

Speaking of characters, my biggest gripe with this book is there are TOO MANY. When I started, it felt like a neverending cavalcade of characters were being introduced chapter by chapter, to the point that by the time the first character returns back into the narrative, I had forgotten who they were. The story eventually focuses on a small group of 5 characters, and it becomes much easy to mentally juggle them, but damn does it take awhile.

My fondness of Beethoven's string quartet in A Minor led me to this book, because I had read somewhere that the book's final chapter is based on the long slow movement of this quartet, the movement that Beethoven named 'Heiliger Dankgesang eines Genesenden an die Gottheit, in der lydischen Tonart', since Beethoven had unexpectedly recovered from a serious illness. This book was a fine discovery, an excellent book that I have tremendously enjoyed reading.

It is a book that is full of witty and intelligent dialogue, reminiscent of the style of Evelyn Waugh and with a touch of Oscar Wilde. Various characters represent various positions, allowing the author to philosophise about God versus Science, Nature versus Industrialization, Love versus Lust, Faithfulness versus Promiscuity, in other words: point and counterpoint. The views expressed on the downside of free trade a the dominance of capital are acutely relevant today, and marks Huxley as a man with a sharp mind and discerning opinions. All along the author does not forget to build a story, that eventually leads to a dramatic loss by illness (what about that Heiliger Dankgesang eines Genesenden an die Gottheit? - wasn't God watching?) and even murder. The final chapter, in which one of the characters uses Beethovens music in an attempt to proof the existence of God, is a befitting finale to a book that is heartily recommended.

To some extent Huxley's wit saves the novel, while a greater part of it seems like the author explaining the joke, choking his own attempt at satire... The characters, individually fairly single-minded psychological profiles (to avoid calling them "one-dimensional"), act according to the set of rules ascribed to their respective psychological categories to the point where it gets predictive. If you think about it, that is; I did enjoy the read when I did the opposite, yet it'd be quite a stretch to call that aspect its strong point seeing as it comes nowhere near to this or that 19th century effort made in, maybe, Russia. I'm certainly subjective, but I can't say that I don't appreciate Huxley's writing, although I've never thought of him as a good writer. Seemingly devoid of any sense for poetry (meaning, in this case, anything at all, no matter how small, capable of escaping the author's analysis), he certainly did better with stuff like Brave New World, at least to those interested (along the lines of: great ideas, (often) tedious writing). Now, if you dislike reading between the lines, Point Counter Point ought to be right up your alley as it leaves no room for such endeavors. Placed to illustrate a multifaceted universe, all the fragments (or character-categories) don't really add up to much other than their static presence, static despite the plot, despite what topic the dialogue deals with; it's all laid out in a system indulged in by Huxley, as if the dichotomy in man - the one at least as old as civilization - was already resolved by Psychology. But maybe I'm wrong, you know, because I loved that ending. In fact, I found myself seduced by the whole deal more than I'd like to admit, but one of the reasons was the mere amount of text (you know how you find some things have grown on you before you could see them coming?). Perhaps it just wasn't for reasons that I could appreciate too much.

A phrase like "novel of ideas" sounds so ponderous and leaden-- you'll not find many who liked The Magic Mountain as much as I did, but I'll readily admit it was tough going-- but Huxley proves that a novel of ideas can be on the contrary, witty, playful, and as bitchy as a gin-sodden Truman Capote. Nearly every page has a line that's a total keeper:

"The rush to books and universities is like the rush to the public house. People want to drown their realization of the difficulties of living properly in this grotesque contemporary world, they want to forget their own deplorable inefficiency as artists in life."

You got me, Aldous, you got me.

A tortured thing to slog through, it might have been a decent novel if Huxley and his editor (if there was one) had cut certain aimless philosophical discussions between the intellectual men. Huxley wants to argue with himself in public, fine, let him do it in an essay not couched in the trappings of an otherwise entertaining piece of fiction.

It is rather a collection of vignets, some of which (like the story of Marjorie, Walter, and Carling) Huxley seems to lose interest in. Of the many melodramas set up in the beginning only one or two reach conclusion.

“Cuesta tanto trabajo escribir un libro malo como uno bueno; sale con la misma sinceridad del alma del autor.”

Sobre lo absurdo del ser humano.

Heilige Dankgesang!
O Aldus Huxley είναι όντως ο πιο πνευματώδης και ασεβής αγαπημένος μου!

This blog is Part II of my review of the Critical essays of Keith M. May on the works of Aldous Huxley (1972 Harper & Row) [see previous post]. I also have checked out Huxley’s Crome Yellow, Eyeless in Gaza, and Point Counter Point from my university library to become more familiar with his novels. For this blog post, I will reference Point Counter Point.

