Liver: A Fictional Organ with a Surface Anatomy of Four Lobes
Encyclopedia
Liver: A Fictional Organ with a Surface Anatomy of Four Lobes is the seventh collection of short stories by Will Self
. The stories in the collection are all connected to the liver
and was described by the author as "...a collection of two novellas and two longer short stories, all on a liverish theme. Each story features different people suffering from different forms of liver damage." Time Out was one of the first publications to review it and said...
The story plots the lives and some key events of the regulars at The Plantation Club in Blore Court in London
, a place that bears a resemblance to The Colony Room
. These include the acquisition of a bar boy called Hilary, trips to the art exhibitions or plays of the regulars and funerals for some of the regulars. Everybody in the story is either a hard drinker or being groomed to be one. The decay and detritus that builds up within the club over the years parallels the build up and eventual decay in (The Plantation Club landlord) Val Carmichael's Liver.
The Regulars are all profane in their language and are referred to by monikers (such as The Poof, the Dog, The Typist, His Nibs) rather than by their given names.
Over the course of time Val becomes weaker and weaker as he continues to drink heavily on a daily basis, till eventually the inevitable happens with the result of Hilary taking his place at the bar as the new proprietor and employing a new bar boy (Stevie) and one of the regulars revealing that they are exactly as their name suggests.
Leberknödel
Joyce Beddoes is a terminally ill elderly woman with liver cancer who travels to Switzerland
from her home in England
to meet with Dr Hohl, to prepare for euthanasia
. Travelling with her is her daughter Isobel. In the last few hours before her appointment Joyce mulls over her life.
Upon entering Dr Hohl's flat she relaxes and begins eating truffles and an anti-emetic before he finally presents her with a glass of poison
. At this moment, holding the glass, Joyce finds herself thinking about a wasp. She leaves without drinking the poison and abandons her clingy and slovenly daughter to a Swiss women's prison
. Taking advantage of a Catholic hospice's pastoral care arrangements, she lives on until deciding to eventually use the services of Dr Hohl's assisted suicide clinic at a delayed time of her own choosing, while taking the opportunity to tour Zurich.
The title of this story, Leberknödel, is a German
dish of Liver Dumplings. The story is also presented in smaller sections; Introitus, Kyrie
, Sequentia, offertorium, Sanctus, Benedictus, Agnus Dei and Communio.
Prometheus
A transposition of the ancient Greek myth of theft of divine prerogatives, human hubris and retribution, in which Zeus
is a corporate CEO, Athena
is his glamorous daughter, Pandora
is an upmarket sex worker and Prometheus
and Epimetheus
are advertising agency
executives.
Like his namesake Prometheus' liver is eaten daily; in this variation by a griffon vulture
three times a day. The bird itself is adept at seeking him out when it is time to feed. At one point negotiating a busy kitchen to find Prometheus waiting in the bathroom. These feedings leave Prometheus in a weakened condition as the day progresses and he has less and less of a functioning liver.
Birdy Num Num A hepatitis virus describes the lives and clients of a Soho
flat's drug dealer resident from a parasite's point of view. One of the users caught up in the action of the story believes himself to be Peter Sellers
in his role as Hrundi V. Bakshi in the film The Party
with the other characters of the story filling in for the characters in the film. The story is opened by the virus promising the reader a tale of it's latest victim, not a whodunit
, but whether-they-deserved-it.
All of the stories in the collection contain connections to one another with characters and places from each, such as The Plantation Club, cropping up in other stories. This is a common trait of Self's work and can be seen in his previous use of the character Zack Busner
In each of the stories the city it is set in is described in detail. For example the area of London in which The Plantation Club is set is described from the point of view of an idle wanderer. The intertwining alleys are described along with the masonry, architecture, and history of the buildings. This helps to establish not only the surroundings for the story but to also give a strong sense of scale: the regulars at the club, enclosed by the club, by the alley, by the suburb, by the city, etc. This idea of scale is also a recurring theme in Self's work, perhaps best encapsulated by the short story Scale in the earlier collection Grey Area
.
Self also continues his love of words. His previous works have at times been overloaded with obscure and obsolete words and although less prevalent in this collection there are still some examples that may require some looking up. Self is also not afraid to use elements of foreign language in his prose, and this is most apparent in "Leberknödel." In that story not only are there lines in Latin
from an Aria, and elements of the Swiss German
spoken by the characters, but also the phonic sound of them (mis)speaking English. For example...
...illustrates both how Self conveys the characters annunciation as well as their grammatical approach to English.
Will Self
William Woodard "Will" Self is an English novelist and short story writer. His fictional style is known for being satirical, grotesque, and fantastical. He is a prolific commentator on contemporary British life, with regular appearances on Newsnight and Question Time...
