Homework , December 14th 2007

Characterization of Solomon Barber

Solomon Barber is the son of Thomas Effing whose original name is Julian Barber. Effing left the family when the mother of Solomon - Elizabeth Wheeler - was pregnant with their baby in common namely Solomon.
At the age of 17 Solomon Barber wrote the novel " Kepler's Blood " based on his father's disappearance.
He studied history at Columbia University where he got to know Emily Fogg when she did also start at Columbia University. After having slept with Emily Fogg, Solomon got dismissed. Later Emily left Solomon without telling him that their little love affair has got a consequence called Marco Stanley Fogg what Solomon primal found out when he got to know him years later.
Later, Solomon Barber won the American Studies Award because of his thesis on Biskop Berkeley and the Indians.
In the novel " Moon Palace" written by Paul Auster, Marco's father is presented as a very fat man. Inherently as a young boy he got other children annoyed him because of his appearance. Solomon Barber is always wearing hats. He weights 113 kg on a size of 1.90 m. Barber likes to smoke long cigars.
Solomon Barber likes books and reading a lot. He is a very intellectual and knowledgeable man. During his life books became something like a refuge for him where he can hide into another world, a place to hide from people and the outside world. Also his obesity is a kind of a protective shield.
Although Solomon Barber was always on the move he was successful at every university he went on. He writes books and articles. From that you can conclude that he must be a very hard working man. Besides you can assume that he is interested in the early colonial history of America because of his thesis about Biskop Berkeley and the Indians.
He first met his son Marco after he learns that his father Thomas Effing
( Julian Barber ) died. Therfore he travels to New York City where he found out that he is Marco's father. Both like each other immediatley which is a result of the warmhearted and unconventional character of Solomon. Together they planned to travel to the West to look for Effing's cave. But on their way Solomon Barber died because of an accident and therefore Marco had to move on alone.