Jacob Flanders

Jacob Flanders is the son of Betty Flanders, who comes from a wealthy family in England. Jacob is the title character of the novel, and while one may argue that he is the central character of the narrative, he is given less narrative attention than is conventional in a novel. The novel is structured around Jacob’s life, from his early childhood to his death during World War One in his mid-twenties. He attends the University of Cambridge and studies literature. His occupation after attending university is never distinctly given, and it is quite possible that he simply lives off of an allowance from his mother. He is very interested in literature and finds himself rather at odds with the ideas and aesthetics of the modern time in which he lives. As an escape from modernity, he travels to Europe, taking special delight in visiting Greece and...