Henry Harrier's Character, Part 20--Disrespectfulness

Henry has a dark side. He's not all sweetness and light. For example, he has a daughter who he has never really paid attention to, all the while showing devotion to his students.

Witness this from p. 16. Henry's running off to visit Mei Lee in jail, falsely Henry knows. Will is talking with Julie. She's telling him her frustrations on the job: "He act's like I'm not even important," she says.

She is talking about her new boss, but as we find as we read along, she's really talking about Henry. A boss as a father? I think Julie had some interesting character traits of her own.

What do you think? I'd like to know. Post a comment.

Writing is, to me, an entrepreneurial activity. Entrepreneurial ideas are the life's blood of my writing. For my entrepreneurial course, go to www.hatman2.blogspot.com. For entrepreneurial real estate to www.yourstopforrealestate.com/blog

Henry Harrier's Character, Part 18--Devotion

Henry was devoted to his students. If they worked hard and learned their art and improved their skills, both performance and technical, he gave everything to them. To the extent that Julie thought he cared more about them than about her.

On pp. 12-13, this dialogue:

Fenton stood up again and looked down at Henry. "Hen, do this thing. If not for us, then for Mei." ...[Mei Lee was his favorite student]
"All right," Henry said opening his eyes, "You win."

Henry who has up to this point steadfastly refused to intervene, now changes his mind because of his devotion to his favorite student.

What do you think? I'd like to know. Post a comment.

Writing is, to me, an entrepreneurial activity. Entrepreneurial ideas are the life's blood of my writing. For my entrepreneurial course, go to www.hatman2.blogspot.com. For entrepreneurial real estate to www.yourstopforrealestate.com/blog

Henry Harrier's Character, Part 14--Literate

Henry is a very literate person, well grounded in world literature. And eclectic, witness this from p. 9:

I ran my eyes over his bookshelves full of biographies of composers. There were the collected works of Shakespeare, espionage thrillers, and poetry. The collected works of Carl Jung was right there with them.

Smiley I suspect was widely read, Sherlock not so much. He just read in detail things that would be of use to him: cigarette ashes, crime, poisons, etc.

Orlando Cole was an avid reader. He had read a lot despite, maybe because of, not having much formal education beyond high school. I suspect you get that intellectual curiosity when you confront the musical creations of the last 400 years of history.

What do you think? I'd like to know. Post a comment.

Writing is, to me, an entrepreneurial activity. Entrepreneurial ideas are the life's blood of my writing. For my entrepreneurial course, go to www.hatman2.blogspot.com. For entrepreneurial real estate to www.yourstopforrealestate.com/blog

Henry Harrier's Character, Part 13--Humor

Henry was one to use humor in a way to grab attention to himself and change the subject.

At the end of his discussion on p. 9 about Will's not being entirely untalented, he says:

'Did you know the Julliard School has just raised its entrance requirements for violists?'
'No,' [Will] said.
Henry smiled. 'Applicants now must be able to hold the viola accompanied.'

There are a lot of good viola jokes. That's one of them so I thought I'd put one in there. Whether a person has a sense of humor, the kind of humor he or she uses, and how he or she uses it are excellent ways of establishing character.

What about you? What do you think? I'd like to know. Post a comment.

Writing is, to me, an entrepreneurial activity. Entrepreneurial ideas are the life's blood of my writing. For my entrepreneurial course, go to www.hatman2.blogspot.com. For entrepreneurial real estate to www.yourstopforrealestate.com/blog

Henry Harrier's Character, Part 11--Appreciation of Talent

Moving along on p. 8, Henry and Will have this bit of dialogue about the playing on the CD Henry has turned on:

The first movement ended, and Henry asked me what I thought of her playing.
'Nice,' I said.
Henry frowned. 'Did you not perceive the marvelous facility of the left hand?
The strength in the bow arm? The secure technique and rich tone?'
'It was beautiful.'
'Remarkable is what is is,' he said. 'Even for someone at the highest level.'

Will doesn't want to stick his head out and concedes the floor to Henry.

What about you? What do you think? I'd like to know. Post a comment.

Writing is, to me, an entrepreneurial activity. Entrepreneurial ideas are the life's blood of my writing. For my entrepreneurial course, go to www.hatman2.blogspot.com. For entrepreneurial real estate to www.yourstopforrealestate.com/blog

Henry Harrier's Character, Part 9--Passion and Resentment

On p.7, at the top, Henry's passion and resentment at the Kearney school is obvious: "That bastard put me out like yesterday's garbage and then runs to me when he as a problem." His resentment is released when he hits a constraint keeping him from persuing his passion.

What about you? Have you run up against a constraint keeping you from doing what you want to do? I'd like to know. Post a comment. What else does this tell us about Will?

Writing is, to me, an entrepreneurial activity. Entrepreneurial ideas are the life's blood of my writing. For my entrepreneurial course, go to www.hatman2.blogspot.com. For entrepreneurial real estate to www.yourstopforrealestate.com/blog

Henry Harrier's Character, Part 7--Nimbleness

We remarked before about Henry's almost overbearing quality sometimes in snatching Will's hat from his head although Will wanted to wear it. Well it's the quickness and nimbleness of mind and action that's impressive about him.

As in this speech by Will on p. 6: "He snatched my hat from my head and gave it to me all in one motion. He moved fast, like a cat. His movements were almost a blur they were so fast."