. The stories in the collection are all connected to the liver
Liver
The liver is a vital organ present in vertebrates and some other animals. It has a wide range of functions, including detoxification, protein synthesis, and production of biochemicals necessary for digestion...
and was described by the author as "...a collection of two novellas and two longer short stories, all on a liverish theme. Each story features different people suffering from different forms of liver damage." Time Out was one of the first publications to review it and said...
"This inspired collection of four stories uses the liver as framework and controlling metaphor – there’s a tale for each lobe – but is less interested in the organ as a metabolic regulator than in what happens when it’s damaged beyond repair. At this point, Self’s gift for (ahem) bilious satireSatireSatire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
kicks in, its target largely the ‘slapstick of addiction’ – for which the reformed junky has witheringly little time...Self has all the fun you’d expect with this, and the result is satire so vicious it makes Charlie BrookerCharlie BrookerCharlton "Charlie" Brooker is a British journalist, comic writer and broadcaster. His style of humour is savage and profane, with surreal elements and a consistent satirical pessimism...
look restrained."
Stories
Foie HumainThe story plots the lives and some key events of the regulars at The Plantation Club in Blore Court in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, a place that bears a resemblance to The Colony Room
The Colony Room
The Colony Room was a private members' drinking club for artists and other creative people in Dean Street, Soho, London. It gathered a reputation akin to famous clubs of the past such as the Kit-Cat Club. According to Anthony Haden-Guest, it is "one of the fiercely eccentric clubs that make all the...
. These include the acquisition of a bar boy called Hilary, trips to the art exhibitions or plays of the regulars and funerals for some of the regulars. Everybody in the story is either a hard drinker or being groomed to be one. The decay and detritus that builds up within the club over the years parallels the build up and eventual decay in (The Plantation Club landlord) Val Carmichael's Liver.
The Regulars are all profane in their language and are referred to by monikers (such as The Poof, the Dog, The Typist, His Nibs) rather than by their given names.
Over the course of time Val becomes weaker and weaker as he continues to drink heavily on a daily basis, till eventually the inevitable happens with the result of Hilary taking his place at the bar as the new proprietor and employing a new bar boy (Stevie) and one of the regulars revealing that they are exactly as their name suggests.
Leberknödel
Joyce Beddoes is a terminally ill elderly woman with liver cancer who travels to Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
from her home in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to meet with Dr Hohl, to prepare for euthanasia
Euthanasia
Euthanasia refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering....
. Travelling with her is her daughter Isobel. In the last few hours before her appointment Joyce mulls over her life.
Upon entering Dr Hohl's flat she relaxes and begins eating truffles and an anti-emetic before he finally presents her with a glass of poison
Poison
In the context of biology, poisons are substances that can cause disturbances to organisms, usually by chemical reaction or other activity on the molecular scale, when a sufficient quantity is absorbed by an organism....
. At this moment, holding the glass, Joyce finds herself thinking about a wasp. She leaves without drinking the poison and abandons her clingy and slovenly daughter to a Swiss women's prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
. Taking advantage of a Catholic hospice's pastoral care arrangements, she lives on until deciding to eventually use the services of Dr Hohl's assisted suicide clinic at a delayed time of her own choosing, while taking the opportunity to tour Zurich.
The title of this story, Leberknödel, is a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
dish of Liver Dumplings. The story is also presented in smaller sections; Introitus, Kyrie
Kyrie
Kyrie, a transliteration of Greek κύριε , vocative case of κύριος , meaning "Lord", is the common name of an important prayer of Christian liturgy, which is also called the Kýrie, eléison ....
, Sequentia, offertorium, Sanctus, Benedictus, Agnus Dei and Communio.
Prometheus
A transposition of the ancient Greek myth of theft of divine prerogatives, human hubris and retribution, in which Zeus
Zeus
In the ancient Greek religion, Zeus was the "Father of Gods and men" who ruled the Olympians of Mount Olympus as a father ruled the family. He was the god of sky and thunder in Greek mythology. His Roman counterpart is Jupiter and his Etruscan counterpart is Tinia.Zeus was the child of Cronus...
is a corporate CEO, Athena
Athena
In Greek mythology, Athena, Athenê, or Athene , also referred to as Pallas Athena/Athene , is the goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, warfare, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, justice, and skill. Minerva, Athena's Roman incarnation, embodies similar attributes. Athena is...
is his glamorous daughter, Pandora
Pandora
In Greek mythology, Pandora was the first woman. As Hesiod related it, each god helped create her by giving her unique gifts...
