Brighton Rock: The Cultural Impact of Graham Greene's Novel
One of the most culturally significant books in 20th century English literature is Graham Greene's 'Brighton Rock'. During his writing career, playwright and author Graham Greene was famed for exploring the moral and political issues of the early part of that century, something that many in polite society would opt to shy away from. Religious themes would tend to be at the centre of his novels, including Brighton Rock.
Greene released a number of celebrated works during his writing career, from Our Man in Havana to The Quiet American. However, arguably it was Brighton Rock that left literary critics with plenty to think about, due to its depiction of the dark underbelly of the 1930s criminal world. Released in 1938, the title of the book is a reference to the confectionary sold in the cheerful seaside resort of Brighton, whilst acting as a metaphor for the challenging, and often dark, nature of life in the gangs prevalent in many towns and cities at this time.
The story focuses on an antihero, Pinkie Brown, a teenage sociopath who has emerged as the head of an infamous local gang. Pinkie exacts harsh punishment on Charles 'Fred' Hale, a man sent on an assignment to the city who previously betrayed the former head of Pinkie's gang, a decision that will have fatal consequences for the outsider.
The arrival of kind-hearted Ida Arnold on the scene further complicates matters for Pinkie, who falls into more criminal activity following the brutal murder of Hale. Ida becomes a constant in Pinkie's life as he falls in love with the unassuming Rose, working to protect this vulnerable girl from the worst excesses of Pinkie's destructive behaviour. With a strong Catholic sensibility, the dubious morals that linger at the heart of this tale have continued to fascinate critics through the generations, and Greene's Brighton-based story remains relevant to the modern day reader.
The enduring popularity of Brighton Rock can be seen through its regular resurfacing in popular culture, with several film and radio adaptations of Greene's story having been released down the years. Much-loved British actor Richard Attenborough starred in the most famous adaptation of the novel, released to widespread critical acclaim in 1947. However, audiences were reintroduced to Pinkie Brown and his cohorts in a 2011 adaptation of the film, directed by Rowan Joffe. This latest adaptation of the story is a rather liberal interpretation of Greene's original story, as it moves the setting three decades on, amidst the 1960's tensions between mods and rockers.
Aside from this change, Greene's core themes remain a key component of the latest film, suggesting the book will retain a formidable position in the British literary canon for many years to come due to its powerful explorations of morality and society.
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