A Fan's Notes By Frederick Exley: Summary

A Fan’s Notes, by Frederick Exley, begins at a bar called The Parrot. A bar where Frederick Exley, the main character, frequents in his hometown of Watertown, New York. There, he recounts his weekly life as a teacher at Glacial Falls – the crooked set-up of a school system he belonged to at that moment - and his drunken weekends watching football in his hometown bar. Exley then writes of an incident - what, at the time, he believed to be a heart attack. He is rushed to the hospital, where he meets Dr. D. The doctor seems to set off a domino line of stories that make up this novel by issuing a statement about Exley’s father: “He was a good fellow – a hell of a good fellow. And tough too!” These words are what set Exley’s memories into motion and it all began with Steve Owen, the New York Giants’ Coach, and the impromptu “meeting” between Owen, Earl Exley (Frederick Exley’s father), and a young Frederick Exley. The disappointing encounter that progressed had proved to Exley that his father was susceptible to regular human emotions rather than only the strong, brave front that young Exley had known him to have all these years. As Exley grew older, his father’s facade …show more content…
Studs, Oscar, and Mr. Blue were all men Exley had met during his stay with the Counselor. Studs and Oscar gave Exley miniscule chuckles and adventures compared to the grand chortles and exploits Mr. Blue shared with him. However, those adventures ended and, years after, Mr. Blue died. Exley cuts to the next chapter and begins with a description of his wife, Patience, and their life together at that moment. Through her, he comes to know Prudence and her husband Bumpy, the latter with whom he seemed to have had actual fun. He ends the novel by “putting an end to” everyone’s story by letting us know what becomes of certain characters and what he finally realizes about