History Literature / ChangingPlaces

The University of Rummidge, a middling redbrick establishment in the [[UsefulNotes/TheWestMidlands English Midlands]], and Euphoria State University, a leading institution at Plotinus on the west coast of America, have long had an exchange programme based on nothing more than a coincidence of architecture. Because of the assymetric relationship Rummidge was usually represented by a senior member of staff while Euphoria State struggled to find anybody to spend a year in a place they probably hadn't heard of. But in 1969, the roles are reversed. Rummidge sent Philip Swallow, a talented teacher but an undistinguished scholar with no publications to his name, to Euphoric State where published papers are everything, and Euphoric State sent Morris Zapp, a high-flying and much-published full professor to Rummidge. The novel follows each man's progress as their lives begin to intertwine in unexpected ways against a background of student unrest and authoritarian reaction to it.

Part 1, ''flying'' uses a detached, omniscient narrator to introduce the two protagonists as there respective paths cross over the North Pole.

Part 4, ''reading'' is a series of news items and other third-party documents .

* NoCommunitiesWereHarmed: Rummidge represents Birmingham (sounds like Bromwich[ham], a old name for Birmingham from which "Brummagem" and "Brummie" are derived, in the local). Plotinus (a Greek philosopher whose ideas were picked up by George Berkeley) is Berkeley. the city of Esseph, across the bay from Plotinus, is self-evidently San Francisco. Euphoria is not California, at least not most of it:

* SoreLoser: In the game of Humiliation, to win which players have to admit in front of others that they haven't read some classic book, Howard Ringbaum can't reconcile his pathological need to succeed with his equally pathological need to show how clever and well-read he is. When he gets no points after naming some obscure eighteenth-century work he loses hos temper. Then when he gets the point he scores a knockout victory with ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}''. Several days later he fails his review and it's assumed that the faculty is unwilling to give tenure to somebody who had never read Hamlet. He blames Philip Swallow for this.

* SoreLoser: In the game of Humiliation, to win which players have to admit in front of others that they haven't read some classic book, Howard Ringbaum can't reconcile his pathological need to succeed with his equally pathological need to show how clever and well-read he is. When he gets no points after naming some obscure eighteenth-century work he loses hos temper. Then when he gets the point he scores a knockout victory with ''{{Hamlet}}''. Several days later he fails his review and it's assumed that the faculty is unwilling to give tenure to somebody who had never read Hamlet. He blames Philip Swallow for this.

* ElevatorSnare: A variant. The elevator is a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paternoster Paternoster] in the Hexagon building at Rummidge. Gordon Masters chases Morris in and out of the paternoster cars and up and down the surrounding stairs.

* SanitySlippage: Gordon Masters. He's eccentric enough already but the sit-in at Rummidge, and Morris Zapp's successful resolution, pushes him over the edge. He believes Zapp has conspired with the students to undermine his authority.

* RippedFromTheHeadlines: The confrontation in Plotinus between students and State authorities is almost indistinguishable from the real-life events around the [[https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/ronald-reagan-and-uc-berkeley-peoples-park-riots-1969-w482300 People's Park]] in Berkeley in the spring of 1969. The student sit-in at Rummidge corresponds to a [[https://senatehouseoccupation.wordpress.com/1968/12/10/sit-in-supported/ sit-in]] at at Birmingham University, although this took place at the end of 1968 and not simultaneously with the People's Park.

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Ronald Duck, Governor of Euphoria, who sent state troopers against Plotinus student demonstrators. Not to be confused with UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan, Governor of California in 1969, who sent state troopers against Berkeley student demonstrationr. Oh no.

* NoCommunitiesWereHarmed: Rummidge represents Birmingham (sounds like Bromwich[ham], a old name for Birmingham from which "Brummagem" and "Brummie" are derived, in the local). Plotinus (a Greek philosopher whose ideas were picked up by George Berkeley) is Berkeley. the city of Esseph, across the bay from Plotinus, is self-evidently San Francisco. Euphoria is not California, at least not most of it...

Part 3 ''corresponding'' is written in [[Main/EpistolaryNovel epistolary]] form.

Part 4 ''reading'' is a series of news items and other third-party documents .

Part 5 ''changing'' reverts to the conventional narrative of Part 2.

Part 6 ''ending'' is in the form of a screenplay.

* RippedFromTheHeadlines: The confrontation in Plotinus between students and State authorities is almost indistinguishable from the real-life events around the [[https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/ronald-reagan-and-uc-berkeley-peoples-park-riots-1969-w482300 People's Park]] in Berkeley in the spring of 1969. The student sit-in at Rummidge corresponds to a [[https://senatehouseoccupation.wordpress.com/1968/12/10/sit-in-supported/ sit-in]] at at Birmingham University, although this took place earlier in the year and not simultaneously with the People's Park.

