An Introduction to Angry Young Men

When I say that I’m going to introduce you to Angry Young Men, I’m not making a cute reference to the similarly titled Billy Joel hit. I’m talking about a specific genre of literature popular in Britain in the late 1950s and early 1960s. These novels, short stories, plays, and other works focused on British manhood in the wake of World War II, speaking to the generation who lived through and in the wake of the war. So popular was this genre, that many works were translated onto the screen in equally beloved films featuring some of Britain’s most revered actors during the British New Wave era.

When I was in college, I wrote an incredibly long, convoluted analysis of these works (as well as rock ’n’ roll, masculinity, and other smart-sounding things) in a rather grandiose thesis that spanned 70 pages; 20 of those pages were dedicated solely to Angry Young Man literature. I won’t bore you with that. Rather I’ll offer you, dear REBEAT readers, an introduction to my four favorite works in the genre and hope that my passion might pass on to someone.

What is the genre?

Before I dive into the individual works, let me explain what ties these works together. Chiefly, all these works feature working-class characters, or at least focus heavily on class politics. The stories all take place in the postwar-established Welfare State and make several references to the war. Perhaps most importantly, all of the protagonists  are, as the genre suggests, male and holding a grudge, whether it be against authority, society as a whole, or the unfulfilled promises of a better world after the war. Angry Young Men can also be categorized as a subgenre of social-realism or kitchen-sink realism which deal with intimate marriage or family dynamics and of class warfare.

1) Look Back in Anger by John Osborne (1956)

The lead character of this play, Jimmy Porter, isn’t so much a protagonist as an anti-hero. Married to Alison, the middle-class daughter of a Colonel, Jimmy takes out all of his frustrations on his wife, tearing their relationship apart. Jimmy is a bitter personality, resentful of his wife’s upbringing and his continued station in the working class despite evidence that he is woefully underemployed and overeducated. The play focuses on the strained relationships between Jimmy, Alison, Cliff (a lodger), and Alison’s friend Helena. This is a good work to begin with in the genre, as this play is often credited with sparking the Angry Young Man trend. For movie buffs, the most noted film adaptation is from 1959, starring Richard Burton, Claire Bloom, and Mary Ure.

2) Room at the Top by John Braine (1957)

Joe Lampton is a former POW, returning to a life of normalcy and rising through the class ranks after the war. This Braine novel is about ambition and the price you pay for wanting to reach the top. Along with his high-class ambitions, our protagonist is also determined not to become what he deems as “zombies,” which are lifeless, characterless people. Joe Lampton finds himself tangled in two relationships, one full of passion and affection, another that would lead him to his dream of a “thousand pound salary” career; the choice he makes will lead to his own emotional demise. The 1959 film stars Laurence Harvey, Simone Signoret, and Heather Sears.

3) Saturday Night and Sunday Morning by Alan Sillitoe (1958)

Arthur Seaton is a haughty working-class factory employee making a decent living and enjoying the frivolous liberties of the single life. He is involved in two affairs with married sisters while also scouting out a more naive, young girl. The consequences Arthur Seaton face aren’t so much class-related as realizing that the somewhat increased affluence he has the postwar world and the fun he has because of it doesn’t excuse him from dealing with the responsibilities of adulthood. The novel is divided in two: Saturday Night describes the drunken escapades, affairs, and fantasies while Sunday Morning brings a dose of reality and the need to work towards stability. The 1960 film stars Albert Finney and Shirley Anne Field.

4) Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner by Alan Sillitoe (1959)

Unlike the other protagonists who are often 20-somethings, the main character of this short story is Smith, a 17-year-old juvenile delinquent who is currently a ward of the Ruxton Towers borstal. Placed in the prison-school for his involvement in a robbery, Smith begins running as a metaphorical escape from his current situation. When the powers-that-be notice his skills, he becomes their star child and in exchange for participating in a cross-country race as a PR stunt for the borstal, he is given lighter work. The story consists of a number of flashbacks while he is out on his runs, reflecting on how he arrived at Ruxton Towers and his resentment towards the middle-class authorities that keep him there. Smith’s autonomy is his only solace and he must decide if he should play by the rules to get out of Ruxton or stand by his principles. The 1962 film stars Michael Redgrave and Tom Courtenay.

Sadly, the genre is so expansive that I simply cannot analyze all of them, but I highly recommend exploring these works. Other pieces in the genre, including This Sporting Life, Hurry on Down, and Lucky Jim. Likewise, there are many more adaptations of these works on film and television.

Do you have a favorite Angry Young Man novel or film? Share yours in the comments!

Jen Cunningham

Jen Cunningham is an editor in the puzzle-publishing industry, an amateur artist, and Anglophile hailing from New York. She was raised on good ol' British rock and the smell of vinyl records. When she's not working, she enjoys going to concerts, playing tabletop games, and making unfortunate puns.