A disturbing yet evocative portrait of inspired creativity and its cost. Jocelin, Dean of the Cathedral, is inspired and obsessed by his visionary aim of building the spire. The vision, he is convinced, comes from God, and he is God's instrument. However, in the process of fulfilling his aim, others are used as instruments too, with tragic consequences. The spire points at heaven but - of necessity -- has its roots in frailty and corruption. At the end of the novel, the spire stands, but the cost is great, a mixture as complex and ambiguous as humanity itself.
William Golding Limited has established a collaboration with the Centre for South West Writing based at the Streatham and Tremough campuses of the University of Exeter featuring original writing by graduate students. Read 'The Spire: A Construction of Desire' (PDF, 50 Kb) by Jane Costin, PhD student, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus