Reading 1001 discussion

Review thread: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

As always, feel free to pick and choose which questions you would like to answer.

1. How does Ackroyd use the alternating timelines of the 18th and 20th centuries to explore the idea of a shared history and repeating patterns?

2. What is the significance of the seven churches designed by Nicholas Dyer? How do they connect to the 1980s murders investigated by Nicholas Hawksmoor?

3. How does Ackroyd portray the concept of fate or destiny in the novel? Is it a predetermined course of events, or is there still a role for free will?

4. What role does the supernatural play in Hawksmoor? Is it simply a literary device, or does it have a deeper symbolic meaning?

5. How does the novel use its setting, particularly London, to create atmosphere and enhance the themes of the story?

6. How does the relationship between Nicholas Dyer and Christopher Wren shape Dyer's character and his actions?

7. How does the character of Nicholas Hawksmoor evolve as he investigates the crimes? What does he learn about himself and the world around him?

8. What is the role of the supernatural in the lives of Dyer and Hawksmoor? Do they believe in it, and how does it affect their decisions?

9. How do the other characters in the novel, such as Walter Pyne and Dr. Flemmer, contribute to the themes and plot of the story?

10. What is the meaning of the dust that Walter Pyne refers to? How does it connect to the ideas of time and mortality?

11. How does Ackroyd use the themes of death, decay, and renewal throughout the novel?

12. What is the significance of the serpent in the novel? How does it relate to the themes of darkness, temptation, and the supernatural?

13. How does the novel use the concept of "legacy" to explore the idea of responsibility and the consequences of our actions?

14. What is the novel's overall message about the nature of human connection and the enduring power of history?

1. How does Ackroyd use the alternating timelines of the 18th and 20th centuries to explore the idea of a shared history and repeating patterns?

The final words of each chapter become the first words of the next, showing continuity across time. The characters also recur in both eras but with slight adaptations to their era - I particularly liked Mrs West/Best the landlady with her slight state of undress and looking for love. They also hear fragments of speech or glimpse details from the other timeline.

2. What is the significance of the seven churches designed by Nicholas Dyer? How do they connect to the 1980s murders investigated by Nicholas Hawksmoor?

The churches form an occult symbol that Dyer believes will last for ever and reflect the stars and planets “Celestiall Bodies and the Heavenly Orbs”. They become the site of human sacrifice and in the 1980s the crimes recur in each of these sites and involving a similar victim.

4. What role does the supernatural play in Hawksmoor? Is it simply a literary device, or does it have a deeper symbolic meaning?
The supernatural is partly a literary device because it adds to the mystery and creates a chilling and sinister atmosphere. It also has a deeper meaning because it is a counter to the rational view of the world, Dyer believes the truth lies in the ancient world and that the seeming progress is actually moving mankind away from the truth.

5. How does the novel use its setting, particularly London, to create atmosphere and enhance the themes of the story?
London is a crucial setting for the novel with its long history and number of people. The history of the plague and the Great Fire is key for Dyer’s development as he was abandoned. The destruction and rebuilding of the churches in specific areas where they are surrounded by displaced people is the same through the ages,

6. How does the relationship between Nicholas Dyer and Christopher Wren shape Dyer's character and his actions?
Dyer is both openly grateful to Wren for his position and secretly jealous of him, as well as disliking his views on Nature. Wren’s success and that of the Royal Society makes Dyer angry and more determined to achieve his own aims. He appears to support him but the asides (which are very funny) show his true purpose.

7. How does the character of Nicholas Hawksmoor evolve as he investigates the crimes? What does he learn about himself and the world around him?
Hawksmoor becomes more mystic and less rational as he investigates. He starts to focus on areas such as the psychology of a killer and his unsuccessful search for the meridian, he sees the rational world of facts and evidence falling apart. He is aware of a pattern which is larger than him and his investigation. To his colleagues, he is falling away from rational behaviour and into madness.