Aldous Huxley’s Point Counter Point (1928) explores a variety of interconnected themes, reflecting on human relationships, intellectual trends, and societal issues in the modern world. I often thought of William F. Buckley Jr. vs Gore Vidal’s famous 1968 debates of societal, political, philosophical, and artistic issues as I read Point [watch the fascinating PBS documentary at this link].

Almost all of the characters of Point are either victims of some form of division between passion and reason or act as depraved agents of the division of others; these behaviors constitute the ‘points’, as Huxley puts it, but the points fall into clearly definable categories and thus make up the themes or variations upon themes (81).

MUSIC

The novel is structured like a musical composition, with overlapping “points” of view and “counterpoints,” highlighting the contrasts and tensions between characters and ideas. May explores the musical forms in his critical essay Aldous Huxley (1972):

“The changes of moods, the abrupt transitions which we see in Beethoven also in a manner occur in Point Counter Point…Beethoven states then distorts a theme which nonetheless remains perceptibly the same whole range of thought and feeling throughout the novel” (79). Beethoven’s compositions embody intensity and moral struggle as seen in Spandrell’s character.

I loved thinking on this theme of Music that May points out as I read Point; for example:

I learned that the novel’s title refers to counterpoint, a musical technique where independent melodies are interwoven, maintaining their individuality while contributing to a cohesive whole. May points out that the novel weaves together multiple characters’ lives and perspectives, creating a complex interplay of contrasting ideas and emotions. These “melodies” often conflict but enrich the overarching narrative, reflecting the diversity and complexity of human experience (79).
In addition, each character in Point possibly represents a distinct “melody” or thematic idea. For example: Philip Quarles: Intellectualism; Walter Bidlake: romanticism; Maurice Spandrell: Nihilism and existentialism; and Rampion: Artistic passion. The “counterpoint” emerges as these characters’ lives intersect, their philosophies clash, and their actions influence one another.
We can see in Point how Huxley critiques the modern tendency to reduce art, including music, to a mechanical or utilitarian function (81).
On the other hand, the “point” of music in this story can be seen in the harmonies between the characters and their ideas.
Intellectuals and Social Elites

Secondly, Huxley offers a theme with sharp critique of the intellectual and social elites of the 1920’s, post WWI. This reminds me of one of Oscar Wilde’s main themes in The Importance of Being Ernest [see post].As in Importance, Huxley’s characters in Point reveal their pretentiousness in debates, their hollow philosophies, and their detachment from the real world and all the practical concerns that come with it.

For example, Phillip is a writer and intellectual who approaches life with detachment by inability to engage emotionally. He states, “The Intellectual life is child’s play; which is why intellectuals tend to become children—and then imbeciles, and finally homicidal lunatics and wild beasts” (380).

Or in Walter who is so self-centered that he cannot embrace the bohemian lifestyle he so greatly aspires to. Also Rampion, loosely based on D.H. Lawrence, who takes on the voice of the critique in Point and tries to keep his peers in check by mocking their pretension (81). Rampion is a role model as he has a healthy marriage and therefore his opinions seem correct.

Searching for Truth

Rampion confesses that he took learning, philosophy, and science very seriously. He considered these a “Search for truth” He pursued “learning” through a rush to books and universities but considered this pursuit as a way of drowning the realization of the difficulties of living properly in a “grotesque contemporary world”. Just as some drown their troubles in alcohol, still more drown them in “books and artistic dilettantism”, or what he calls “sorrow drowners” (Point, 380).

Rampion considered the “search for truth” as the highest of human tasks and the Searches of truth as the noblest of men. He came to realize after a year of searching that, just as the pursuit of learning, it was just an amusement-another distraction from life and a rather refined and elaborate substitute for genuine living. He equated Truth-Seeking to amusements such as “skittles and mountain-climbing”(380). Rampion resigns himself that he was congenitally incapable of living wholly and harmoniously.

The Philisophic

The final theme, the ‘philosophic theme’, reaches its climax in Chapter 34. May states that we see Huxley’s expression of his state of mind in the late nineteen-twenties [this was Huxley’s fourth Novel at this point]. Philip writes in his notebook, “The life of an animal is only a fragment of the total life of the universe…The whole story of the universe is implicit in any part of it”(Point, 341).

