Julian Barnes' The Only Story (2018) is a poignant exploration of love, memory, and the lasting effects of youthful passion. The novel follows Paul, a nineteen-year-old college student, as he falls in love with Susan Macleod, a married woman nearly thirty years older. Set in 1960s England, their unconventional relationship defies societal and family expectations, leading to both excitement and heartbreak. Barnes structures the novel in three sections, gradually shifting from Paul’s personal perspective to a more detached and reflective tone, illustrating how his understanding of love evolves over time. The story captures both the exhilaration of first love and the disappointment that often follows.
Through Paul’s reflections, The Only Story explores emotional dependence, the subjectivity of memory, and the complexity of long-term attachments. Barnes’ elegant yet precise prose raises the question of whether love is worth the pain it can bring. As Paul looks back on his past and the choices that shaped his life, the novel challenges the reliability of personal memory. At the same time, as Susan’s life begins to fall apart, Paul struggles with the weight of responsibility and the harsh realities of love. In the end, The Only Story is a thought-provoking novel that questions romantic ideals and leaves readers reflecting on love’s fleeting yet profound impact.
Video 1 :- Introduction | Character | Plot Summary
The novel uses a non-linear structure, shifting between past and present, which challenges readers to piece together the events. This approach reflects the complexity of memory and how it shapes our understanding of relationships. As Paul reflects on his past choices, his relationship with Susan highlights themes of responsibility and regret, revealing the deeper, often painful aspects of love beyond just romance. Memory plays a central role in shaping the characters' identities and perceptions of love and loss, emphasizing how past experiences continue to influence the present.
Unlike conventional love stories, The Only Story does not idealize romance. Instead, it presents a more realistic portrayal of relationships, showing the emotional challenges they often involve. Paul’s narration is unreliable, making readers question the accuracy of his version of events and encouraging a deeper exploration of personal perspective versus objective reality. Susan’s struggles with addiction and trauma further add to the novel’s depth, illustrating how past experiences shape behavior and relationships. The novel’s themes are similar to those in Barnes’ The Sense of an Ending, as both explore memory, love, and the lasting impact of personal choices.
Video 2 :- Joan | Character Study :-
John is a deeply layered character whose life is closely intertwined with Susan and Gerald. Paul narrates the story as he recalls Susan’s conversations about John, who is introduced as Gerald’s sister, a woman who passed away from leukemia, and Susan’s close friend. While Susan faces a troubled marriage and mental illness, John approaches her struggles with quiet resilience. Her strong bond with her pets, particularly her dogs, symbolizes her search for companionship and stability as she grows older.
John’s attachment to animals highlights the emotional support they provide, filling the void left by human relationships. Unlike Susan, who is consumed by her hardships, John finds comfort in her routines and the unconditional loyalty of her pets. Her affair with a married man further complicates her character, challenging traditional ideas of morality and love. Rather than portraying her as a victim, the novel presents her as an individual who makes her own choices despite societal expectations.
John’s directness and refusal to conform to social norms reflect her defiance of conventional femininity. Her ability to embrace her true self underscores the novel’s exploration of identity, relationships, and the lingering effects of past experiences on one’s present and future.
Video 3 :- Memory in Novel | Memory and History | Memory and Morality :-
Julian Barnes’ The Only Story takes a deep dive into memory as a complex and multi-faceted topic, which is the main focus of the talk. It begins by comparing collective history with personal memory, showing how our understanding of past events is shaped by societal stories, while personal memory is much more subjective and influenced by emotions or biases. The speaker questions whether memories can be trusted, since they can easily be altered or distorted by personal opinions and even lies.
The discussion moves on to Memento, a film where the main character’s memory loss makes it hard for him to take responsibility for his actions. The talk also connects this idea to Barnes’ The Sense of an Ending and postcolonial views on trauma and memory, especially looking at Dipesh Chakrabarty’s writings. It explores how individual memories can blur or change the truth, influencing both identity and morality.
Using Memento, the session goes deeper into the ethical side of memory, suggesting that forgetting could allow people to avoid the consequences of their actions. This ties into the broader theme of how trauma can affect memory, as people dealing with painful experiences might alter their memories to cope with the discomfort that comes with them.