9. How do the other characters in the novel, such as Walter Pyne…contribute to the themes and plot of the story?
I’m focusing on Walter here because I found him very interesting. He is like a guardian angel, trying to protect Dyer/Hawksmoor as he follows him around. In the 18th century, Walter comes to a sorry end, he is another victim. Dyer attributes an occult reason for Walter’s discovery of his crimes, everything for him is to do with the spirit world. In the modern timeline, Walter survives and the investigation is handed on to him.

12. What is the significance of the serpent in the novel? How does it relate to the themes of darkness, temptation, and the supernatural?
The serpent relates to the Biblical story of the temptation of Eve, and as such it is a symbol of Satan and worshipped by Mirabilis’ group. Wren talks of how the serpent was carved into a staff and carried into the churches as a symbol of the Devil, Dyer says nothing out loud because of his contempt for Wren’s views “these are but poor Particles of Dust which will not burie the Serpents”.

1. This is a reread for me. In this book where part of it is in the 19th century and another in 20th century, the author is not just looking at timelines he is looking a layers of time. The idea of time as not only simulteneity. I do like books that look at time because it intrigues me too. This novel is just so so complex.

I decided to listen to it this time around hoping it would be easier and other than trying to read the old English, it still is so hard. But I do agree that this might be Ackroyd's best book.

2. What is the significance of the seven churches designed by Nicholas Dyer? How do they connect to the 1980s murders investigated by Nicholas Hawksmoor? They are real churches all but one. Hawksmoor was commissioned to build 6 of the churches in 1711 by the Commission for Building 50 New Churches. They are the settings for sacrificial murders in the past and murders in the present time.

3. How does Ackroyd portray the concept of fate or destiny in the novel? Is it a predetermined course of events, or is there still a role for free will?
Fate and freewill are entwined but the author also suggest that this a cyclical component of the violence. Because of this it does suggest a predetermined force.

4. What role does the supernatural play in Hawksmoor? Is it simply a literary device, or does it have a deeper symbolic meaning? The supernatural has influence but the person is still free to make choices.

5. How does the novel use its setting, particularly London, to create atmosphere and enhance the themes of the story? The darkness, the Gothic buildings of these old church yards, cemeteries and burial sites creates the atmosphere. The other creates a sense of smell, and grime and muck. There is no sense of color, it is gray and dark.

6. How does the relationship between Nicholas Dyer and Christopher Wren shape Dyer's character and his actions? Nicolas Dyer plans to build the churches, Christopher Wren is his supervisor. Dryer does not like Christopher Wren. Christopher represents rationalism and Dryer represents the occult.

7. How does the character of Nicholas Hawksmoor evolve as he investigates the crimes? What does he learn about himself and the world around him?

8. What is the role of the supernatural in the lives of Dyer and Hawksmoor? Do they believe in it, and how does it affect their decisions? Hawksmoor becomes more and more sucked in and takes on characteristics of Dwyer as her investigates the horrors.

9. How do the other characters in the novel, such as Walter Pyne and Dr. Flemmer, contribute to the themes and plot of the story?

10. What is the meaning of the dust that Walter Pyne refers to? How does it connect to the ideas of time and mortality?

"But as Walter gave no Answer I jested with him further to break his Melancholy humour: What is Dust, Master Pyne? And he reflected a little: It is particles of Matter, no doubt. Then we are all Dust indeed, are we not? And in a feigned Voice he murmered, For Dust thou art and shalt to Dust return."

11. How does Ackroyd use the themes of death, decay, and renewal throughout the novel? the deaths, the cemeteries and burial places within churches, the dust. I did not pick up much renewal other than the cyclic nature of violence and death.

12. What is the significance of the serpent in the novel? How does it relate to the themes of darkness, temptation, and the supernatural? the serpent is introduced by Mirabilis. Mirabilis is the man who introduced Nicolas Dryer to Satanism. He preaches that "Christ was the Serpent who deceived Eve, and in the form of serpent entered the virgin's womb" and that "Sathan is the God of this World and fit to be worshipped.