Huxley indicates one of his chief beliefs here: he gives distinct form to his distaste for the ordinary egotism, which most of us take for granted. Here May uses the musical analogy of fugal allegro to illustrate in which we jump from the ‘cello to the violin, from one political philosophy to another, from one view of love to another, from one self-bound individual to another; and it takes this form for no idle reason (95).

Spandrell states:

More than a hundred years before Beethoven, stone deaf, had heard the imaginary music of stringed instruments expressing his inmost thoughts and feelings. He made signs with ink on ruled paper…A century later four Hungarians had reproduced from the printed reproductions of Beethoven’s scribbles that music that Beethoven had never heard before except in his imagination…It was an impassioned music, transparent, pure, and crystalline, like a tropical sea, an Alpine lake.

The beauty was unearthly, the convalescent serenity was the peace of God (Point, 508).

Science and Progress

Finally, in Point Counter Point, Huxley delves deeply into the themes of science, progress, and eugenics. These expositions will lead to his next futurist novel Brave New World (1932), his most famous work. Huxley’s treatment of these themes in Point reveals his skepticism toward the dehumanizing tendencies of science and progress when divorced from ethical considerations and humanistic values (May, 98). This was my least favorite part of the book. I love Science Fiction—Jules Verne is my favorite author as I enjoy sciences of the Earth and Universe.

May begins his critical essay of Brave New World with the statement “One of the fundamental technical problems in writing Brave New World must have been how to present a clear portrait of the imaginary science while also developing actions and characters.[ I found this also true in Verne’s futuristic Paris in the Twentieth-Century. ] May explains that there is a strong distinction between an imaginary commonwealth in order to comment on an existing commonwealth. The author of a utopia proper and an author of a ‘dystopia’ both have a similar objective to meet the needs of the fictional society of his time (May, 98).

I enjoyed reading my second Huxley novel, Point Counter Point. If I’m not careful, Huxley will turn this 64-year-old avid reader into a lover of Fiction! Eyeless in Gaza for my next Huxley novel and then, Brave New World, in order to fulfill my original goal of truly knowing this Author!

Works Cited

Aldous Huxley. Crome Yellow. New York: George H. Doran, 1922.

Aldous Huxley. Point Counter Point. New York: Random House, 1928.

Keith M. May. Aldous Huxley. Great Britain: Harper & Row, 1972.

That ending though. Read it so fast I did not even realise it was the end.

I have previously equated Huxley with social commentary on societal norms and free love and drug abuse and socialism... I'd never assumed Huxley would contain his reason v. emotion self-debate in such subtle fashion as to only portray the former in social dialog disguising the motive. I asked Perplexity AI about this and it has an interesting take:
Aldous Huxley's "Point Counter Point" appears to be less focused on making a specific political point about society and more on exploring the complexities of human nature and intellectual discourse. The novel serves several purposes:
Intellectual exploration: Huxley uses the novel to present a variety of philosophical, social, and scientific ideas through his characters' dialogues and inner thoughts14. This allows him to explore multiple perspectives on complex issues without necessarily endorsing any single viewpoint.
Social critique: While not as overtly political as "Brave New World," "Point Counter Point" still offers a sharp critique of the intellectual and social elites of the 1920s post-World War I era4. Huxley exposes the pretentiousness, hollow philosophies, and detachment from reality of these circles.
Literary experimentation: The novel's title refers to the musical technique of counterpoint, which Huxley applies to literature4. He weaves together multiple characters' lives and perspectives, creating a complex interplay of contrasting ideas and emotions that reflect the diversity of human experience.
Exploration of human nature: Huxley delves into themes such as love, religion, science, politics, and sexuality9. By presenting characters who embody different philosophical stances, he examines the conflicts between passion and reason, individuality and social responsibility8.
Precursor to later works: "Point Counter Point" serves as a stepping stone in Huxley's literary development, allowing him to explore themes and ideas that would later culminate in his more famous works like "Brave New World"48.
While "Point Counter Point" may not have a singular, clear-cut message about society, it reflects Huxley's growing interest in deeper philosophical and ethical questions8. The novel's purpose seems to be more about stimulating intellectual discourse and examining the human condition from multiple angles rather than advocating for a specific political stance.
When asked specific about Huxley's subtlety of including his scientific commentary...
While "Point Counter Point" does focus heavily on interpersonal relationships, Huxley does incorporate scientific ideas and the tension between reason and human nature throughout the novel. Here are some examples:
Scientific discussions: The character Lord Edward Tantamount is portrayed as a scientist who conducts experiments on newts. His research serves as a backdrop for discussions on scientific progress and its implications1.
Critique of scientific reductionism: Through the character Rampion (believed to be based on D.H. Lawrence), Huxley presents a critique of the scientific worldview. Rampion argues against the pursuit of "non-human truth" by scientists, suggesting that this approach neglects the fullness of human experience7.
Eugenics: The novel explores themes related to eugenics, which was a prominent scientific idea of the time. This exploration foreshadows Huxley's later work in "Brave New World"3.
Multiple perspectives on science: Huxley uses his "counterpoint" technique to present various viewpoints on scientific progress. Some characters champion scientific advancement, while others, like Rampion, are more skeptical5.
Integration of scientific concepts: The novel's structure itself is described as an application of scientific principles, with some critics drawing parallels to the theory of relativity in how Huxley presents different perspectives1.
While these scientific elements are present, they are often interwoven with the characters' personal lives and relationships. This integration reflects Huxley's belief that literature should combine ideas from various fields, including science and philosophy, to explore the "world of relationships" between the subjective and objective1.
It's worth noting that the prominence of scientific themes may not be as apparent as in some of Huxley's later works, such as "Brave New World." In "Point Counter Point," these ideas are often embedded within the characters' dialogues and thoughts rather than being the central focus of the narrative.
I found the answers/analysis from Perplexity AI almost more enjoyable (easy to do) than reading this work of Huxley... where I agreed with many of those rating it 1 star because of the many difficult to follow characters and their inane conversations.

