Jacob's Room

A Nonconformist Novel with No Central Character. 'Either we are men, or we are women. Either we are cold, or we are sentimental. Either we are young, or growing old. In any case life is but a procession of shadows, and God knows why it is that we embrace them so eagerly, and see them depart with such anguish, being shadows.' Jacob's Room is not a typical Victorian English novel. The lack of a real protagonist stands out the most. Jacob is not actually a character, only a collection of memories, feelings and sensations. His life is like a room seen through the eyes of other people.