The excerpt is taken from the novel High Fidelity by Nick Hornby (1995). The novel is about Rob Fleming, who is in his mid-thirties, runs a record shop and has recently been left by his girlfriend Laura. The novel is narrated by Rob, whose life is centred more on his records than his relationships.
Content:
Sum up the content of the telephone conversation
Examine how the author presents the interaction between Rob and his mother. Make sure to refer to the language and the point of view
Compare Rob with Marcus (from the novel About a Boy) by analysing their respective relationships to their mothers.
In the excerpt at hand Rob comments on what he considers “good parenting” (“I want sympathy, understanding, advice and money, and not necessarily in that order…”, ll. 32-33). Write a diary entry in which Marcus explains his idea of “good parenting”.
