The Magus

By John Fowles

The Magus, written by John Fowles, is a story about a young Oxford Graduate who takes a teaching post on a Greek island of adventure. Before leaving for his new creative teaching post; Nicholas meets with an old friend, Sandy Mitford, who was dismissed from the teaching post that Nicholas is about to take. Mitford is pretty vague about the island and, on parting, advises Nicholas ‘beware of the waiting room’.

Teaching Strategies in the Fun House

This intrigues Nicholas to no end. The moment he reaches the adventure island he employs various research techniques into finding ‘the waiting room’. One day while on a long solitary walk; Nicholas stumbles upon the dream house of wealthy Greek recluse, Maurice Conchis. Maurice invites Nicholas for tea at his mansion, and then the brain games begin.

Maurice, the Magus, then proceeds to take Nicholas on an adventure quest into the human psyche. Nicholas finds himself drawn in to Maurice’s paradoxical views on the meaning of life, his mysterious persona, and his eccentric masques.

The Masters of Reality
in the Fun Dress Up Game

As time wears on Nicholas starts to lose the bounds of what is real. He finds himself in a holographic universe. He knows he’s experiencing dreamcast games but he doesn’t know what is really happening. He consciously chooses to allow the dreamcast games to continue; only so he can outwit Conchis and achieve his real alternative agenda. He is so focused on the mundane aspects of the learning games that he doesn’t fully perceive all that is going on.

Surreal Life Learning Games in the Holographic Universe

What stood out for me while reading this book; is how the main character is only focused on the mundane aspects of the learning games. He is so focused on the mundane that he doesn’t fully perceive the lessons being presented to him. Every incident, situation or characteristic of the learning games is a mirror of himself. Had he the eyes to see this, he would have learned to play the dreamcast games with more elegance.

For the Tropic of Freedom Books Finders Keepers:
Do you feel that Nicholas had learned anything from his experiences by the end of the book; or has he misinterpreted the intent of the teaching?
What does he become as a result?

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