13. How does the novel use the concept of "legacy" to explore the idea of responsibility and the consequences of our actions? what is done in the past can and does effect the future.

14. What is the novel's overall message about the nature of human connection and the enduring power of history? the past informs the future. There is nothing new under the son. What goes around comes around.

7. How does the character of Nicholas Hawksmoor evolve as he investigates the crimes? What does he learn about himself and the world around him?

Nicholas Hawksmoor gets closer to the ancient Dryer as he investigates the crimes and in so doing he starts to deteriorate. He believes strongly in instinct and as he phrased it, the need to interpret facts, not just have them be coughed out of a database. His interpretations however are "dusty", murky and will not get him to a rational answer which he needs to solve the murders. As he realizes that he is not going to solve the murders he becomes unhinged from his moorings and truly becomes a reflection of the lost and lonely Dryer of old. Dryer however lives on in his churches as well as the slight implication that he may live on through other more occult means. Hawksmoor has no such belief system to tide him through.

8. What is the role of the supernatural in the lives of Dryer and Hawksmoor? Do they believe in it, and how does it affect their decisions?
I do not believe that that word was used in the book, maybe it was and I didn't catch it. For Dryer, his beliefs are completely natural. He believes in the total corruption of humans, nature as plague and contagion, time as a process of decay and not of progress. He believes in another world as hellish as the one he is in but not appreciably different from it. Demons and Satan are angels and everywhere and the souls of the parted live on in this world as well as in the next. He believes that Sir Wren is deluded when he seeks to find rational answers to everything through scientific investigation.
Dryer believes he must finalize certain acts (murder) and actualize some of his beliefs in the design and construction of his churches.
Hawksmoor on the other hand believes in his own instincts, and his own sense of knowing. He does not attribute this to anything supernatural, it is simply natural to him. However, as the novel proceeds, he begins to sense the presence of other beings that are not in the real world. He does not articulate exactly where they are from or how they have come to be there but he does begin to hear songs from a past he never lived, see people that disappear when he looks for them, and catch reflections of himself that are not exactly himself. The reader can think of this as a deterioration or as almost the opposite, a completion of a being from another time.

Like Gail, I found the conversations between Dyer and Wren to be central to understanding the vision here. There is a great quote from Dyer (in my review) about how Wren cant come up with any cause to answer those who have truth through faith and terror or who have seen visions.

I found Dyer's perspective on life to be reasonable for him, given his experience of the plague and the fire and the deep deprivation of being a street child. I missed the idea that Hawksmoor may also be somewhat mystical by talking about his instinct all the time, but I agree with Gail about that - it is weaker but it does put him more in the Dyer than the Wren camp.

The resonances across time, getting stronger as the book advances from mere parallels to overheard words to visions is more bizarre. Does Ackroyd believe in this or is he just exploring the effect on susceptible characters? Because I have to say, I thought alot about conspiracy theorists and the susceptibility of their listeners to be lead into rabbit holes, and it felt like Dyer was doing this to Hawksmoor across time.

One problem is that the existential despair of the plague is not really matched by anything in today's England or US, and so no one in the present has a need for the churches to be re-sanctified by another round of sacrifices. It is a last ditch effort by a ghost to try and save a world view in decline - the churches are mostly run down only 250 years later, not the 1000 Dyer imagined.

1. How does Ackroyd use the alternating timelines of the 18th and 20th centuries to explore the idea of a shared history and repeating patterns?
Everyone who is murdered in the past has a counterpart in the present, as do some important secondary characters, like Arthur Pyne/Payne. Certain events are repeated in both timelines, e.g., Walter follows his boss and discovers secrets about his personality and actions.

2. What is the significance of the seven churches designed by Nicholas Dyer? How do they connect to the 1980s murders investigated by Nicholas Hawksmoor?
Dyer’s churches have hidden symbols that link them to ancient occult beliefs, and he “consecrates” each church with a sacrifice. In the 1980s, these murders are being repeated/echoed. Hawksmoor speculates that the areas around the churches seem cursed in some way – terrible events have occurred there across time. As Pamela points out, this seems to have been Dyer’s intention.

