# Fever and Rest explained — New Grub Street > Chapter companion for New Grub Street by George Gissing. ## What happens Harold Biffen's novel 'Mr. Bailey, Grocer' is published but receives poor reviews, with critics condemning its lack of storytelling and amusement. Despite Amy Reardon's kind letter of appreciation, Biffen's unrequited love for her deepens his despair. He becomes increasingly isolated and obsessed with death, ultimately deciding to end his life. After obtaining poison from multiple chemists, he writes a farewell letter to his brother and goes to a secluded spot on Putney Heath, where he takes the poison under the moonlight. ## Themes in this chapter ### Artistic Integrity vs. Commercialism Biffen's novel is rejected by critics for its lack of storytelling and amusement, highlighting the tension between realistic art and commercial expectations. ### Poverty and Class Biffen's poverty and classlessness isolate him; he cannot afford to marry or find companionship, leading to his despair and suicide. ### Ambition and Failure Biffen's literary ambition ends in critical and commercial failure, and his personal ambition for love is thwarted, culminating in his decision to end his life. ## Character check-ins ### Harold Biffen His novel is published to poor reviews; he is consumed by unrequited love for Amy Reardon and decides to commit suicide by poison on Putney Heath. ### Amy Reardon Writes a kind, appreciative letter to Biffen about his novel, which inadvertently deepens his emotional torment. ### Whelpdale Meets Biffen on the street and excitedly tells him about proposing to Dora Milvain; Biffen abruptly leaves him. ### Dora Milvain Whelpdale mentions he has proposed to her and received an encouraging answer. ### Jasper Milvain Mentioned as having made efforts to help Biffen's book, but without success. ## Key lines > The first duty of a novelist is to tell a story: the perpetual repetition of this phrase is a warning to all men who propose drawing from the life. Critics repeatedly insist that a novelist must prioritize storytelling, which serves as a caution to those who aim to depict life realistically. _Reflects the critical reception of Biffen's realistic novel and the prevailing literary standards._ > One must go far in suffering before the innate will-to-live is thus truly overcome; weariness of bodily anguish may induce this perversion of the instincts; less often, that despair of suppressed emotion which had fallen upon Harold. It takes extreme suffering to overcome the natural will to live; physical pain can cause this, but more rarely, the despair of repressed emotions, as Harold experienced, can also lead to it. _Describes Biffen's psychological state leading to his suicidal resolve._ > Only he who belonged to no class, who was rejected alike by his fellows in privation and by his equals in intellect, must die without having known the touch of a loving woman’s hand. A man without a social class, rejected by both the poor and the intellectual, is doomed to die without experiencing a woman's love. _Highlights Biffen's sense of alienation and the class-based barriers to love._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/new_grub_street_se/chapters/xxxv-fever-and-rest - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/new_grub_street_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/new_grub_street_se/chapters