is an upmarket sex worker and Prometheus
Prometheus
In Greek mythology, Prometheus is a Titan, the son of Iapetus and Themis, and brother to Atlas, Epimetheus and Menoetius. He was a champion of mankind, known for his wily intelligence, who stole fire from Zeus and gave it to mortals...
and Epimetheus
Epimetheus (mythology)
In Greek mythology, Epimetheus was the brother of Prometheus , a pair of Titans who "acted as representatives of mankind" . They were the inseparable sons of Iapetus, who in other contexts was the father of Atlas...
are advertising agency
Advertising agency
An advertising agency or ad agency is a service business dedicated to creating, planning and handling advertising for its clients. An ad agency is independent from the client and provides an outside point of view to the effort of selling the client's products or services...
executives.
Like his namesake Prometheus' liver is eaten daily; in this variation by a griffon vulture
Griffon Vulture
The Griffon Vulture is a large Old World vulture in the bird of prey family Accipitridae.The Griffon Vulture is long with a wingspan. In the nominate race the males weigh and females typically weigh , while in the Indian subspecies the vultures average...
three times a day. The bird itself is adept at seeking him out when it is time to feed. At one point negotiating a busy kitchen to find Prometheus waiting in the bathroom. These feedings leave Prometheus in a weakened condition as the day progresses and he has less and less of a functioning liver.
Birdy Num Num A hepatitis virus describes the lives and clients of a Soho
Soho
Soho is an area of the City of Westminster and part of the West End of London. Long established as an entertainment district, for much of the 20th century Soho had a reputation for sex shops as well as night life and film industry. Since the early 1980s, the area has undergone considerable...
flat's drug dealer resident from a parasite's point of view. One of the users caught up in the action of the story believes himself to be Peter Sellers
Peter Sellers
Richard Henry Sellers, CBE , known as Peter Sellers, was a British comedian and actor. Perhaps best known as Chief Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther film series, he is also notable for playing three different characters in Dr...
in his role as Hrundi V. Bakshi in the film The Party
The Party (film)
The Party is a 1968 comedy film directed by Blake Edwards, starring Peter Sellers and Claudine Longet. The film has a very loose structure, and essentially serves as a series of set pieces for Sellers's improvisational comedy talents...
with the other characters of the story filling in for the characters in the film. The story is opened by the virus promising the reader a tale of it's latest victim, not a whodunit
Whodunit
A whodunit or whodunnit is a complex, plot-driven variety of the detective story in which the puzzle is the main feature of interest. The reader or viewer is provided with clues from which the identity of the perpetrator of the crime may be deduced before the solution is revealed in the final...
, but whether-they-deserved-it.
All of the stories in the collection contain connections to one another with characters and places from each, such as The Plantation Club, cropping up in other stories. This is a common trait of Self's work and can be seen in his previous use of the character Zack Busner
Zack Busner
Zack Busner is a recurring character in the fiction of Will Self, appearing in the short story collections The Quantity Theory of Insanity, Grey Area, Dr. Mukti and Other Tales of Woe, and in the novels Great Apes and The Book of Dave....
Style
As with much of Self's fiction there is a heavy emphasis on certain elements of the prose.In each of the stories the city it is set in is described in detail. For example the area of London in which The Plantation Club is set is described from the point of view of an idle wanderer. The intertwining alleys are described along with the masonry, architecture, and history of the buildings. This helps to establish not only the surroundings for the story but to also give a strong sense of scale: the regulars at the club, enclosed by the club, by the alley, by the suburb, by the city, etc. This idea of scale is also a recurring theme in Self's work, perhaps best encapsulated by the short story Scale in the earlier collection Grey Area
Grey Area (book)
-Publishing Details:The collection was first published in 1994. It comprises some of Self's commissioned work as well as a number of stories written specially for the anthology...
.
Self also continues his love of words. His previous works have at times been overloaded with obscure and obsolete words and although less prevalent in this collection there are still some examples that may require some looking up. Self is also not afraid to use elements of foreign language in his prose, and this is most apparent in "Leberknödel." In that story not only are there lines in Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
from an Aria, and elements of the Swiss German
Swiss German
Swiss German is any of the Alemannic dialects spoken in Switzerland and in some Alpine communities in Northern Italy. Occasionally, the Alemannic dialects spoken in other countries are grouped together with Swiss German as well, especially the dialects of Liechtenstein and Austrian Vorarlberg...
spoken by the characters, but also the phonic sound of them (mis)speaking English. For example...
"The people who live there are not the best off type, but the city council - the canton, also - are thinking about taking the action. I think they will be made to move soon. (Moov zoon.)"
...illustrates both how Self conveys the characters annunciation as well as their grammatical approach to English.