The Hotel New Hampshire
Encyclopedia
The Hotel New Hampshire is a 1981 coming of age
novel
by John Irving
and his fifth published novel.
family composed of a married couple, Win and Mary, and their five children. The parents, both from the small town of Dairy, New Hampshire, fall in love while working at a summer resort hotel in Maine
as teenagers. There they meet a Viennese
Jew named Freud who works at the resort as a handyman and entertainer, performing with his pet bear, State o' Maine; Freud comes to symbolize the magic of that summer for them. By summer's end the teens are engaged, and Win buys Freud's bear and motorcycle and travels the country performing to raise money to go to Harvard, which he subsequently attends while Mary starts their family. He then returns to Dairy and teaches at the local second-rate boys' prep school
he attended, the Dairy School. But he is unsatisfied and dreaming of something better.
The children are: Franny, self-confident and brash; John, the narrator, sweet, if naive, and enamored of Franny; Frank, physically awkward, reserved, and homosexual; Lilly, a small romantic girl who has "stopped growing"; and Egg, an immature little boy with a penchant for dressing up in costumes. John and Franny are companions, seeing themselves as the most normal of the children, aware that their family is rather strange. But, as John remarks, to themselves the family's oddness seems "right as rain."
Win conceives the idea of turning an abandoned girls' school into a hotel. He names it the Hotel New Hampshire and the family moves in. This becomes the first part of Irving's Dickensian-style tale. Its chief plot elements are: Franny's rape
at the hands of several members of the school football team, including the quarterback, a boy named Chipper Dove with whom she is in love, and her rescue, though somewhat late, by Junior Jones, a black member of the team; the death of the family dog, Sorrow, and its repeated resurrection via taxidermy
, the first instance of which scares the grandfather literally to death; John's sexual initiation with the hotel housekeeper Ronda Ray; and a letter from Freud inviting the family to move to Vienna to help him (and his new "smart" bear) run his hotel there.
Traveling separately from the rest of the family, the mother and Egg are killed in an airplane crash. The others take up life in Vienna at what is renamed the (second) Hotel New Hampshire, one floor of which is occupied by prostitutes and another floor by a group of radical communists. The family discover that Freud is now blind and the "smart bear" is actually a girl named Susie in a bear suit. Plot developments in this segment are: the father's decline following the death of his wife; the family's relationships with the prostitutes and the radicals; John and Franny falling in love with each other
; John's relationship with a communist who commits suicide
; Franny's sexual relationships with Susie and with the "quarterback" of the radicals, Ernst; Lilly developing as a writer and penning the story of the family; and the radicals' plot to blow up the opera house, using Freud and the family as hostages, which Freud and Win foil. The family becomes famous and, with Frank as Lilly's agent, her book is published for a large amount of money. The family (with Susie the bear) returns to the States, taking up residence in The Stanhope hotel in New York.
The chief elements of the final part of the novel are: Franny and John's resolution of their love; Franny's revenge on her rapist; Franny's success as a movie actress and her marriage to Junior Jones; Lilly's suicide from her despair as a writer; John and Frank's purchase of the shut-down resort in Maine where their parents met; its function as a rape crisis center run by Susie; Susie and John finding happiness with each other; and a pregnant Franny asking them to raise her and Junior's impending baby.
The novel is evocative of the New Hampshire
of Irving's childhood.
. After this, they remain close, but only as brother and sister. John helps start a Rape Clinic at the old Arbuthnot-by-the-Sea. John marries Susie the bear in the end, and the couple adopt Franny’s child.
Franny Berry: Second oldest child of the Berry family, she is incredibly good-looking, according to those around her, and even her siblings. She has a tendency to take charge of the family, particularly after her mother dies. She essentially takes the role of her mother. She is the victim of a rape, and it remains with her, though she does not admit it, until her mid twenties. She becomes an actress and stars in a movie about her own family. She eventually marries one of the classmates who rescued her from the rape, Junior Jones. Much later the two have a child, which they give to John and Susie.
