Mayflies

Question 1

What classic novel is referenced in Andrew O’Hagan’s ‘Mayflies’?

Answer 1

Saturday Night and Sunday Morning by Alan Sillitoe

This novel explores postwar working-class life and was adapted into a film in 1960 starring Albert Finney.

Question 2

Who is the wisecracking ringleader of the group in ‘Mayflies’?

Answer 2

Tully Dawson

Tully is a machinist who embodies the spirit of the angry young men of the 1980s.

Question 3

In what year does the story of ‘Mayflies’ primarily take place?

Answer 3

1986

Question 4

What festival do Tully and his friends attend in Manchester?

Answer 4

The festival of the Tenth Summer

Question 5

List three bands mentioned in the lineup of the festival.

Answer 5

• The Fall
• New Order
• The Smiths

Question 6

What does Tully impersonate from the character Arthur Seaton?

Answer 6

Taunting his boss and drinking pints

Question 7

Who is Jimmy in ‘Mayflies’?

Answer 7

Tully’s wingman and a bookish narrator

Question 8

Describe the boys’ appearance as they set off for Manchester.

Answer 8

Sleek with soaped quiffs, jeans with turn-ups, and accessories like bangles

Tully is noted for wearing ‘more bangles than a Maasai bride’.

Question 9

What is the significance of the character Dr. Clogs?

Answer 9

He is a tech nerd and an early adopter of the Apple II computer

Question 10

Fill in the blank: The boys visit Piccadilly Records, which they describe as the headquarters of _______.

Answer 10

high taste

Question 11

What humorous question do the boys ponder about Karl Marx?

Answer 11

What instrument he would play if in a band

Question 12

What is the primary theme explored in ‘Mayflies’?

Answer 12

Male friendship and male fragility

Question 13

What major shift occurs in the second half of ‘Mayflies’?

Answer 13

The narrative jumps to 2017, where the boys are now middle-aged men

Question 14

Who does Jimmy become in the second half of the novel?

Answer 14

James, a respected writer

Question 15

What news does Tully share with Jimmy in 2017?

Answer 15

He has bad news and a particular favor to ask

Question 16

True or False: ‘Mayflies’ takes a serious turn and loses its humor in the face of mortality.

Answer 16

False

Question 17

What does Tully do in Sicily that reflects his character?

Answer 17

Leaves a votive offering of opium and sings Joy Division at an altar

Question 18

What does Tibbs say about their conversations in middle age?

Answer 18

They end up talking pish despite life being full of serious matters

Question 19

What does O’Hagan imply about the nature of being human?

Answer 19

It is an unstable condition that ends badly for all

Question 20

How does O’Hagan approach the themes of youth and middle age in ‘Mayflies’?

Answer 20

With sympathy and without condescension