Video 4 :- Narrative Patten
The video discussion explores the narrative style of Julian Barnes’ The Only Story, focusing on its blend of traditional and modern techniques. The speaker explains how Barnes uses different perspectives—first, second, and third person—to create an unreliable story. The novel features a 70-year-old man looking back on his past love, using flashbacks to dive into his youthful experiences. The talk highlights key themes of memory and the unreliability of personal history, showing how they shape the narrative. It also discusses the philosophical ideas around love, pain, and the human experience, suggesting that love, whether happy or sad, can often end in disaster. Barnes’ storytelling mixes narrative with deep reflections, encouraging readers to think about their own emotional truths.
The novel shows love as both a transformative and destructive force. The idea that memory is often subjective and unreliable is a major point in the discussion. The protagonist’s memories, shaped by his regrets and desires, complicate the reader's understanding of what really happened. This connects with modern philosophical debates about truth and memory. While his first love is meaningful, it brings him pain for the rest of his life, challenging the idea of love as something only beautiful and ideal.
Through the protagonist’s journey, Barnes examines big questions about identity and living authentically. The novel asks how storytelling shapes who we are. By addressing readers directly, Barnes blurs the lines between fiction and reality, making them question the narrator's reliability. This technique invites readers to critically engage with the story. The structure of The Only Story reflects life’s complexities—full of uncertainties and contradictions—and challenges readers to think about how vision, memory, and time shape their own lives.
Video 5 :- Question of Responsibility
This video discusses the theme of responsibility in The Only Story by Julian Barnes, focusing on how the protagonist, Paul Roberts, reflects on his past and the complexities of responsibility in relationships. Paul questions whether his carelessness contributed to his misfortunes, particularly in his relationship with Susan and her troubled marriage to Gordon. The video explores how people often avoid responsibility, especially in traumatic situations like domestic violence, and highlights how responsibility is interconnected, illustrated through metaphors like a chain. The key takeaway is that understanding responsibility requires introspection and acknowledging one’s own role in events that lead to personal and relational damage.
The video also addresses how societal expectations influence perceptions of responsibility, with people sometimes avoiding difficult truths out of fear of social judgment. The metaphor of a snake navigating obstacles illustrates the need for adaptability in relationships and personal growth. The video points out that it’s easy to blame others, but this misses how experiences are often connected, requiring a deeper understanding of how actions affect each other. The discussion encourages viewers to analyze the text carefully and reflect on their role in relationships. Ultimately, it emphasizes that responsibility is a complex, personal process that requires understanding, self-awareness, and reflection.
Video 6 :- Theme of Love | Passion and Suffering
The analysis examines the link between passion and pain in love, starting with the word "passion," which comes from the Latin meaning "to suffer." This suggests that love always involves both intense feelings and suffering. The complexity of love is shown through Paul’s memories of his relationship with Susan, an older, married woman.
The novel focuses on philosophical ideas about love, desire, and the human experience, rather than just events. It explores how love is shaped by personal choices and cultural expectations, often leading to regret and pain. Paul and Susan’s struggles highlight how love can bring despair, while challenging traditional views of love often seen in books and movies.
Through Paul’s reflections, the story shows how our understanding of love and pain changes over time. It critiques typical love stories that overlook the harsh reality of relationships, prompting readers to think about their own experiences. The idea that unmet desires lead to emotional distress is clear in Susan’s struggles with her past. The final question asks if love is worth the pain, encouraging readers to reflect on their own relationships.
Video 7 :- Theme of Marriage | Critique of Marriage Institution
The discussion focuses on the idea that marriage and love aren’t always compatible. Many believe that romantic love fades after marriage, with desire often dropping once vows are exchanged. The speaker compares this to other literary works, especially Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy, showing a long history of questioning the idea that marriage equals happiness. Today, divorce and living together without marriage are more accepted, which shows a big cultural shift.