Frank Berry: Oldest of the Berry children, he is often at odds with John and Franny. Around the age of 16 he came out as homosexual, which resulted in a fair amount of abuse from his schoolmates, especially football players. This culminated when he was hazed by the football players and rescued by John and Franny. His association with his siblings improved after that. The most serious of all his siblings, Frank goes on to major in economics, and eventually becomes Lilly’s agent. Later he also becomes Franny's agent and John's agent. He had taken a special interest in taxidermy, but gave it up after the deaths of his mother and Egg.
Lilly Berry: Second youngest Berry child. She is small in size, probably because she is a dwarf. She is quiet and likable. She becomes a literary figure after her first book, essentially an autobiography of her family, is released. She continues to write, with her brother Frank acting as her agent. Eventually, she succumbs to writers block and commits suicide. She leaves a note which reads: "Sorry, just not big enough."
Egg Berry: Youngest of the Berry children. He is also the most comical of them all, though it is unintentional. An ear infection left him somewhat deaf, and his comical response to most statements/questions directed towards him was "What?".
Win Berry: Father of the Berry children and husband of Mary Berry. He is a graduate of Harvard, but rarely applies such skills. He is more or less an entrepreneur in the field of lodging. He becomes depressed when his wife, Mary, along with his youngest son, Egg, are killed in a plane crash. This state of depression slowly spirals downward, reaching a low point when he is blinded by an explosion, during the foiling of the terrorist plot. He eventually takes up a similar demure as Freud, his old friend, and begins to gain confidence again when they move back to the states. He eventually becomes an unknowing counselor at the rape counsel center.
Mary Berry: Mother of the Berry children and wife of Win Berry. She is originally from New Hampshire, from a very scholarly family. She was a subtle and gentle mother, and remained devoted to her husband. Unfortunately, en route to Vienna, the plane crashed, killing both Mary and her youngest child, Egg. The Berry family decided that Mary would have liked Vienna.
Freud: Old Austrian Jew, he initially trained a bear, State o' Maine, and performed at the Arbuthnot-by-the-Sea. He returned to Europe in 1939 and was imprisoned by the Nazis. He was blinded in an experiment in the Concentration camps. He survived, and afterwords started a hotel in Vienna. He invited Win Berry to come be his partner, which Win accepts. Their business is not entirely successful, but Freud dies a hero when he stops a terrorist plot by sacrificing his life. Win Berry was very fond of him, and seems to be a protégé of Freud.
Iowa Bob: Grandfather of the Berry children and father to Win Berry. He earned a reputation as a stalwart supporter of physical activity, and eventually accepted a position as head of the PE division at a private school in Dairy, NH, so long as his son, Win Berry was allowed to attend the school for free. Iowa Bob later supports John when he decides to begin physical training. Iowa Bob died from fright when he discovered the taxidermy version of Sorrow, the family dog, in his closet. He is best remembered by his quotes "We’re screwed down for life" (117) and "You’ve got to get obsessed and stay obsessed." (111). These quotes are often referenced to the living style of the Berry family.
Ronda Ray: More or less a house keeper at the 1st Hotel New Hampshire. She has a "dayroom" at the hotel, and introduces John to the sexual world, though it is not a relation of attraction.
Junior Jones: African American football player at the private school in Dairy, NH. He is quiet, and unlike most of his fellow players. He helps rescue Franny from being raped, and is a source of comfort for Franny afterward. After many years, the two finally marry and give their child to John and Susie.
Chip Dove: Football player who raped Franny. For some reason, Franny remained in contact with him, even after the rape. After the family moved back to the states, they encountered Chip again, but they staged an elaborate hoax, which resulted in Chip disappearing from their lives.
Ernst: German radical at the 2nd Hotel New Hampshire. He is involved in a terror plot, but is killed by Win before it can be carried out. He resembles Chip Dove in appearance.
Bitty Tuck: Rich, classy girl whom John was involved with during the New Years Party. Their fun is cut short when Bitty, while putting on a diaphragm in the bathroom, sees the taxidermy version of Sorrow and faints. Her nickname, "Titsie," refers to her large breasts.
