The Sacred Fount

Originally published by Scribners in 1901, The Sacred Fount was a product of James' most productive period and continues with the author's concentration of character over plot. The essence of the novel is an unnamed narrator who is not omniscient – he is involved in the actions of the other characters – but who decides analyse the mannerisms, actions and responses of his fellow guests at a weekend party in an effort to find out who is sleeping who. From a purely technical basis, having a narrator who by remains unnamed by other characters makes for a fairly difficult writing exercise which is only worsened by that narrator's habit of discussing with others the veracity of his theories. Given that the meaning of the title lies in the assumption of the narrator that some of the characters are gaining vigour from the sexual energy emitted by their secret partners, it's plain that the narrator's insistence on his quest will create their own difficulties. And this proves to be the case.