He's expressing his dominance over Will by acting quickly in a way that Will can't defend himself. It's almost like Henry's giving Will his head in his hand.

What do you think of this? What are your ideas? I'd like to know. Post a comment. What else does this tell us about Will?

Writing is, to me, an entrepreneurial activity. Entrepreneurial ideas are the life's blood of my writing. For my entrepreneurial course, go to www.hatman2.blogspot.com. For entrepreneurial real estate to www.yourstopforrealestate.com/blog

Henry Harrier's Character, Part 6--Age Acquired Skepticism

Henry has gotten a bit cynical about life in general. If a lot of people are doing something, there must be something wrong with it.

Will says at the bottom of p. 5: "You haven't put up your Christmas decrations yet." Henry responds, "Oh ther's plenty of time for that. People go so overboard.

I feel that way a lot. I'm suffering from it as well.

What do you think of this? What are your ideas? I'd like to know. Post a comment. What else does this tell us about Will?

Writing is, to me, an entrepreneurial activity. Entrepreneurial ideas are the life's blood of my writing. For my entrepreneurial course, go to www.hatman2.blogspot.com. For entrepreneurial real estate to www.yourstopforrealestate.com/blog

Henry Harrier's Character, Part 4--Perception

On p. 5., witness this bit of dialogue:

"Inside,he took my coat. 'Marriage certainly agrees with you.'
'I nodded.'
'You've gained seven and a half pounds since last August.'
He was a shart old guy. I admired that in him from the start.
'Seven, actually,' I said.
'Slightly more, I should think.'"

So we see a little of Will here, a little defensiveness and self-delusion. A minor point, but see what comes later. In writing fiction it's often efficient and effective if you can use the same bit of dialogue to characterize two characters at the same time.

What do you think of this? What are your ideas? I'd like to know. Post a comment.

Writing is, to me, an entrepreneurial activity. Entrepreneurial ideas are the life's blood of my writing. For my entrepreneurial course, go to www.hatman2.blogspot.com. For entrepreneurial real estate to www.yourstopforrealestate.com/blog

Henry Harrier's Character, Part 3--Age Acquired Cynicism

Henry displays his cynicism with this bit of dialogue:

"[Will] shook his hand. "I'm sorry to be so late."
"Planes are never on time anymore," [Henry] said."

Of course it's an exaggeration that planes are never on time. But there is enough hard evidence of planes being late and so much negative affect associated with putting up with the consequences of that lateness, that when you get away from traveling a lot and there are news items about late planes after a time that's what you associate with air travel, it's a natural tendency in humans to be cynical. And Henry, at 89, suffers from this in spades.

By the way, Orlando Cole, on whom Henry's character is in part based, is 100, so at 89, Henry seems pretty young to me.

What do you think of this? What are your ideas? I'd like to know. Post a comment.

Writing is, to me, an entrepreneurial activity. Entrepreneurial ideas are the life's blood of my writing. For my entrepreneurial course, go to www.hatman2.blogspot.com. For entrepreneurial real estate to www.yourstopforrealestate.com/blog

Henry Harrier's Character, Part 2--Inability to See Others

It takes Henry a while to see Will. When Henry first opened the door for Will on p. 4, we have the following exchange:

"Henry looked around, then at me, and did a double-take.
He said, frowning, 'Ah, there you are, Will.' He pushed the door open wider. "It took me a while to see you.'"

We'll find out that Henry, though off to a slow start, understands Will very well.

What do you think of this? What are your ideas? I'd like to know. Post a comment.

Writing is, to me, an entrepreneurial activity. Entrepreneurial ideas are the life's blood of my writing. For my entrepreneurial course, go to www.hatman2.blogspot.com. For entrepreneurial real estate to www.yourstopforrealestate.com/blog

Henry Harrier's Character, Part 1--Strength

Henry, as I noted early in the history of this blog, is a composite character: part Henri Poirot from Agathe Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, part Sherlock Holmes from Arthur Conan Doyle's many stories I read as a child and then have reread every so often since, Orlando Cole, my 100-year old father-in-law, who was the cellist of the Curtis String Quartet for 50 years, and part George Smiley, from the John LeCare spy series.

Also as I said before, the book owes a lot to the afore-mentioned Agathe Christie mystery and Smiley's People. In fact, literary agent once rejected the manuscript calling it "too Agathe." I guess we know where she was coming from. Apparently, to her "Agathe" was an adjective.

It's clear from his first appearance in the book he is a very strong character. Presumptuous even. On page 4, Will comments, quoting, "My first mistake had been the courtesy call to Henry.

'You'll of course be staying with me while you're in the area,' he said. 'And you'll use my car to get around.'
I said, 'Thanks, but my company's made all the arrangements already.'
'Then they can unmake them.'
'Really, no. It's been take care of.'
'I know it has,' he said. 'By me--.'
'But Hen--.'
'I'll hear nothing more about it.'

You see what Will has to deal with.

What do you think of this? What are your ideas? I'd like to know. Post a comment.

Writing is, to me, an entrepreneurial activity. Entrepreneurial ideas are the life's blood of my writing and real estate practice. For entrepreneurial ideas go to www.hatman2.blogspot.com and for entrepreneurial real estate go to www.yourstopforrealestate.com/blog