Factotum
Encyclopedia
Factotum is the second novel by American
author Charles Bukowski
. The plot follows Henry Chinaski
, Bukowski's alter ego
, who has been rejected from the World War II
draft
and makes his way from one menial job to the next (hence a factotum
). Factotum was adapted into a film of the same name
starring Matt Dillon
in 2005.
Factotum takes place in 1944 and follows the life of perpetually unemployed alcoholic Henry Chinaski as he drifts through the seedy city streets of lower-class Los Angeles
in search of a job that will not come between him and his first love: writing. He is consistently rejected by the only publishing house he respects, but he is driven to continue by the knowledge that he could do better than the authors they publish.
Chinaski begins sleeping with fellow barfly
Jan, a kindred spirit he meets while drowning his sorrows at a bar. When a brief stint as a bookie finds him abandoned by the only woman with whom he is able to relate, a fling with gold-digging
floozie Laura finds him once again falling into a morose state of perpetual drunkenness and unemployment.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author Charles Bukowski
Charles Bukowski
Henry Charles Bukowski was an American poet, novelist and short story writer. His writing was influenced by the social, cultural and economic ambience of his home city of Los Angeles...
. The plot follows Henry Chinaski
Henry Chinaski
Henry Charles "Hank" Chinaski is the semi-autobiographical protagonist of several works by the American writer Charles Bukowski. He appears in five of Bukowski's novels, a number of his short stories and poems, and the 1987 film Barfly. An author character, Chinaski's biography is largely based on...
, Bukowski's alter ego
Alter ego
An alter ego is a second self, which is believe to be distinct from a person's normal or original personality. The term was coined in the early nineteenth century when dissociative identity disorder was first described by psychologists...
, who has been rejected from the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
draft
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
and makes his way from one menial job to the next (hence a factotum
Domestic worker
A domestic worker is a man, woman or child who works within the employer's household. Domestic workers perform a variety of household services for an individual or a family, from providing care for children and elderly dependents to cleaning and household maintenance, known as housekeeping...
). Factotum was adapted into a film of the same name
Factotum (film)
Factotum is a 2005 film directed by Bent Hamer, adapted from the novel of the same name by Charles Bukowski. The script also makes use of poems published in What Matters Is How Well You Walk Through the Fire and The Days Run Aways Like Horses Over the Hill as well as some of Bukowski's notebook...
starring Matt Dillon
Matt Dillon
Matthew Raymond "Matt" Dillon is an American actor and film director. He began acting in the late 1970s, gaining fame as a teenage idol during the 1980s.- Early life :...
in 2005.
Factotum takes place in 1944 and follows the life of perpetually unemployed alcoholic Henry Chinaski as he drifts through the seedy city streets of lower-class Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in search of a job that will not come between him and his first love: writing. He is consistently rejected by the only publishing house he respects, but he is driven to continue by the knowledge that he could do better than the authors they publish.
Chinaski begins sleeping with fellow barfly
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
Jan, a kindred spirit he meets while drowning his sorrows at a bar. When a brief stint as a bookie finds him abandoned by the only woman with whom he is able to relate, a fling with gold-digging
Courtesan
A courtesan was originally a female courtier, which means a person who attends the court of a monarch or other powerful person.In feudal society, the court was the centre of government as well as the residence of the monarch, and social and political life were often completely mixed together...
floozie Laura finds him once again falling into a morose state of perpetual drunkenness and unemployment.
Release details
- PaperbackPaperbackPaperback, softback or softcover describe and refer to a book by the nature of its binding. The covers of such books are usually made of paper or paperboard, and are usually held together with glue rather than stitches or staples...
– ISBN 978-0876852637, published in 1975 by Black Sparrow BooksBlack Sparrow BooksBlack Sparrow Books, formerly known as Black Sparrow Press, is a book publisher originally founded in 1966 by John Martin of Santa Rosa, California. He founded this company in order to publish the works of Charles Bukowski and other avant-garde authors. He initially financed this company by...