The Magus

"John Fowles"

"The Magus" is a suspenseful novel written by John Robert Fowles. It was first published in 1965 and tells the story of a young man named Nicholas Urfe. The book revolves around Nicholas, who becomes friends with a dangerous and captivating millionaire after accepting a teaching position on a secluded island.

John Robert Fowles, the author of the novel, was known for his best-selling works and his career as a teacher across Europe before becoming a full-time novelist. He had a strict and traditional upbringing, which influenced his writing style. Fowles often explored the theme of escaping oppressive authority figures in his works, including "The Magus." In addition to novels, he wrote critical essays, introductions to other novels, and book reviews.

The protagonist, Nicholas Urfe, is portrayed as a young man who lacks a clear purpose in life, despite his advantageous circumstances. He comes from a wealthy background and has successfully graduated from Oxford University with an excellent degree. Nicholas also works as a teacher at a prestigious public school in England. However, he remains unsatisfied with his life, constantly yearning for something better, whether it's a new relationship or a new project.

At the beginning of the story, Nicholas spends most of his time teaching and engaging in relationships with various women. It is during this time that he receives an opportunity to teach English at a remote school in Greece for a year. Nicholas, being an adventurer at heart, eagerly seizes this chance for a change of scenery and experiences. Before embarking on his journey to Greece, he becomes involved with an air hostess named Alison. Their encounters are filled with passion and excitement, adding a thrilling element to Nicholas's life.

Nicholas Urfe arrives on the picturesque Greek island of Phraxos and feels a sense of contentment that is rare for him. The island is filled with

warmth, sunshine, and stunning beauty. Despite this, Nicholas's former romantic interest, Alison, attempts to reach out to him, but he no longer cares about her and is determined to make the most of his time in Phraxos.

Excitedly, Nicholas shares his enthusiasm about the island with an old colleague. However, his colleague's reaction is not what he expected. Instead of sharing in his excitement, the colleague warns Nicholas about the dangers of the island, specifically mentioning something called the waiting room. Nicholas is instructed to avoid this room at all costs. Despite his curiosity,Nicholas's attempts to extract more information from his colleague are futile. He dismisses the warnings, believing that his colleague is simply jealous and attempting to frighten him. As a result, Nicholas decides to put the waiting room out of his mind.

While Phraxos initially appears enjoyable, Nicholas soon finds himself feeling bored and restricted. Apart from his teaching duties, there isn't much to occupy his time. Frustrated and longing for romantic encounters, he searches for women on the island but fails to find any. Determined to satisfy his desires, Nicholas ventures out at night when no one is watching, hoping to discover the presence of women on the island. Eventually, he stumbles upon a hidden villa that suggests the presence of female inhabitants. However, his attempts to gain entry are met with silence as no one answers the door. Filled with disappointment, Nicholas abandons hope and decides to travel to Athens on the mainland.

In Athens, Nicholas indulges in a night of pleasure with courtesans. Although he finds the experience enjoyable, it comes at a cost as he contracts a sexually transmitted disease(STD).

Upon returning to Phraxos, Nicholas Urfe decides to shift his focus towards settling down and getting through the year ahead. Despite the potential health risks associated with his previous visit, he acknowledges that he can always return to Athens if necessary. As he begins to forget about his pursuit of women, an enigmatic woman suddenly enters the scene. She sends Nicholas a book of love poetry, extending an invitation for him to find her.

Intrigued by the clues provided, Nicholas follows them back to the old villa he had previously encountered. Upon his arrival, a man named Maurice Conchis opens the door. Conchis warmly invites Nicholas inside and offers him dinner. Although Nicholas's primary intention is to seek out women, he agrees to accept Conchis's hospitality. During their conversation, Conchis divulges details about his own life and past romantic conquests, but Nicholas remains unimpressed by the tales.

Eventually, the woman of interest, named Lily, makes her appearance. Conchis confesses that he once harbored deep love for Lily, but their relationship has since come to an end. Nicholas finds Lily incredibly attractive and immediately desires to pursue a physical relationship with her. However, Lily rejects his numerous advances, indicating that she has no intention of sleeping with him. While denying leaving the poetry book for Nicholas, he recognizes that she is, indeed, responsiblefor its delivery.

As Nicholas becomes increasingly aware of Lily's observant behavior, he realizes that she has been discreetly watching him. With each passing day and week, Nicholas becomes more and more obsessed with her. His determination intensifies as he becomes fixated on the idea of having sex with Lily before he leaves the island.

However, before Nicholas can fulfill his desires, he is unexpectedly kidnapped and held captive by masked men. These men transport him to the mysterious waiting room, a location previously mentioned as dangerous by his colleague. In this room, the masked men eventually reveal their identities, forcefully stripping Nicholas naked. It becomes evident that he has become a participant in a peculiar social experiment orchestrated by these individuals. The purpose of this experiment is to examine whether someone can endure humiliation and torture and still find it in their heart to forgive their captors.

Overwhelmed by anger and a desire for revenge against Lily for leading him on, Nicholas contemplates killing her. However, he refuses to grant the satisfaction to the men behind the experiment by succumbing to violence.

After his harrowing experience in the waiting room, Nicholas returns to

the school on the island, only to discover that the school itself is part of the larger experiment. With no job, money, or prospects, Nicholas is left feeling lonely and vulnerable. In his desperate state, he contacts Alison once again, seeking solace. However, Alison informs him that she cannot see him due to her involvement in the same social experiment. Despite this revelation, Nicholas remains undeterred and expresses his determination to reunite with her. This time, he resolves to gather his life together and make positive changes.