Jacob's Room

During the course of the novel, Jacob lives in his family home, his student accommodation, and a small apartment in London. These permanent homes become reflections of his character, another attempt by the narrator to investigate the individual identity of the protagonist. This technique builds on the Modernist principle of the objective correlative. The objective correlative is a literary device referring to a set of objects, a situation, or a chain of events that imply or represent certain feelings. The objects in Jacob’s private space thus become reflections of his emotional state and offer inconclusive hints about his identity. As such, rooms become important symbols of The Ineffability of Individual Identity in the text.

Jacob’s private life is often hidden from the narrative. On the occasions when he does allow someone inside, such as Florinda, the narrator often remains outside. The narrator sometimes only picks up his story when he is in a public place or surrounded by other people. As such, sections of the narrative also end with Jacob returning to his student accommodation or his apartment, reinforcing the sense that his true self and inner state remain elusive and unknowable to others.