About a Boy
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- This article is about the novel. For the film, see About a Boy (film); for the film's soundtrack album by Badly Drawn Boy, see About a Boy (soundtrack).
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| Author | Nick Hornby |
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| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | novel |
| Publisher | |
| Released | 1998 |
| Media type | Print (paperback and hardcover) |
About a boy is a 1998 novel by British writer Nick Hornby.
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[edit] Plot introduction
About a Boy was widely acclaimed for accurately rendering the thoughts and feelings of twelve year-old Marcus, who feels displaced and lonely in several ways. It is also the moving story of Will Freeman, an emotionally undeveloped man in his 30s coming to find meaning in his life, despite having never held a job and living off the sizable residuals of his father's one song, a one hit wonder about Santa Claus. The title is inspired by the Nirvana song, About a Girl. The book also makes many references to the band. Most of the action in the novel is set in Islington, and in particular the Clerkenwell area.
[edit] Plot summary
Looking for a real friend, Marcus Brewer thinks he has found one in 36-year-old Will Freeman, and subsequently makes various plans and schemes revolving around Will. Marcus' experiences as a result of his relationships with Will, his mother Fiona, and an angry 15-year old named Ellie, allow him to explore outside his emotional boundaries to become more fully developed. Less than a year after their first meeting, both Marcus and Will have matured, each in their own particular way. What is more, the two are going to stay together: Marcus, who was originally looking for a stepfather, has realised that Will can never be that, but that life goes on and may bring pleasant surprises at any moment; and Will has realized that it is possible to live a carefree life, bring joy to others and be happy at the same time. The root of all the trouble is a classic dysfunctional family of the 1990s.
[edit] Characters in About a boy
Marcus Brewer: a twelve year-old boy grown in a single family and alienated in his school environment.
Will Freeman: a thirty-six-year-old bachelor looking for an easy relationship initially.
Ellie McCrae:, a 15 year-old girl from Marcus' school with a bad reputation. At first she makes fun of him but later Marcus can team up with her and her friend Zoe. In the weeks that follow, Marcus at first wants her to be his girlfriend, but at the end of he has realized that being good friends is a much better option.
Fiona: Marcus' mother, a music therapist. Separated from Marcus' father, she has a succession of boyfriends, but none of these relationships (or rather flings) proves satisfactory. Fiona is rather dictatorial when it comes to deciding what is good for her and her son and what is not, which only increases their distance from, and incompatibility with, others. She is a passionate individualist, and teaches Marcus that he should try to be different from the rest. She suffers from depression, something Marcus feels completely helpless about.
[edit] Film, TV or theatrical adaptations
About a Boy was filmed in 2002 by Chris and Paul Weitz starring Nicholas Hoult as Marcus, Hugh Grant as Will, and Toni Collette as Fiona. On the whole, the screenplay closely follows Hornby's novel, but omits the scenes involving drugs and has a completely different ending. The entire score to the movie, including several full songs and numerous incidental pieces, was composed by British indie songwriter Badly Drawn Boy.
