The End Of The Affair

The narrator and ostensible protagonist of The End of the Affair is Maurice Bendrix, known to most people as Bendrix. Greene writes the book from Bendrix’s own perspective, as though it were Bendrix himself who was writing and documenting his experiences with Sarah. As such, the narration is very often subjective, and Bendrix’s own opinions and interpretations color the events. In some respects, he is an unreliable narrator, though he has few qualms about revealing his negative character traits to the audience. Bendrix is not a wholly sympathetic character, but his willingness to reveal unlikable traits makes him more trustworthy.

For the most part, Bendrix is a man consumed by negative emotions. When he begins to the text, he is wracked with loathing for Sarah. He introduces himself to the audience in such terms, revealing, “I hated Henry—I hated his wife Sarah too” (4), and making no effort to downplay the strength of this emotion. Additionally, he experiences jealousy, self-pity, bitterness, and an almost-permanent sense of self-loathing, added to an intellectual arrogance and a large ego. This combination often leads to Bendrix misjudging other people or misinterpreting their actions, particularly in relation to religion.