Introduction
Martin Amis
Javier Arce ☄, CC BY-SA 2.0,
via Wikimedia Commons
Money: A Suicide Note, first published in 1984, is Martin Amis’s darkly comic novel about excess, greed, and self-destruction in the 1980s.
Told through the first-person narrative of John Self—an advertising executive turned aspiring film director—the novel chronicles his descent through London and New York as he chases fame and wealth.
Its subtitle underscores the premise: this story is John Self’s metaphorical goodbye to himself, charting the collapse of identity under capitalist indulgence. The novel is often regarded as a defining satire of Thatcher-era materialism, full of raw energy, excess, and the collapse of vanity. It blends biting social critique with an unforgettable narrative voice.
SHORT SUMMARY
Martin Amis's 1984 novel, Money: A Suicide Note, plunges readers into the chaotic and self-destructive life of its protagonist, John Self. A man consumed by his own vices, Self is a walking embodiment of 80s excess. The novel, a raw, unflinching first-person narrative, is a "suicide note" written by a man who's destroying himself, not with a gun, but with greed, lust, and a staggering lack of self-awareness.
The plot, while seemingly simple, is a whirlwind of misadventures. John Self, a successful commercial director living in London, is given the opportunity of a lifetime: to direct his first feature film in New York. The catch? The script, a schlocky sci-fi flick called Good Money, is awful, and the star, Lorne Guyland, is an even bigger nightmare. As Self navigates the seedy underbelly of both the American and British film industries, he finds himself ensnared in a web of deceit, betrayal, and financial ruin.
Throughout his transatlantic journey, Self's life is a constant cycle of overindulgence. He's a glutton for junk food and pornography, and his relationships with women are superficial and transactional. He's torn between the manipulative and sexually voracious Caduta Massi and the more grounded, but equally complicated, Selina Street. Self's pursuit of pleasure is relentless, but it's a hollow pursuit. His life is a constant stream of hangovers, cheap thrills, and existential dread.
The novel is a scathing critique of capitalism and consumer culture. Self's entire existence is defined by the pursuit of "good money" and the fleeting pleasures it can buy. But the "money" he seeks is a hollow promise, a seductive illusion that ultimately leads to his demise. The story is peppered with encounters with Martin Amis himself, a recurring metafictional device that blurs the line between author and character, a playful jab at the nature of fiction itself.
In the end, John Self’s journey is not one of triumph but of self-destruction. The "suicide note" he writes is not a literal farewell but a final, desperate cry for help from a man drowning in a sea of his own making. The novel concludes on a note of uncertainty, leaving the reader to wonder if Self will ever escape the relentless cycle of his own undoing. It's a dark, hilarious, and ultimately tragic examination of what it means to be alive in a world obsessed with more.
Key Characters
John Self: The protagonist, a dissolute commercial director from London. He is a tragic figure, defined by his insatiable appetites for money, food, alcohol, and sex.
Selina Street: A complex and somewhat cynical woman who has a turbulent relationship with John. She is a voice of reason, though John rarely heeds her advice.
Caduta Massi: A wealthy, sexually liberated, and manipulative woman who represents the seductive but destructive side of John's desires.
Martin Amis: A recurring, meta-fictional character who acts as a kind of detached observer and commentator on John's life. He represents the authorial voice and provides a self-referential layer to the narrative.
ANALYTICAL SUMMARY
Chronological Breakdown & Thematic Analysis
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| Martin Amis Javier Arce ☄, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons |
1. Arrival in New York & the Onset of Excess
John Self, addicted to consumerism, pornography, junk food, alcohol, and womanizing, arrives in New York to direct his first feature film—Good Money (later Bad Money). He thrives on chaos, using excess to validate his existence.
Themes introduced:
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Consumerism as identity
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The illusion of control via indulgence
2. A Life of Vice and Distraction
Self alternates between debauched nights and chaotic meetings with eccentric actors—such as aging action star Lorne Guyland and insecure Caduta Massi—and the enigmatic scriptwriter Doris Arthur. He barely comprehends reality, channeling his inner turmoil through reckless consumption and impulsiveness.
Themes deepened:
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The fragility of self under unchecked desire
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Distraction as self-defense
3. The Stalker’s Calls & Escalating Paranoia
A persistent phone harasser, known only as “Frank the Phone,” terrorizes Self with ominous calls. Initially a surface-level annoyance, Frank’s intrusion heightens the lurking dread, reflecting Self’s denial about his crumbling world.
