The Spire

E509854

The Spire is a novel by William Golding that explores obsession, faith, and human folly through the story of a dean determined to build an immense cathedral spire against all practical and moral constraints.

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All labels observed (1)

Label Occurrences
The Spire canonical 6

Statements (46)

Predicate Object
instanceOf novel
adaptation radio drama adaptation
author William Golding NERFINISHED
centralConflict construction of an immense spire on inadequate foundations
conflictType man vs nature
man vs self
man vs society
countryOfOrigin United Kingdom
explores moral compromise
psychological disintegration
tension between vision and practicality
genre literary fiction
psychological novel
religious fiction
hasCharacter Father Adam NERFINISHED
Goody Pangall NERFINISHED
Pangall NERFINISHED
Roger Mason NERFINISHED
hasMotiveForce Jocelin’s belief in divine command
hasSymbol cathedral spire
language English
literaryMovement post-war British literature
literaryReputation major work in Golding’s oeuvre
literaryStyle allegorical
symbolic
mainCharacter Dean Jocelin NERFINISHED
narrativePerspective third-person limited
notableFor compressed time frame
focus on a single dominating project
intense interior monologue
protagonistOccupation dean of a cathedral
publicationYear 1964
publisher Faber and Faber NERFINISHED
setting medieval cathedral
settingPeriod Middle Ages NERFINISHED
structure four-part novel
symbolism danger of unchecked ambition
spiritual aspiration
theme conflict between faith and reason
faith
hubris
human folly
moral responsibility
obsession
tone claustrophobic
intense

Referenced by (6)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

William Golding notableWork The Spire
The Nail in the Pale refersTo The Spire
The Rod to God alsoKnownAs The Spire
The Pin in the Bin refersTo The Spire
Monument of Light alsoKnownAs The Spire