The University of Rummidge, a middling redbrick establishment in the [[UsefulNotes/TheWestMidlands English Midlands]], and Euphoria State University, a leading institution at Plotinus on the west coast of America, have long had an exchange programme based on nothing more than a coincidence of architecture. Because of the assymetric relationship Rummmidge was usually represented by a senior member of staff while Euphoria State struggled to find anybody to spend a year in a place they probably hadn't heard of. But in 1969, the roles are reversed. Rummage sent Philip Swallow, a capable but undistinguished and very traditional English lecturer, and Euphoric State sent Morris Zapp, a high-flying and much-published full professor. The novel follows each man's progress as their lives begin to intertwine in unexpected ways against a background of student unrest and authoritarian reaction to it.

Part 2, ''settling'' adopts a more conventional third-person narrative as the two men meet their new classes and colleagues, settle in to new accommodation – Zapp in the attic of the large rambling house of an Irish physician, Dr O'Shea, and Swallow in a cut-price apartment block – and encounter the young women who share their buildings.

Part 3 ''corresponding'' is written in [[Main/EpistolaryNovel epistolary]] form and consists of increasingly agitated correspondence between Philip and his wife Hilary, and Morris and his wife Désirée as a series of unfortunate misunderstandings unfold.

Part 4 ''reading'' is a series of news items and other third-party documents detailing, amongst other things, the landslip that renders Philip Swallow's apartment building uninhabitable, the student occupation of a vacant lot at Euphoric State and the authorities' heavy-handed response, the sit-in at Rummidge, it's resolution and the consequent resignation of the increasingly unstable head of the English department, and the freak accident that destroys Dr O'Shea's roof.

Part 5 ''changing'' reverts to the conventional narrative of Part 2. Philip Swallow and Morris Zapp move into each others houses and sleep with each other's wives. In Plotinus, Philip is drawn into the increasingly violent confrontation between students and State police and National Guard, is arrested and briefly imprisoned. He becomes a hero to the students and considers staying permanently with Désirée Zapp. In Rummidge, Morris Zapp is appointed caretaker head of department and is stalked by his predecessor. Philip, Désirée, Morris and Hilary agree to meet in New York, halfway between Plotinus and Rummidge to negotiate.

Part 6 ''ending'' is in the form of a screenplay. First, the aircraft carrying the two couples have an air miss on the approach to JFK. Cutting to a Manhattan hotel room, they attempt to find the way forward. Morris and Philip bond in lit crit talk, Hilary and Désirée bond over women's issues. Philip makes a speech about endings. The screenplay, as it can while the conventional novel can't, calls for a freeze on the word end. That's it, the end is inconclusive.

* AuthorAvatar: Philip Swallow is a professor at the University of Rummidge, based on the University of Birmingham where the author was a professor.

Part 6 ''ending'' is in the form of a screenplay. First, the aircraft carrying the two couples have an air miss on the approach to JFK. Cutting to a Manhattan hotel room, they attempt to find the way forward. Morris and Philip bond in lit crit talk, Hilary and Désirée bond over women's issues. Philip makes a speech about endings. The screenplay, as it can while the conventional novel can't, calls for a freeze on the word end. That's it, the end is inconclusive.

Part 6 ''ending'' is in the form of a screenplay. First, the aircraft carrying the two couples have an air miss on the approach to JFK. Cutting to a Manhattan hotel room, the four watch the protest march in Plotinus on TV

Part 5, ''changing'' reverts to the conventional narrative of Part 2. Philip Swallow and Morris Zapp move into each others houses and sleep with each other's wives. In Plotinus, Philip is drawn into the increasingly violent confrontation between students and State police and National Guard

The University of Rummidge, a middling redbrick establishment in the [[UsefulNotes/TheWestMidlands English Midlands]], and Euphoria State University, a leading institution at Plotinus on the west coast of America, have long had an exchange programme based on nothing more than a coincidence of architecture. Because of the assymetric relationship Rummmidge was usually represented by a senior member of staff while Euphoria State struggled to find anybody to spend a year in a place they probably hadn't heard of. But in 1969, the roles are reversed. Rummage sent Philip Swallow, a capable but undistinguished and very traditional English lecturer, and Euphoric State sent Morris Zapp, a high-flying and much-published full professor. The novel follows each man's progress as their lives begin to intertwine in unexpected ways against a background of student unrest and authoritarian reaction to it.

''Changing Places'' is the fifth novel by the British author [[Creator/DavidLodgeWriter David Lodge]], and the first of his so-called "Campus Trilogy". It was published in 1975.