3. How does Ackroyd portray the concept of fate or destiny in the novel? Is it a predetermined course of events, or is there still a role for free will?
As Kristel notes, the book suggests that time is cyclical (see below, re: the serpent), which means that at least certain events/actions are predetermined. I thought that Hawksmoor might find a way to break that pattern, but as it turns out (view spoiler)[ he is a major part of it, apparently (maybe I’m wrong here) the reincarnation of Dyer. Does this mean he is the murderer? (hide spoiler)]

4. What role does the supernatural play in Hawksmoor? Is it simply a literary device, or does it have a deeper symbolic meaning?
I thought the supernatural was kept ambiguous, what Todorov calls “the fantastic.” In other words, we could take certain events as evidence of ghosts or “time echoes,” or we could take them as hallucinations and fancies of either Dyer or Hawksmoor. But I do appreciate what others have pointed out here – i.e., the rationalism of Wren is counterposed to the superstitious beliefs of Dyer.

5. How does the novel use its setting, particularly London, to create atmosphere and enhance the themes of the story?
The history of London is very important, the layers of time, like evidence of older people and beliefs (see question #6) but also the longevity of certain structures, like the churches that Dyer constructs in the 1700s that remain significant sites over a century later. If we are to believe that Dyer’s magic works, they influence the actions of people and events in the areas where they are built.

6. How does the relationship between Nicholas Dyer and Christopher Wren shape Dyer's character and his actions?
Christopher Wren is Dyer’s mentor, but they have very different beliefs. Wren does not respect or care for the past: “he liked to destroy ancient things.” For example, when he discovers he is building a church upon an “ancient Ruine,” he crawls into the pit and starts trashing the antiques. “This is our time,” he tells Dyer, but Dyer sees time as cyclical, repeating and thinks to himself, “how do we conclude what Time is our own?”

7. How does the character of Nicholas Hawksmoor evolve as he investigates the crimes? What does he learn about himself and the world around him?
As others have pointed out, he becomes less rational and more superstitious. As the book progresses, both Dyer and Hawksmoor are become more unhinged and start to echo each other.

8. What is the role of the supernatural in the lives of Dyer and Hawksmoor? Do they believe in it, and how does it affect their decisions?
Dyer believes in it, Hawksmoor comes to believe in it.

9. How do the other characters in the novel, such as Walter Pyne and Dr. Flemmer, contribute to the themes and plot of the story?
I guess we are to believe that Hawksmoor is not alone – perhaps everyone is reincarnated and repeating patterns from a past life.

10. What is the meaning of the dust that Walter Pyne refers to? How does it connect to the ideas of time and mortality?
I don’t recall Walter talking about dust, but BOY did that word come up a TON! I understood it to be linked to the idea that all people and places will eventually die and decay. And yet, Dyer is trying to defy that with his churches.

11. How does Ackroyd use the themes of death, decay, and renewal throughout the novel?
See above and below.

12. What is the significance of the serpent in the novel? How does it relate to the themes of darkness, temptation, and the supernatural?
On p. 62, Ackroyd writes, “Truly Time is a vast Denful of Horrour, round about which a Serpent winds and in the winding bits itself by the Tail. Now, now is the Hour, every Hour, every part of an Hour, every moment, which in its end does begin again and never ceases to end: a beginning continuing, always ending.”

This is the most explicit statement of the themes of the book. Eras are ending, humans dying, buildings eroding and falling. Yet at the same time, new eras are beginning, humans are born, new buildings are erected.

13. How does the novel use the concept of "legacy" to explore the idea of responsibility and the consequences of our actions?
I found it interesting that Dyer is all but forgotten in the 1980s. The entry in the encyclopedia states that he “had no pupils or disciples in his lifetime and… his work had little influence and few admirers.” He appears to leave no legacy, but the book suggests that his work is more enduring and influential than any other architect.

14. What is the novel's overall message about the nature of human connection and the enduring power of history?
See above, especially #12.