Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin Book Analysis Essay Example

James Baldwin’s Giovanni’s Room follows the romance of two young gay men in Paris during the 1950s. The couple has different nationalities; David, an American, and Giovanni, an Italian. Their respective nationalities underscore the contrast between the two and drive them further apart, ultimately ending in their separation. Baldwin emphasizes these cultural differences and uses them for dramatic effect to highlight their different levels of comfort within social situations and acceptance of their sexuality. Nationality plays an important role throughout the novel as David and Giovanni portray stereotypes of their countries, which dramatizes their differences and highlights their incompatibility. 

Nationality influences David and Giovanni’s relationship from their very first encounter. When they meet, Giovanni and David banter about American and Italian perceptions of time and agency. David says to Giovanni: “Italians are too fluid, too volatile, have no sense of measure” (36). Giovanni’s fluidity and comfort with himself are a key part of his identity and emphasize and contrast with David’s insecurity and discomfort with himself. David is the opposite of “fluid” or “volatile,” often acting very tense and calculated–typical American traits. After they first meet, David is “afraid” and feels that people “had witnessed a beginning and now they would not cease to watch until they saw the end” (38). David is hyper-aware of his surroundings and how he is perceived by others, especially in terms of his masculinity and sexuality. He has just met Giovanni, yet he is already thinking about their “end.” Being so future-oriented is another American trait that affects their relationship from the moment they meet. David is guarded and analytical while Giovanni is fluid and relaxed. Their opposing personalities cannot ultimately coexist and heavily tax their relationship. This initial conversation between the two foreshadows their doomed relationship. 

David and Giovanni’s differing comfort levels are apparent throughout the novel. Giovanni’s comfort and experience is evident when he insists they go to a different restaurant than Jacque’s suggestion. Giovanni declares:  “That place is very bad and very expensive, it is only for tourists. We are not tourists” (48). This quote shows how even though Giovanni is not from Paris, he has established himself in Parisian society. Giovanni’s Italian confidence shines through at this moment. The use of the word “we” includes the others (Jacques, Guillaume, and David) and creates a sense that they too are above going to such tourist attractions. This deprecation of tourists bonds the group together and shows how Giovanni’s comfort can even be contagious. 

Giovanni’s Italian traits are noticeable again when in a taxi on the way to breakfast, David observes, “Giovanni and the driver, who had, it appeared, immediately upon entering Les Halles, been transformed into brothers, exchanging speculations, unflattering in the extreme, concerning the hygiene, language, private parts, and habits, of the citizens of Paris” (48). Even though they have just met the driver, Giovanni immediately connects with him, and to such an extent that they appear as “brothers.” His outgoing nature is a classic Italian trait. Also, the lewd topics of conversation suggest an ease with one another and a casual environment. Giovanni’s charisma is capable of transforming the atmosphere around him. 

While Giovanni feels comfortable and is outgoing in social situations, David is the opposite. As Giovanni socializes with the driver, David feels that “Nothing reminded [him] of home, though Giovanni recognized, revelled in it all” (48). David and Giovanni’s disparate levels of comfort are a significant stressor to their relationship. David often struggles internally when he is with Giovanni and has mixed feelings of “joy” and “anguish” and “amazement” and “fear” (75). David recognizes Giovanni’s comfort which increases tension in their relationship because David feels pressure to act similarly. However, David is only able to affirm stereotypical American behavior and behaves flighty and capricious in his relationship with Giovanni. He imagines Guillaume talking about him to Giovanni: “The Americans always fly. They are not serious” (154). David recognizes that he can be insincere but attributes it to his nationality. He attempts to use nationality as an excuse for his mistreatment of Giovanni. 

Nationality is the ultimate point of conflict in David and Giovanni’s relationship. Later in the story, they talk about their relationship and consider Hella’s impending return. After Giovanni says, “We have not committed any crime,” (81) David replies, “People have very dirty words for–for this situation. Besides, it is a crime–in my country and, after all, I didn’t grow up here, I grew up there” (81). Even though David has been living with Giovanni for some time, and even occasionally realizes how happy he is, he is still at war with himself and cannot accept his sexuality. Giovanni tries to make David feel more comfortable by using the word “we,” uniting them against outside judgment. However, David cannot allow himself to have what he really wants. David uses their different nationalities and backgrounds to put up a wall between them. He uses extra emphasis when he tells Giovanni that being gay “is” a crime, at least in his country, and that he did not grow up “here,” but “there.” This scene is important because David and Giovanni are verbalizing their opinions on being gay and it turns out that they have opposite feelings on the matter. David bases his argument that he was raised with different morals. However, it is just that–he was raised under certain beliefs. But as an adult, he has agency over himself and can change his beliefs, he just does not want to. David could attempt to grow and compromise with Giovanni but instead, he uses differences in culture and their upbringings to widen the rift between them. This conversation makes it clear that the relationship is irreconcilable and that it is only a matter of time before it ends. 

At the end of the book, when David and Hella are talking about Giovanni, it becomes clear that David could never overcome the cultural divide and his discomfort, the two going hand in hand. He says, “These people have another style from us. They’re much more demonstrative. I can’t help it. I just can’t–do all that” (134). This ultimate realization from David answers an important question of whether he can allow himself to pursue his true desires and live authentically. Even though Giovanni’s comforting, friendly spirit is contagious, it is not enough to get David out of his self-loathing shell. The use of the words “these people” shows David’s desire to distinguish himself from Giovanni (and his culture). Similarly, using the words “us” and “they[‘re]” perpetuates this notion of “us” versus “them.” Also, David describes how “demonstrative” they are which emphasizes how reserved he himself is. David “can’t help it” and though he wants to be with Giovanni,  he struggles internally and fails to allow himself to pursue what he really desires. 

David and Giovanni’s relationship falls apart due to fundamental differences. Baldwin uses nationality to emphasize these differences in David and Giovanni’s approach to society and sexuality. Although Giovanni’s outgoing, assuring personality affects the atmosphere around him, it is not enough to save David from himself. Baldwin’s novel is a warning to readers to not let society dictate their life and to follow their true desires.