Lenny Metz and Chester Pulaski: Football players who also raped Franny. They were "taken care of" by the "Black arm of the law."
in 1984, directed
by Tony Richardson
and starring Jodie Foster
, Rob Lowe
, and Beau Bridges
. A very young Seth Green
plays Egg.
Coming of age
Coming of age is a young person's transition from childhood to adulthood. The age at which this transition takes place varies in society, as does the nature of the transition. It can be a simple legal convention or can be part of a ritual, as practiced by many societies...
novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
by John Irving
John Irving
John Winslow Irving is an American novelist and Academy Award-winning screenwriter.Irving achieved critical and popular acclaim after the international success of The World According to Garp in 1978...
and his fifth published novel.
Plot summary
This novel is the story of the Berrys, a quirky New HampshireNew Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
family composed of a married couple, Win and Mary, and their five children. The parents, both from the small town of Dairy, New Hampshire, fall in love while working at a summer resort hotel in Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
as teenagers. There they meet a Viennese
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
Jew named Freud who works at the resort as a handyman and entertainer, performing with his pet bear, State o' Maine; Freud comes to symbolize the magic of that summer for them. By summer's end the teens are engaged, and Win buys Freud's bear and motorcycle and travels the country performing to raise money to go to Harvard, which he subsequently attends while Mary starts their family. He then returns to Dairy and teaches at the local second-rate boys' prep school
University-preparatory school
A university-preparatory school or college-preparatory school is a secondary school, usually private, designed to prepare students for a college or university education...
he attended, the Dairy School. But he is unsatisfied and dreaming of something better.
The children are: Franny, self-confident and brash; John, the narrator, sweet, if naive, and enamored of Franny; Frank, physically awkward, reserved, and homosexual; Lilly, a small romantic girl who has "stopped growing"; and Egg, an immature little boy with a penchant for dressing up in costumes. John and Franny are companions, seeing themselves as the most normal of the children, aware that their family is rather strange. But, as John remarks, to themselves the family's oddness seems "right as rain."
Win conceives the idea of turning an abandoned girls' school into a hotel. He names it the Hotel New Hampshire and the family moves in. This becomes the first part of Irving's Dickensian-style tale. Its chief plot elements are: Franny's rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
at the hands of several members of the school football team, including the quarterback, a boy named Chipper Dove with whom she is in love, and her rescue, though somewhat late, by Junior Jones, a black member of the team; the death of the family dog, Sorrow, and its repeated resurrection via taxidermy
Taxidermy
Taxidermy is the act of mounting or reproducing dead animals for display or for other sources of study. Taxidermy can be done on all vertebrate species of animals, including mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians...
, the first instance of which scares the grandfather literally to death; John's sexual initiation with the hotel housekeeper Ronda Ray; and a letter from Freud inviting the family to move to Vienna to help him (and his new "smart" bear) run his hotel there.
Traveling separately from the rest of the family, the mother and Egg are killed in an airplane crash. The others take up life in Vienna at what is renamed the (second) Hotel New Hampshire, one floor of which is occupied by prostitutes and another floor by a group of radical communists. The family discover that Freud is now blind and the "smart bear" is actually a girl named Susie in a bear suit. Plot developments in this segment are: the father's decline following the death of his wife; the family's relationships with the prostitutes and the radicals; John and Franny falling in love with each other
Incest
Incest is sexual intercourse between close relatives that is usually illegal in the jurisdiction where it takes place and/or is conventionally considered a taboo. The term may apply to sexual activities between: individuals of close "blood relationship"; members of the same household; step...
; John's relationship with a communist who commits suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
; Franny's sexual relationships with Susie and with the "quarterback" of the radicals, Ernst; Lilly developing as a writer and penning the story of the family; and the radicals' plot to blow up the opera house, using Freud and the family as hostages, which Freud and Win foil. The family becomes famous and, with Frank as Lilly's agent, her book is published for a large amount of money. The family (with Susie the bear) returns to the States, taking up residence in The Stanhope hotel in New York.
