NW

by Zadie Smith

NW: Guest: (W1) Summary & Analysis

Summary
Analysis
Felix meets up with Tom, a tall, skinny young white man in a shopping area.  Felix has agreed to buy Tom’s broken car. The two of them walk away somewhere more remote. Felix mentions he used to be a runner on film sets, and Tom says he also use to be interested in films but now works in a type of advertising. Tom takes a phone call while Felix inspects the car.
The interactions between Felix and Tom provide another example of how people of different social classes interact within a city. This chapter flips the dynamic of Leah and Shar, instead telling the story from the perspective of the person in the lower social status.
Themes
Class Identity and Social Mobility Theme Icon
Geography and Human Connection Theme Icon
Felix says the car has a lot of problems, and Tom agrees it’s a “project car.” The car is from the same year Felix was born, which he figures is fate. They haggle over the price but don’t reach a final agreement. They go to a pub where Tom tries to buy Felix a drink, but Felix only takes ginger beer because he says he’s an alcoholic.
Felix’s sobriety is a sign both of how he is trying to get his life together but also how he may have been more reckless in the past. The “project car” that Tom offers is another example of how Felix is trying to build something new for his future.
Themes
Geography and Human Connection Theme Icon
Tom asks Felix about his jobs before being a mechanic, and Felix talks about working in restaurants and making T-shirts. Felix makes a passing reference to how he’s recovering from being deep into drugs that seems to hang over the conversation. Felix is 32, and he says he had two kids when he was Tom’s age (25). Eventually, Tom starts to smoke, and he asks Felix if he has any weed. Felix doesn’t give a straight answer, and Tom drops the subject.
Themes
Sex and Relationships Theme Icon
Finally, Felix says they need to agree on a price for the car. Tom ends up getting just a little below the minimum he wanted. Later, Felix imagines telling people in his life, like Lloyd or Grace, about the car, but he can’t imagine any of them being interested. As Felix daydreams about the future and how he can imagine science fiction better than Hollywood, he accidentally bumps into a young man outside and arcade, and the two apologize to each other.
Themes
Class Identity and Social Mobility Theme Icon
Geography and Human Connection Theme Icon
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As Felix walks down the street, people are already in a celebratory mood, in preparation for the carnival. He goes to a brothel where there are several women who know him. He goes upstairs to see a woman named Annie, who claims to be separate from the brothel (although Felix isn’t sure). Felix has been in a relationship with Annie but hasn’t been back to see her for three months. In Annie’s room, all of a sudden,  a man named Erik interrupts the Annie and Felix’s conversation. Erik, a sub-agent working on behalf of the building’s management, explains that the building will be spending money to improve the common areas and the cost will be split among tenants.
Themes
Geography and Human Connection Theme Icon
Sex and Relationships Theme Icon
Annie complains to Erik that it isn’t fair for her to have to pay as much money for the renovations as the women in the brothel below her. She has an American accent that often seems to magically influence people. She says Felix isn’t a “gentleman caller” and claims that he is her boyfriend and a filmmaker. Erik insists that he needs Annie to sign papers about the renovations, but Felix says Erik should come back later to pick the signed papers up. Erik finally leaves.
Themes
Sex and Relationships Theme Icon
When they’re alone, Annie complains to Felix that he doesn’t spend as much time with her and seems to always miss her texts. She tries to offer Felix alcohol, but he refuses. Felix says things are getting serious with Grace, and so he probably won’t be coming around much anymore. Annie asks what’s so special about Grace, sounding skeptical, and Felix says that it’s because she “knows what she’s about.”
Themes
Sex and Relationships Theme Icon
The conversation between Annie and Felix gets more heated as she continues to prod him about Grace. Eventually, Annie says she’s had enough talk and wants to know if Felix actually wants to have sex. He agrees to it. Afterward, he wants her to take a pill to make sure she doesn’t get pregnant, but she resists, saying she’s nearly menopausal anyway. Felix decides he has to go.
Themes
Sex and Relationships Theme Icon
Quotes
Annie gets angry at how abruptly Felix is leaving, but he says that what the two of them have was never a relationship. Felix says that he’s still young enough to want kids, and Annie corrects him by saying “more kids.” Felix complains that there’s always drama whenever he comes to see Annie. As Felix walks out, he feels it’s the last time he will ever see this house.
Themes
Sex and Relationships Theme Icon