How I Met Myself

SynopsisThis story is about a man who met his doppelganger; a ghostly double of a living person.John Taylor was an English computer programmer who worked in Budapest, Hungary, and lived there with his wife, Andrea, and daughter, Kati. He was walking home from work one day when he bumped into his doppelganger. John believed the doppelganger had come to give him a message.John did some research and found that a man, with a name similar to his, had lived in that area many years ago along with a wife and daughter whose names were also Andrea and Kati. The person's wife and daughter were killed in a tragedy. The timely warning from John's doppelganger saved John's wife and daughter from a similar fate.

Return to Main MenuPersonification"The Danube cuts the capital into two halves, Buda and Pest " (page 7)"My mind was running round and round in circles.(page 9 )"The strong sunshine made me feel more hopeful about the future."(page 20)"l saw something at the bottom of the Budapest page of the newspaper. It jumped out at me." (page 39)Return to Literary DevicesSymbolDoppelgangerSymbolises something sinister or a saviour

Return to Literary DevicesJuxtaposition/ContrastInside, it was suddenly warm after the winter streets " (page 10)"Her pretty blue eyes were red" (page 18)Repetition-I walked up and down again and again." (page 31)

Return to Literary DevicesPlotExposition-

John was walking home from work one evening when someone ran into him, causing him to fall into the snow on the ground. When John looked up, he saw that the person looked exactly like him. John felt very afraid. He decided to follow the person but was unable to track him down as he seemed to have disappeared. John also realised that the person did not leave any footprint in the snow. He did not know what to do.

Return to Main MenuRising Action

John began having dreams about that evening. This resulted in him losing concentration at work, staying out late and having arguments with his wife, Andrea. Finally, John decided to tell Andrea about the incident. At first, she was supportive. However, once their daughter ,Kati, was born, Andrea was constantly angry at him for paying more attention to his doppelganger than to his family. John had no choice but to find out more about his doppelganger on his own.

John discovered that not only did he look like his doppelganger, they also shared the same name. Even the names of their wives and children were the same. John felt uncomfortable with these similarities, especially when he learnt that his doppelganger's wife and child were killed in a cellar that was destroyed during the war.

Return to Main MenuClimax:-A similar incident that had happened to the doppelganger and his family years ago occurred exactly on the same date. When John heard a very loud noise that sounded like an explosion, he realised that Andrea and Kati were at the same cafe where his doppelganger's wife and daughter were killed. He rushed over and saw that the place had been destroyed again.

Return to Main MenuFalling Action :-John tried to get into the ruins of the destroyed cafe to find and rescue his wife and daughter but a fireman prevented him from going in. The place was full of gas and was too dangerous. John was told to go home as there was nothing else he could do to help. He was heartbroken. He realised that he should have paid more attention to the message his doppelganger was trying to tell him.

Resolution:-As was walking home, he saw his doppelganger again. His doppelganger pointed to two figures at a distance. John was overjoyed to see that his wife and daughter were alive! Andrea told John that his doppelganger had saved them by preventing them from entering the cafe.

Settings & Point of ViewReturn to Main Menu

Return to Settings

Return to SettingsSettings (Time & Social)Set in the present in modern day.The time span is a period of 3 years.Johns first meeting with his doppelganger is on 18th January.For the next 2 years, he meets his double on the same date and at the same location.There are mentions of the past through the narration of Mrs. Fischer.A glimpse of the turbulent times during the 1940s, right after the Second World War and during the Revolution in Hungary. Return to SettingsPoint of ViewFirst person point of view through the protagonist, John Taylors eyes.John Taylors thoughts are conveyed openly to the audience, but not to any of the other characters. Allows his character to be further developed through his own style in telling the story.Return to Point of ViewMain CharactersReturn to CharactersThemesSharing Problems and Coping With ThemRight, she said. Tomorrow is Saturday, and neither of us is working. Well go round to number 7 Felka utca and start asking some questions. Im sure theres a very easy answer to this story. (Chapter 5)Im trying to believe you, love, she answered, turning to look at me. Its just that its very difficult to understand. (Chapter 6)Well, thats good news, I replied. I thought I was going crazy or something! (Chapter 8)Return to ThemesThemesPerseverance in Looking for the AnswerHowever I didnt forget my strange meeting with myself. I started doing lots of reading about the life after death. [Chapter 7]Then suddenly a new idea came into my head: it was the date that was important I needed there to be on 18 January. [Chapter 9]The door opened. The man ran out of the door and knocked me over. [Chapter 10]Return to ThemesThemesPerseverance in Looking for the AnswerIt was almost closing time when I reached 19 January 1945. By now I was tired, but then I saw something at the bottom of the Budapest page of the newspaper. [Chapter 11]It was such bad luck, so unfair, after all that war. A Russian bomb hit the building above the cellar shop in Gergely utca..so that poor young woman and the baby were killed.[Chapter 12]Return to ThemesThemesTolerance in a RelationshipAndrea and I still lived in the same flat; we slept in the same bed and ate the same food. We both took care of our beautiful little girl but we werent very close anymore. (Chapter 14)The things slowly started to change. We had a very good time when we took Kati for her second visit to England in August.. I was able to forget about my meetings with myself. (Chapter 14)

Return to ThemesMoral ValuesReturn to Main MenuMoral ValuesBe Supportive Towards Our Beloved One

We'll go round to number 7 Felka utca and start asking some questions. (Page 13)I hoped that I would sleep better knowing Andrea was coming with me on Sunday. (Page 28)Return to Moral ValuesMoral ValuesValue Our Family

We decided to go to England at Christmas. We wanted my parents and family to meet Kati, and this was a good chance. (Page 21)Everyone was very happy. It was only the third time that Andrea had visited my parents place, and only her second English Christmas. And this time we had a new baby in the family. (Page 24)We flew back on 29 December, returning to spend New Year with Andreas family in the snowy Hungarian countryside. (Page 24)

Return to Moral ValuesMoral ValuesBeing Resourceful is Important in Solving Problems

At two oclock in the afternoon on Monday 19 January, I was sitting in the reading room of the Budapest City Library with a lot of big books in front of me.

There is one person: old Mrs. Fischer on the fourth floor (Page 38)

Return to Moral Values (Page 33)Dark-symbolises the disturbing phase and the appearance of something threatening in John's life. The word is mentioned a few times in the novel-"lt was dark, and my eyes took a few moments to get used to the darkness." (page 10)"l kept seeing myself in that dark snowy street. " (page 12)"l woke up feeling afraid and cold in the dark". (page 15)"But I lay in bed, looking at the four walls in the dark " (page 16)

Return to Literary DevicesForeshadowing

Dream - the recurring dreams symbolises a reminder that John should not disregard."Suddenly, I realized what had happened I had had that dream again." (page 31)"As if to make me remember what had happened on 18 January the last two years, I had a terrible dream. lt was really the same dream. [page 50]

Return to Literary DevicesEnd Note