The Sandcastle (novel)

The Sandcastle is a novel by Iris Murdoch, published in 1957. It is the story of a middle-aged schoolmaster (Mor) with political ambitions who meets a young painter (Rain), come to paint the Headmaster's (Demoyte) portrait.

Synopsis

The book is about a person Bill Mor who became complicated with his feelings. He was a teacher of History and Latin. Mor was married and had two children, Donald and Felicity. He dreamt about a career of candidate. At his friends` dinner he got acquainted with Rain Carter, a young painter who depicted a portrait of Demoyte, former school director. Mor showed a town to her. T.Burke, his friend, saw them together and came to a conclusion they were lovers. Once Mor wanted to show a small river to Rain. But they strucked and Mor was very late at home. It was the first time he deceived his wife. He made up an alibi but it failed. Nan and Fella had a tour and the relations between Bill and Rain developed quickly. Rain finished a portrait but she didn't want to go away. Once they slept in Bill's house, all doors closed. But a gipsy came and Bill unlocked the door. After the gipsy Nan came. She saw Bill staying on his knees, his head in Rain's knees. Nan ran away. She went to Tim Burke. He advised her to come back as she could ruin her family. Mor was discharged by his wife. He loved Rain but he wanted to save his family. Nan wanted to believe that Bill and Rain did not have any relations. But still Mor visited Carter's exhibition and was deeply impressed with her pictures. Don wanted to climb the school-tower. He was in danger and his father saved him. Donald was expelled from school. And he did not have any opportunity to study at college. After an accident Donald ran away. When he was absent there was a party in the school. Nan praised her husband there. And after that Rain decided to come back to Paris not to ruin his career of candidate. So Nan kept her family and was really happy as her son had come back and her husband was with her.

Characters in "The Sandcastle"

• Bill Mor
• Nan Mor (Mor's wife)
• Felicity Mor (Mor's daughter)
• Donald Mor (Mor's son)
• Rain Carter
• Demoyte (former Headmaster)

"I can recall, as a child, seeing pictures in English children's books of boys and girls playing on the sand and making sandcastles -- and I tried to play on my sand. But a Mediterranean beach is not a place for playing on. It is dirty and very dry. The tides never wash the sand or make it firm. When I tried to make a sandcastle, the sand would just run away between my fingers. It was very dry to hold together. And even as I poured see water over it, the sun would dry it up at once"