The chief elements of the final part of the novel are: Franny and John's resolution of their love; Franny's revenge on her rapist; Franny's success as a movie actress and her marriage to Junior Jones; Lilly's suicide from her despair as a writer; John and Frank's purchase of the shut-down resort in Maine where their parents met; its function as a rape crisis center run by Susie; Susie and John finding happiness with each other; and a pregnant Franny asking them to raise her and Junior's impending baby.
The novel is evocative of the New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
of Irving's childhood.
Characters
John Berry: John Berry is the 2nd son of Win and Mary Berry. He was born in New England and resides there for most of his childhood. He has several siblings: Frank, Franny, Lilly, and Egg. The story is told from a first person point of view, John being the narrator. John is particularly close to his sister, Franny, more so than any of his other siblings. John took a particular interest in getting in shape after Franny was raped. With help from his grandfather, Iowa Bob (or Coach Bob), he began working out. John describes himself during his early teens saying, "I weighed 170, but I was still only five feet six inches tall." (111). He goes on further stating "That’s me: five feet eight inches tall, and 150 pounds. And hard all over." (111). Although John has a few short sexual endeavors with various females, he holds a special place in his heart for his sister, Franny. Eventually the two succumb to their desires and make loveIncest
Incest is sexual intercourse between close relatives that is usually illegal in the jurisdiction where it takes place and/or is conventionally considered a taboo. The term may apply to sexual activities between: individuals of close "blood relationship"; members of the same household; step...
. After this, they remain close, but only as brother and sister. John helps start a Rape Clinic at the old Arbuthnot-by-the-Sea. John marries Susie the bear in the end, and the couple adopt Franny’s child.
Franny Berry: Second oldest child of the Berry family, she is incredibly good-looking, according to those around her, and even her siblings. She has a tendency to take charge of the family, particularly after her mother dies. She essentially takes the role of her mother. She is the victim of a rape, and it remains with her, though she does not admit it, until her mid twenties. She becomes an actress and stars in a movie about her own family. She eventually marries one of the classmates who rescued her from the rape, Junior Jones. Much later the two have a child, which they give to John and Susie.
Frank Berry: Oldest of the Berry children, he is often at odds with John and Franny. Around the age of 16 he came out as homosexual, which resulted in a fair amount of abuse from his schoolmates, especially football players. This culminated when he was hazed by the football players and rescued by John and Franny. His association with his siblings improved after that. The most serious of all his siblings, Frank goes on to major in economics, and eventually becomes Lilly’s agent. Later he also becomes Franny's agent and John's agent. He had taken a special interest in taxidermy, but gave it up after the deaths of his mother and Egg.
Lilly Berry: Second youngest Berry child. She is small in size, probably because she is a dwarf. She is quiet and likable. She becomes a literary figure after her first book, essentially an autobiography of her family, is released. She continues to write, with her brother Frank acting as her agent. Eventually, she succumbs to writers block and commits suicide. She leaves a note which reads: "Sorry, just not big enough."
Egg Berry: Youngest of the Berry children. He is also the most comical of them all, though it is unintentional. An ear infection left him somewhat deaf, and his comical response to most statements/questions directed towards him was "What?".
Win Berry: Father of the Berry children and husband of Mary Berry. He is a graduate of Harvard, but rarely applies such skills. He is more or less an entrepreneur in the field of lodging. He becomes depressed when his wife, Mary, along with his youngest son, Egg, are killed in a plane crash. This state of depression slowly spirals downward, reaching a low point when he is blinded by an explosion, during the foiling of the terrorist plot. He eventually takes up a similar demure as Freud, his old friend, and begins to gain confidence again when they move back to the states. He eventually becomes an unknowing counselor at the rape counsel center.
Mary Berry: Mother of the Berry children and wife of Win Berry. She is originally from New Hampshire, from a very scholarly family. She was a subtle and gentle mother, and remained devoted to her husband. Unfortunately, en route to Vienna, the plane crashed, killing both Mary and her youngest child, Egg. The Berry family decided that Mary would have liked Vienna.