Characters like Suzanne and Gordon are used to show the struggles in marriage, such as emotional neglect and abuse. The social stigma around unhappy marriages is a bigger problem, and Susan’s silence about her pain shows this. Barnes uses humor to point out the absurdities of marriage, giving a new way to think about social norms. The speaker also explains how humor can reveal deeper issues in relationships.The lesson also talks about how the English middle class avoids addressing marital issues, which keeps the cycle of suffering going. The idea that love doesn’t have to be linked to marriage challenges traditional views and encourages us to think differently about relationships.Through this analysis, the speaker invites readers to rethink marriage, love, and commitment, promoting a more open-minded view of modern relationships.
Video 8 :- To Ways to Look at Life
In this lesson, the narrator looks at two different ideas about life: free will and inevitability, through the thoughts of the main character, Paul Roberts. The metaphor of life as a river is used, with people compared to captains of their ships, trying to navigate the uncertain waters of life. The first idea focuses on personal choice, suggesting that every decision we make closes off other possibilities, leading to a life full of various choices. This view often causes people to dwell on "what-ifs" and feel regret about their decisions.
The second idea is that life is a series of events that are unavoidable, like a log floating down a river. In this view, people have no control and are carried along by fate and circumstances. The narrator shows that Paul often goes back and forth between these two perspectives, trying to find a balance between his own control and the limits placed on him by the world around him. The story ultimately explores how both free will and fate can shape our lives, creating a complex and delicate balance.
Worksheet
2. Key Takeaways: After reviewing all the resources, identify the three most
important themes or ideas you found most compelling or thought-
provoking. For each one:
o Explain the idea in your own words.
o Provide examples from the novel that illustrates the idea.
o Explain why you think the idea is significant for understanding the novel.The Memories We Choose to Remember
Paul Roberts' story highlights how we selectively retain memories, keeping what we prefer and disregarding what we dislike. He carefully chooses what to recall, minimizing his faults. A similar example appears in The Artist of the Floating World, where Masuji Ono initially hides his past mistakes but later faces their consequences. His selective memory conceals how he once used his art to promote nationalism, revealing the way personal narratives can be shaped by choice.
The Concept of Love
The novel presents love realistically, showing that relationships, whether in marriage or romance, are often fraught with conflict. People seek fulfillment in each other, but when expectations go unmet, struggles arise. The quote, “What would you choose, to love more and suffer more or love less and suffer less?” reflects this dilemma. Paul and Suzanne fail to find happiness together, and Joan’s heartbreak further challenges idealized notions of love in literature and cinema. Barnes offers a more realistic perspective, exposing the imperfections of love.
Acknowledging One’s Own Faults
Though Paul tries to suppress certain truths, he does not entirely ignore his own mistakes. He reflects on his faults, showing that self-awareness is essential. Memory-based narratives often allow distortion, but careful reading reveals hidden truths. The novel emphasizes introspection, urging individuals to recognize their own flaws rather than merely blaming others.
3. Character Analysis: Choose two characters from the novel (e.g. Paul,
Suzanne, Joan). For each character, discuss:
o Their role in the narrative.
o Their key traits and motivations.
o How the narrative perspective shapes the reader's understanding of
the character.
o How the character contributes to the themes of the novel.Paul
Paul, the narrator, recalls his past love for Suzanne. At 19, he believes their love is pure, but over time, he struggles with her alcoholism and dishonesty. Eventually, he leaves, torn between love and responsibility. As an unreliable narrator, his memories are selective, making the reader question whether he truly loved Suzanne or was chasing an ideal. His story highlights how love can turn into suffering, how people reshape memories, and how regret shapes identity.
JoanJoan, Suzanne’s friend and Gerald’s sister, is deeply affected by her brother’s death. She has multiple affairs and becomes a mistress, but the man leaves her for someone else. Heartbroken, she withdraws from people and finds comfort in her dogs. She believes pets are more loyal than humans, but even they die, leaving painful memories. Joan drinks heavily, curses a lot, and no longer tries to please anyone, having accepted life’s harsh realities.
