“I chose one in the end to sell my little empire to the highest bidder, Anthony Farrell. Had to be him […] it was simply that he shared your Uncle Tony’s name. […] Young Anthony proved me right in my choice, not stopping ‘til he’d the house and business sold for a hefty sum. I closed her up last night, the house.”

Griffin explores Maurice’s complex, interrelated values of Wealth Versus Human Connection: His discussion of selling his property contains a mix of sentimentality and mercenary sensibilities. He refers proudly to his “empire” and feels pleased that the estate agent has managed to get a “hefty sum,” which he thinks vindicates his choice. However, he picked this agent because he shares the name of his adored, long-gone brother. To Maurice, remembering and connecting to Tony is his priority, which is interwoven with his pursuit of wealth. His mention of closing up the house suggests he is saying farewell to it, foreshadowing the ending of his life and establishing the nostalgic tone that underlies the premise of the book.

“I was never so engrossed in a drink in all my life that day. My head thought my neck was broken as I refused to look up, to acknowledge the place, or any of them for that matter, should they have been about. There were photos on every wall, in the corridors and rooms, taunting this hulk of a man with their history.”

Griffin uses the physical image of Maurice bowing his head over his drink to show that he is burying his head in the sand, attempting to hide from his past. His description of the photos everywhere suggests he feels surrounded by them. His self-deprecating description of himself as a “hulk of a man” is ironic, as he juxtaposes his physical strength and maturity with the power the place still has over him.