Freud: Old Austrian Jew, he initially trained a bear, State o' Maine, and performed at the Arbuthnot-by-the-Sea. He returned to Europe in 1939 and was imprisoned by the Nazis. He was blinded in an experiment in the Concentration camps. He survived, and afterwords started a hotel in Vienna. He invited Win Berry to come be his partner, which Win accepts. Their business is not entirely successful, but Freud dies a hero when he stops a terrorist plot by sacrificing his life. Win Berry was very fond of him, and seems to be a protégé of Freud.
Iowa Bob: Grandfather of the Berry children and father to Win Berry. He earned a reputation as a stalwart supporter of physical activity, and eventually accepted a position as head of the PE division at a private school in Dairy, NH, so long as his son, Win Berry was allowed to attend the school for free. Iowa Bob later supports John when he decides to begin physical training. Iowa Bob died from fright when he discovered the taxidermy version of Sorrow, the family dog, in his closet. He is best remembered by his quotes "We’re screwed down for life" (117) and "You’ve got to get obsessed and stay obsessed." (111). These quotes are often referenced to the living style of the Berry family.
Ronda Ray: More or less a house keeper at the 1st Hotel New Hampshire. She has a "dayroom" at the hotel, and introduces John to the sexual world, though it is not a relation of attraction.
Junior Jones: African American football player at the private school in Dairy, NH. He is quiet, and unlike most of his fellow players. He helps rescue Franny from being raped, and is a source of comfort for Franny afterward. After many years, the two finally marry and give their child to John and Susie.
Chip Dove: Football player who raped Franny. For some reason, Franny remained in contact with him, even after the rape. After the family moved back to the states, they encountered Chip again, but they staged an elaborate hoax, which resulted in Chip disappearing from their lives.
Ernst: German radical at the 2nd Hotel New Hampshire. He is involved in a terror plot, but is killed by Win before it can be carried out. He resembles Chip Dove in appearance.
Bitty Tuck: Rich, classy girl whom John was involved with during the New Years Party. Their fun is cut short when Bitty, while putting on a diaphragm in the bathroom, sees the taxidermy version of Sorrow and faints. Her nickname, "Titsie," refers to her large breasts.
Lenny Metz and Chester Pulaski: Football players who also raped Franny. They were "taken care of" by the "Black arm of the law."
Film, TV or theatrical adaptations
The novel was made into a filmThe Hotel New Hampshire (film)
The Hotel New Hampshire is a 1984 comedy-drama film based on John Irving's 1981 novel of the same name. The film was written and directed by Tony Richardson and stars Jodie Foster, Beau Bridges, Rob Lowe, and Nastassja Kinski. The film also features Wilford Brimley, Amanda Plummer, Matthew Modine,...
in 1984, directed
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
by Tony Richardson
Tony Richardson
Cecil Antonio "Tony" Richardson was an English theatre and film director and producer.-Early life:Richardson was born in Shipley, Yorkshire in 1928, the son of Elsie Evans and Clarence Albert Richardson, a chemist...
and starring Jodie Foster
Jodie Foster
Alicia Christian "Jodie" Foster is an American actress, film director, producer as well as a former child actress....
, Rob Lowe
Rob Lowe
Robert Hepler "Rob" Lowe is an American actor. Lowe came to prominence after appearing in films such as The Outsiders, Oxford Blues, About Last Night..., St. Elmo's Fire, and Wayne's World. On television, Lowe is known for his role as Sam Seaborn on The West Wing and his role as Senator Robert...
, and Beau Bridges
Beau Bridges
Lloyd Vernet "Beau" Bridges III is an American actor and director.- Early life :Bridges was born in Los Angeles, the son of actor Lloyd Bridges and his college sweetheart, Dorothy Bridges . He was nicknamed "Beau" by his mother and father after Ashley Wilkes's son in Gone with the Wind, the book...
. A very young Seth Green
Seth Green
Seth Benjamin Green is an American actor, comedian, voice actor, and television producer. He is well known for his role as Daniel "Oz" Osbourne in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as Dr. Evil's son Scott in the Austin Powers series of comedy films, Mitch Miller in That '70s Show, and the voice of Chris...
plays Egg.