4. Narrative Techniques: Discuss the narrative techniques employed by
Julian Barnes in The Only Story, considering:
o The use of first-person narration and its limitations.
o The shifting perspectives and unreliable narrator.
o The non-linear timeline and use of flashbacks.
o The impact of these techniques on the reader's experience.
o How this narrative is different from other novels you may have read.In The Only Story, Julian Barnes uses a unique way of telling the story through Paul’s point of view. Since the novel is in the first person, we only know what Paul thinks, not what actually happened. This makes him an unreliable narrator, as he might change details or memories to protect himself or deal with guilt, so we can’t fully trust his version.
The story doesn’t follow a straight timeline; it jumps between different times in Paul’s life. This makes the story feel more real, like how we remember things in bits and pieces. Paul also shifts from using "I" to "you" and "he," showing how he becomes distant from his past and doesn’t want to face his mistakes.
These techniques help the reader feel Paul’s emotions deeply and make us question the truth of his story. The novel doesn’t give a simple love story but shows that love can bring pain and regret. The way it’s told makes it feel like a real person looking back on their past, with all the confusion and sadness that comes with it.
5. Thematic Connections: Explore the following themes and their
interconnections in The Only Story:
o Memory and Unreliability: How does the novel explore the
subjective nature of memory? How does this relate to the idea of
truth within a narrative?
o Love, Passion, and Suffering: How does the novel present love,
and what is its relationship to suffering and pain? How are these
ideas connected to Laconian ideas about desire?
o Responsibility and Cowardice: In what ways is the protagonist,
Paul, presented as unreliable and cowardly? How does he avoid
responsibility, and what are the consequences?
o Critique of Marriage: How does the novel challenge the institution
of marriage?
o Two ways to look at life: How does the novel present these two
extremes of viewing life?Memory and Unreliability:
In The Only Story, Paul's memory is not always clear or truthful. He often changes details or forgets parts of the past, making us question if what he says is completely true. The novel suggests that truth depends on how each person remembers things, and history can be shaped by those telling the story.
Love, Passion, and Suffering:
Love in the novel isn’t shown as happy, but rather as painful. Paul’s love for Suzanne causes him suffering. The story shows that love can consume people, and often, what we desire most leaves us feeling empty. Paul learns that love, which once seemed perfect, can actually bring destruction.
Responsibility and Cowardice:
Paul often runs away from responsibility. He doesn’t help Suzanne when she’s abused, and when she suffers emotionally, he leaves. His decision to avoid hard situations causes him regret and guilt, leaving him unable to fully move on with his life.
Critique of Marriage:
The novel criticizes marriage, showing it as a trap. Suzanne’s marriage to Gordon is violent and unhealthy. Paul sees marriage as something that takes away love and freedom instead of helping it grow, revealing its darker side.
Two Views of Life:
The story shows two ways of seeing life. One is that we can control our fate, like steering a boat. The other is that life is unpredictable, like an object drifting with the current. Paul starts thinking he can control his love story, but over time, he learns that life is much more chaotic and uncontrollable. This makes the reader think about whether we truly control our lives or if other forces shape them.
6. Personal Reflection: Consider the question posed at the beginning of the novel: "Would you rather love the more and suffer the more, or love the less and suffer the less?".
- How does the novel explore this question?
The novel explores the question, "Would you rather love more and suffer more, or love less and suffer less?" through Paul's journey. As a young man, Paul believes love is worth any pain, and he falls deeply in love with Suzanne. But over time, their love causes more hurt than happiness, and Paul starts to wonder if it was worth it.
The novel shows that love often brings pain, and those who love deeply can get hurt the most. By the end, Paul is alone, questioning if the suffering he went through was worth the love. The book doesn’t give a clear answer, leaving the reader to think about whether it’s better to love deeply, even with the pain, or protect themselves by loving less.
- What are your thoughts on this question, and how does this novel relate to your own experiences and views on love and life?
The novel challenges the idea that love leads to happiness and shows how love is closely linked with both passion and suffering. It suggests that people often try to fill an inner emptiness with love, hoping it will make them whole. When love works out, everything seems fine, but when it doesn’t, bigger problems arise. If love falls short, it becomes difficult to move on or coexist peacefully. The story conveys that depending on others for our happiness often causes pain, as it leaves us vulnerable and unable to find contentment within ourselves.
7. Creative Response:
• Imagine you are one of the characters from the novel (other than Paul).
