"The fact that I have no future does not seem to disturb me unduly"

Alec Moore,
-How Many Miles To Babylon, Jennifer Johnston

In this quote in the novel's opening page we already realise that the end is near for Alec Moore. He is spending his last hours before execution tidying up his memoirs. The sense of foreboding in the opening pages is only matched by Alec's lack of interest in life. The war and the destruction it wreaks have broken him; he cares not that he will soon face the bullets of a firing squad.

Jennifer Johnston’s novel is an excellent book on many levels, and is part of the Fifth and Sixth Year English course here in St Mary’s. Framed by the background of the First World War,the book chronicles the relationship between two men, Alec Moore,  a “big house” Anglo Irish Protestant and Jerry Crowe, a local Catholic from a peasant background.

The two develop an unlikely friendship, when they bond as young men through their love of horses. Alec’s mother tries vehemently to break up their relationship as she considers Jerry to be beneath Alec. Johnston paints a vivid picture of life in the dysfunctional “big house” where Alec grew up. Behind the facade of upper class gentility we realise that daily life, especially for Alec, is cold and rigid. We also perceive the sense of growing panic simmering underneath the surface for the Anglo Irish community, as the growing realisation dawns that soon they will relinquish their position of power to the unstoppable nationalist fervour that is gripping Ireland.

Alec and Jerry meet up again in the front line and renew their friendship, even though Alec, as an officer, is not supposed to fraternise with the ranks beneath him. The novel exposes us to the sheer horror and unrelenting barbarism of life in the trenches. Alec falls foul of his superior Major Glendinning who disapproves of their “unsuitable friendship” Eventually Jerry is court martialed for desertion when he absconded to search for his missing father who was also in the war. Glendinning cruelly orders Alec to command the execution. Alec decides not to put his friend through the ordeal, and kills him himself to spare him from execution. He in turn is then sentenced to death.

The novel is bleak in many ways and relentless in its description of the depravity humans can reach, especially in wartime. But it is an excellent characterisation of the trials faced by a generation unluckier than ours, and its description of how a lifelong friendship can transcend all obstacles is heartwarming.

You can sample a clip from the film version of the novel here:

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/how_many_miles_to_babylon/trailers/

There are some excellent teaching and learning resources to accompany the novel on the web.
Sample them here:

http://www.skoool.ie/examcentre_sc.asp?id=356

http://howmanymilestobabylonnotes.wordpress.com/book-summary-part-1/

http://msmccarthynotes.com/how-many-miles-to-babylon-quotes/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr&utm_campaign=how-many-miles-to-babylon-quotes