The Berlin Stories is a semi-autobiographical account of Christopher Isherwood’s life in Berlin during the time of Adolf Hitler’s rise to power. Set in the 1930s, Isherwood describes his adventures in the city and an encounter with the Nazis. The book is partitioned into two stories, Mr. Norris Changes Trains and Goodbye to Berlin.
Mr. Norris Changes Trains
The story opens up with the main character and narrator, William Bradshaw, encountering a rather nervous man on a train to Berlin. Upon noticing that the peculiar man is of English origin, William strikes up a conversation with the stranger who reluctantly introduces himself as Arthur Norris. The two have an interesting conversation which ends with Norris inviting William to a New Year’s party which later turns into a sex party. Nevertheless, William does not judge his new friend.
William and Arthur party their way into the next day and Arthur ends up revealing his intentions to become a Communist. At a politically charged time in Berlin, being a communist was not the best idea, however, William pretends he is not shocked by the declaration. A few days after the party, the Reichstag is burned, presumably by the communists, and Norris leaves Berlin in a hurry. William becomes suspicious of Arthur’s sudden departure, he remembers him revealing his secret and daring aspirations, but he never mentioned his occupation.
Soon after, Arthur returns, now accompanied by a Frenchwoman, Margot, who seems to have a bottomless supply of cash. Arthur continues conducting his mysterious and shady deals which land him into trouble again, and he has to leave. Shortly after his departure, the Communist leader in the city informs William that Arthur was a spy for the French and is wanted both by the communists and the Nazis. The hunt for Arthur and his allies begins which prompts William to escape to England.
Goodbye to Berlin
Unlike the first story, Goodbye to Berlin moves through different characters and chapters. The chapters are divided episodically however, they all focus on the protagonist. Each chapter presents a different location or family but ultimately connects with the rest of the chapters. The stories are all set in the 1930s in Berlin, particularly in a show called The Troika and the nearby lodgings where actors and employees sleep. Isherwood describes his encounters with these characters who openly discuss how they are intimidated and oppressed by Hitler’s government.