Write a journal entry from their perspective reflecting on the events of the
novel.
• Alternatively, write a short piece exploring how one of the themes in the
novel relates to contemporary society.Journal Entry from Suzanne's Perspective
March 12, 1975
I’ve spent so many years trapped in the same cycle. Paul was everything to me once, but I pushed him away. I thought love could fix me, but it just dragged us both down. I wanted him to see me as perfect, but I’m far from it. I made mistakes, and now he’s gone.
I tried to fill a hole inside me with love, but it never worked. Now I’m left with memories and my dogs, who never ask for anything. But even they die, leaving me with nothing. I wonder if I was ever capable of truly loving or just chasing an illusion.
Short Piece on Love and Suffering in Society
In The Only Story, love and suffering are closely tied, and this theme is still relevant today. Society idealizes love, making people believe it’s the answer to all their problems. But like in the novel, love often brings pain when it doesn’t meet expectations.
Today, many seek love to fill an internal void, but this often leads to disappointment. Love is not always the perfect fix; it can also bring frustration and sadness. True fulfillment comes from within, not from another person. In the modern world, we must recognize that love, while meaningful, doesn’t always provide lasting happiness.
References
Barad, Dilip. (2025). Flipped Learning Activity Worksheet on The Only Story. 10.13140/RG.2.2.24961.16485. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/388555499_Flipped_Learning_Activity_Worksheet_on_The_Only_Story
Barad, Dilip. “The Only Story.” The Only Story, 3 Feb. 2022, blog.dilipbarad.com/2022/02/the-only-story.html. Accessed 09 Feb. 2025.
Barad, Dilip. "Exploring Narrative Patterns in Julian Barnes' The Only Story." LangLit, vol. 6, no. 4, May 2020, pp. 179-188. ResearchGate, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/371874310. Accessed 8 Feb. 2025.
Barad, Dilip. "Symbolism of Crossword Puzzles: Order, Intellect, and Existential Respite in Julian Barnes's The Only Story." LangLit, vol. 8, no. 1, Aug. 2021, pp. 285-291. ResearchGate, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/372537102. Accessed 8 Feb. 2025.
Barnes, Julian. "The Only Story." Jonathan Cape. 20 February 2018. ISBN-13: 987-1787330696
Introduction | Character | Plot Summary | The Only Story | Julian Barnes." DoE-MKBU, YouTube, 31 Jan 2022, https://youtu.be/46Lxx-C5Tg0?si=PTkqNdhioisd9Tdv
"Joan | Character Study | The Only Story | Julian Barnes." DoE-MKBU, YouTube, 3 Feb 2022, https://youtu.be/st-w_099Yr0?si=OCoRA4CEEaHpXWq8
"Memory Novel | Memory and History | Memory and Morality | The Only Story | Julian Barnes." DoE-MKBU, YouTube, 2 Feb 2022, https://youtu.be/H4yoNBCzrUs?si=Vxc5GQPJqnbOxsYE
"Narrative Pattern | The Only Story | Julian Barnes." DoE-MKBU, YouTube, 1 Feb 2022, https://youtu.be/395rhgkig1w?si=mqvmqwWBRqOxByZ_
"Question of Responsibility | The Only Story | Julian Barnes." DoE-MKBU, YouTube3 Feb 2022, https://youtu.be/uBj-ju4RuTo?si=LW1K02vT0oNaw2Fx
"Theme of Love | Passion and Suffering | The Only Story | Julian Barnes." DoE-MKBU, YouTube, 2 Feb 2022, https://youtu.be/7f7hCKtGkGI?si=gCVaaKw0ksJAn4OY
"Theme of Marriage | Critique of Marriage Institution | The Only Story | Julian Barnes." DoE-MKBU, YouTube, 3 Feb 2022, https://youtu.be/SCrSyV2jXzI?si=iLvkpeE_LlO67jpC
"Two Ways to Look at Life | The Only Story | Julian Barnes." DoE-MKBU, YouTube, 3 Feb 2022, https://youtu.be/s7Wom7RAqI4?si=HIzHz0luge6GKnv8
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