Sebastian Against the World story
Sebastian's rapid descent into alcoholism, which he refers to as dipsomania, leads him into constant trouble, despite the ever-watchful eye of Mr Samgrass. During Easter holiday at Brideshead, Charles tries to reason with a constantly inebriated Sebastian, who accuses him of being a spy for Lady Marchmain. Sebastian's failure to reform leads to his dismissal from Oxford, and a bereft Charles returns to London to ask his father permission to leave the university in order to study art abroad.
19 total · 1 choice · 9 major · 9 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| friendship | choice | The story centers around the intimate friendship between Charles and Sebastian. Charles visited Sebastian at Brideshead over the Easter holidays. |
| alcohol abuse | major | The story revolves around Sebastian's drinking spiraling out of control, causing concern among his loved ones as they grappled with how to help. |
| choosing between conflicting loyalties | major | Charles became a pawn in the game between mother and son, but ultimately sided with his friend Sebastian. |
| controlling family member | major | Lady Marchmain was described as a manipulative and devious woman who went through extraordinary lengths to control her children's lives, not understanding that it was that very habit of hers that had driven Sebastian (as well as her estranged husband) to the bottle. |
| depression | major | Charles was highly concerned for Sebastian's well-being as he observed his bosom friend turning to alcohol in despair. Sebastian was drinking heavily. The original cause for the drinking, according to Charles, was Sebastian's controlling mother. |
| figuring out what to do with one's life | major | This decision was tearing Sebastian apart: bend to his mother's will and do what she wants or make his own way in life and lose the financial support of the Marchmain family. |
| life in late modern Britain | major | The story portrays life for both the low and the high at Brideshead Castle, an aristocratic country estate, in Britain during the interwar period as well as during the Second World War. |
| mother and son | major | Latent tensions between Sebastian and his mother, Lady Marchmain, came to a head when a drunken Sebastian made a scene in front of the family. This incident triggered Lady Marchmain to take on a more active role in rehabilitating Sebastian. |
| resentment | major | It became obvious that Sebastian resented his mother for having controlled him in myriad ways throughout his life. |
| what it is like in university | major | Charles and Sebastian went back to the University of Oxford after spending the Easter holiday at Brideshead. |