The novel "Bread with a ham" (Charles Bukowski): summary, reviews

"Bread with ham" is an autobiographical novel by one of the most prominent American writers of the 20th century. His name is Charles Bukowski. The books of this author are a rare combination of naturalism, which surprises, and sometimes shocking, sad humor and, oddly enough, sentimental lyrics.

about the author

In order to understand what the writer is, you need to read his books. What did Bukowski write? "Bread with ham", "Hollywood", "Women" and many more stories and poems that are not read by refined ladies who prefer women's novels, but which critics are arguing about, because the creativity of this outstanding personality is really a special event in the literature.

What is known about the author of the novel "Bread with a ham"? Those who read his books or watched films made according to his scripts know that Bukowski had two passions in his life: writing and drinking. And the first and second he indulged in selflessly.

The fate of a person largely depends on the first years of life. Family, upbringing, surroundings are all factors that influence the formation of the personality. So, in order to understand what Bukovsky was like, you should read "Bread with ham". This book reflects the events of his childhood, which, perhaps, predetermined the fate of the writer.

Parents

The first memoirs of the author of the novel "Bread with ham" are associated with people who are always there. One is big, loud and grouchy. The other is smaller. The boy is afraid of both of them. The first is the father. The second important person in Henry's life (this is the real name of the writer) is his mother. This woman has always been indifferent to the violent methods of education that her naughty husband applied to his son.

Father was guided by a peculiar pedagogical principle: "A child needs to be seen, but one does not need to hear." In case he began to hear more than he would have liked, he took out a belt for straightening razors and beat his offspring. After such educational procedures, Henry experienced obvious discomfort, taking the position sitting. And most importantly, each time his father lost his meaning. This man in the eyes of the main character of the novel "Bread with a ham" was just an annoying obstacle, which eventually had to be overcome.

There was also a grandmother, who often promised Henry's parents that she would bury them. What this woman meant, sharing such plans, the boy did not understand, but he remembered these words for life. Mother, father and grandmother talked about a lot and, as a rule, on high tones. But they almost never uttered the name of the only person Henry loved.

Granddad

His name was Leonardo. About him, Henry knew that he was a disgusting person and also exudes an unpleasant smell. It smelled really bad, because he was abusing hot drinks, simply speaking, he was always drunk. But this smell did not embarrass Henry. For the boy, the grandfather was the best person. He gave him a German cross on a ribbon and a pocket watch. This event was almost the only pleasant one that had to do with the relatives of Chinaski (the author replaces this name not only in this book, but also in other works).

On the other relatives of the writer also tells the book "Bread with ham." Author Charles Bukowski says that to each of them the father had a lot of harsh, critical remarks. It should be said that Bukowski the elder (in the novel - Chinaski) did not particularly like people, neither his own, nor strangers. Wherever he appeared, he began to demand something, ejaculate a lot of obscene words, stable expressions and suggestions. He often used his fists.

Loneliness

At a fairly mature age, Charles Bukowski wrote "Bread and Ham". However, childhood impressions are recreated in the autobiographical novel quite vividly. These memories, as a rule, are joyless. But in his books there is no cloying sentimentality, which is present, for example, in the novels of Dickens, devoted to an unhappy childhood. In Bukowski everything is simple and laconic. But it is thanks to the stylistics of this writer that his works especially penetrate into the soul and heart.

Henry's parents did not allow him to be friends with other children. They chronically lacked money, but sometimes they somehow thought themselves very wealthy and highly educated. Therefore, it was strictly forbidden for the son to offend the offspring of unreliable families.

One of the random friends was David. He played the violin and was slightly cross-eyed, for which he was beaten by neighbor boys. Henry repeatedly suffered for communication with this disrespectful person. But still, the constant companion of the hero of the novel "Bread with a ham" was loneliness. Gloomy, gloomy, depressing ...

Laila Jane

In the life of Chinaski was the first love. She became a neighbor girl named Laila, who sometimes passed by the house of a lonely Henry. She asked him strange questions and did not entirely chaste suggestions. Laila was fabulously beautiful, and their first date the author depicted with a characteristic for his style of simple naturalism.

Milkman

Father still continued to beat Henry with a belt for straightening razors. The son grew more and more alienated from him. But one day my father proposed to go together to deliver milk. The fact is that Chinaschi worked as a senior milkman, but not everyone wanted to pay for the product he delivered every morning. The son was a witness of "knocking out" money and those strange actions with which the milkman tried to achieve justice. One of the debtors refused to pay flatly, but invited Father Henry to the house. What they discussed there for a long time, the boy was not known, but later he saw this woman in the parental home. Mother cried, and the father claimed that he loved both: as a spouse, and that strange person who refused to pay for dairy products.

Lawn

Henry's father was not enough son's faults, as a result of which it was possible to take his soul off by using a belt. So he decided to use a new pedagogical method, forcing the offspring to mow the lawn every week. Getting involved in labor, Henry diligently carried out his father's task. But he never managed to do it properly. One or two blades of grass treacherously erupted and destroyed the general picture. From the eyes of his father did not escape such violations in the decorative vegetation, which covered the lawn in front of the house, and so he again took out his beloved belt.

The composition of President Herbert Hoover

In the autobiographical novel and the first literary experience reflected Charles Bukowski. "Bread with ham", the entire text of which, undoubtedly, characterizes the author better than a short summary, contains not so many events. A significant role in the perception of Bukowski's novel is played by style. The artistic language of this writer, some critics compared with the manner of Hemingway.

The peculiarity of Bukowski's style is not only brevity and conciseness, but also the ability to conclude in one small phrase a deep meaning. Once, while still in school, Henry wrote an essay. The task was that the students should attend a solemn meeting with Herbert Hoover, and then expound what they saw in the written work.

Chinaski could not see the president personally. But I still had to write an essay. And he did, although there was not a drop of truth in the work. His writing became the best. And the teacher read it with delight. After this significant event, the future writer realized the important truth: "People need a beautiful lie. They love it when they hang noodles on their ears. "

Alcohol

One of the friends once treated Henry to alcohol. It was magical. Chinaski discovered a way to get rid of the painful feeling of loneliness that had not left him since his early years. The world, which is really difficult to perceive a person thinking, has acquired new colors. Since then, to hide from the reality, which was extremely burdensome Henry, he could with the help of books, literary creativity and ... booze. As a rule, he combined writing with alcohol.

In a state of heavy intoxication, Henry once hit his father. Then he was only fifteen. After this, Chinaski Sr. never raised his hand to his son. And later their relationship completely collapsed. Father found the stories of the young author, who were hidden deep in the drawer of the desk. The manuscripts along with Henry's belongings were on the street.

Different people perceive the author of the novel "Bread and Ham". Reviews about this book, however, almost all converge in one - extremely truthfully. Even readers, brought up exclusively in classical literature, hardly perceiving the specific language of this writer, can not call it bad or mediocre. In his style there is something attractive that does not allow to postpone the book just because of a lot of obscene words, which, however, are the fundamental feature of Bukovsky's work.

Perhaps it's about honesty. Frankness Bukowski is not something superfluous. Her in his books is exactly as much as the reader needs to come to the conclusion: "This is exactly what I thought, but was afraid to say."