Darkness at Noon

By Arthur Koestler Click to edit Master subtitle style

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Arthur Koestler

British-Hungarian Author Began writing as a journalist Member of the Communist Party Travelled through the USSR Met famous Bolshevik Revolutionaries in the USSR Used his travels in the USSR as a basis for Darkness at Noon Many of his works are political Diagnosed with Parkinsons Disease in 1977 Diagnosed with leukemia in 1980 5/22/12

Regarded as one of the most famous political novels of the 20th century Ranked as number 8 on the Modern Librarys list of the 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century Originally written in German

Darkness at Noon

3rd person limited omniscient Set in the USSR during the Moscow Show Trials Separated into 4 parts
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Characters
The Protagonist One Nicolas Salmanovitch of the

original revolutionary His character was based off of several men Koestler philosophers
met during his journey through the Soviet Union

Rubashov The only character whom the reader is omniscient of

Ex-Commisar of the People Imprisoned at the beginning of the novel

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Characters
Fictional representation of1 No. 402 Rubashovs No.

Joseph Stalin

neighbour role the in in Plays important novel prison

Never actually appears in

Veteran of the person throughout the

civil war
story

Loyal

to the tsar

Provides

gossip from other cells to Rubashov

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Characters
Gletkin Ivanov Rubashovs Rubashov Old friend ofexamining magistrate after Ivanovs Had leg amputated during arrest the war Embodiment of the new ContemplatedSoviet but generation of suicide, Rubashov talked him out of Officials it Lacks humanity Rubashovs examining Example of where magistrate for hearings one communist totalitarianism and two goes wrong Arrested and executed because of the handling of Rubashovs case

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Plot Summary

The First edit Master Click to Hearing The Second Hearing The Third Hearing

subtitle style

The Grammatical Fiction

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Themes

Political Philosophy:
Morality Justice Philosophy

Individualism

Rational

Argument
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Religion

Works Cited
"Arthur Koestler." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., 26 Apr 2012. Web. 27 Apr 2012. "Darkness at Noon." Encyclopedia.com. HighBeam Research, Inc., 2004. Web. 27 Apr 2012. Bloom, Harold. Bloom's Modern Critical Interpretations. Arthur Koestler's Darkness at Noon. Broomall, PA: Chelsea House Publishers, 2004. Web. Darkness at Noon." Wikipedia. Wikimedia 27 Apr. 2012. Foundation, Inc., 26 Apr 2012. Web. 27 Apr 2012.

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