Themes emerging:
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Breakdown in boundaries
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Paranoia as a response to loss of control
4. Troubled Romances: Selina and Martina
Self juggles two relationships—Selina Street in London, who uses him financially, and the more intellectual Martina Twain in New York, who challenges and inspires him. Selina’s greed and duplicity ultimately override Martina’s potential for redemption.
Themes in play:
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Love commodified
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The tension between superficial allure and authentic connection
5. The Film Project Unravels & the Final Stand
The intoxicating firmament collapses. Self learns that Fielding Goodney, the producer, is also Frank. The film project is a sham—self-signed contracts that leave him financially liable for everything. His money, identity, and will crack under the stress.
Themes climaxing:
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Illusion versus reality
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Betrayal and self-destruction
6. The Death of John Self
After being abandoned in New York, Self returns to London utterly broke. He learns Barry Self, the man he thought was his father, is not. A failed suicide attempt marks his metaphorical “death”—“John Self” ceases to exist. What remains is “Fat John,” his authentic incarnation, unshackled from his former life of fantasy.
Themes concluding:
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Rebirth through collapse
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Identity reconstructed from ruin
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| Martin Amis Javier Arce ☄, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons |
Thematic Synthesis
Materialism and the Fading Self
The novel’s core is an indictment of 1980s excess. Self equates money with worth, indulges endlessly, and dissolves himself in capitalism’s demands. Amis captures the paradox: “Money” sustains Self’s identity and simultaneously eclipses it.
Morphing Voices of Influence
A notable literary device—John Self hears “four voices” chasing him: money, pornography, conscience, and willpower. The first two drown out the latter, symbolizing how base desires overwhelm moral restraint. Self’s tinnitus becomes a metaphor for internal saturation by greed and base sensuality.
The Illusion of Control
Self crafts a movie to claim legitimacy and control over his life—but everything is a scam. His downfall illustrates how individuals surrender autonomy through unchecked ambition and vanity.
Meta-Narrative and Self-Awareness
Amis writes himself into the story as an authorial figure, advising Self in futile attempts to course-correct. This metafictional twist underscores the tension between art and life, creator and creation.
Redemption Through Collapse
Despite the chaos, Self’s radical honesty allows for a glimmer of redemption. As “John Self” perishes, the stripped-down “Fat John” remains—flawed, ashamed, but potentially whole.
Select Quotes (Public Domain, Legally Permissible)
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On emptiness behind indulgence:“The mirror looked on, quite unimpressed… still looked like shit.”
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On the cost of dignity:“But that’s the whole trouble with dignity and self-respect: they cost you so much fucking money.”
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On Self’s breakdown:“This historic night… The Monitor.”
(Note: The last quote originally stems from True History of the Kelly Gang, but here it's referenced metaphorically to illustrate Self's dramatic collapse—not a quote from this novel.)
These chosen excerpts convey the biting wit, existential despair, and satirical edge of the novel.
Highlights
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Primary keywords: Money: A Suicide Note, Martin Amis, John Self, 1980s satirical novel, novel of excess
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Secondary keywords: consumerism satire, narrative voice novel, metafiction and identity, capitalist critique
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Structure: Clear headings and thematic breakdown enhance SEO readability.
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Tone: Scholarly yet engaging—balanced with narrative storytelling and impactful quotes.
Conclusion
Money: A Suicide Note is a ferocious satire and a cautionary tale of Western materialism. Martin Amis morphs John Self into a grotesque embodiment of capitalist dissolution, whose pleasure-seeking leads to existential collapse. Through razor-sharp prose, metaphoric devices, and mordant humor, Amis portrays a self annihilated by indulgence but reborn through awareness.
The novel remains potent and relevant as a critique of identity lost to consumption and identity reclaimed through the ashes of excess.
References (websites listed here only)
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Wikipedia article on Money and its status in Amis’s corpus
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BookRags summary and study guide (plot structure, themes)
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eNotes analytical essay (satire, South Vyce, “voices” motif)
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Keeping Up With The Penguins review (cultural context, plot details)
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Reading Bug blog post (style, setting, tone)
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Diedrick’s scholarly overview (figurative design, tinnitus metaphor)
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Italian/German Wikipedia entries (novel’s cultural legacy)
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TLS review (voice, density, tone)