I read this is considered Huxley's best novel but I don't agree. It is surely a good one but not his best. I only got to get a good idea of the different characters by the end of the book.

Point Counter Point (1928) is the third Huxley novel I have read in close succession, following Crome Yellow (1921) and Eyeless in Gaza (1936). It is far closer to Eyeless in Gaza than to Crome Yellow in character: vast in scale, structurally complex, hugely ambitious in terms of the philosophical ideas it chooses to wrangle. Its great theme is (in the words of the epigraph, by Fulke Greville) the “wearisome condition of humanity,” as a wrenching cohabitation of “passion and reason, self-division’s cause.”

PCP has a broader cast-list than Eyeless, and is organized contrapuntally, as the title suggests, with a series of interconnected narrative threads, none especially privileged (although the novelist Philip Quarles, who seems an ironic self-portrait, can perhaps be seen as the work’s focalizer-in-chief). The presence of Quarles in the novel allows Huxley to spell out his artistic credo, though he does so with a breezy self-deprecation that seems to me characteristic. I like this astute twinned self-justification and self-critique, for example:

Novel of ideas. The character of each personage must be implied, as far as possible, in the ideas of which he is the mouthpiece; in so far as theories are rationalizations of sentiments, instincts, dispositions of soul, this is feasible. The chief defect of the novel of ideas is that you must write about people who have ideas to express—which excludes all but about .01 of the human race. Hence the real, the congenital novelists don’t write such books, but then I never pretended to be a congenital novelist.

The specimens of the ideas-ridden .01% of the human race with whom Huxley presents us in this novel are often highly entertaining. I liked the eccentric amateur scientist Lord Edward Tantamount and his bitter, radical, working-class assistant, Frank Illidge; the hypocritical, sex-obsessed Christian mystic and literary magazine editor, Denis Burlap, with his seductive “Sodoma smile”; mercurial, amoral flapper Lucy Tantamount; and Mussoliniesque übermensch Everard Webley, hot pursuer of Philip’s semi-neglected wife Elinor.

Some of these characters are patently portraits of Huxley’s contemporaries, in way that must have increased the spice of the book for its earliest readers. Mark Rampion, fiery spokesman for nature and instinct over reason, is easy to spot as Huxley’s close friend D. H. Lawrence, and I was interested to read online that the man-eating Lucy was based on Nancy Cunard, with whom Huxley had an affair. I also liked the sketch of the sensual, cynical, lionized elderly ego-monster of an artist, John Bidlake, supposedly based on Augustus John.

Huxley’s characters are distinctly of their volatile historical moment—that’s part of the novel’s fascination—and yet the ideas and life philosophies and political theories they spin for themselves are not lacking in relevance for our own times. Huxley’s insights into the ways in which people’s thinking is shaped by their circumstances and history and their physical selves and their relation to their bodies—sex is very central in the novel—are also at times very astute.

PCP is a dark and unforgiving satire, with little by way of personal or social redemption in view at the end, unlike Eyeless in Gaza. That doesn't make it a depressing read, though—far from it. With its densely interwoven, tragicomic plotlines, its rich gamut of characters, its fizzing dialogue, it reads rather like a very, very, very upmarket soap opera. It's not hard to see why it was a succès de scandale in its day.