# Arvid Falk — The Red Room character guide > Arvid Falk in The Red Room by August Strindberg. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Mr. Falk, Falk, young Falk, Mr. Arvid Falk, Mr. Arvid, Arvid **First appearance:** 0000-i-a-bird-s-eye-view-of-stockholm ## Snapshot An idealistic young writer who trades his illusions for a journalist's notebook and finds every Stockholm circle hungrier for compromise than he expected. ## Who they are Falk moves through drawing rooms, newsrooms, and the smoky back tables of the Red Room, taking the measure of a city that rewards flattery and punishes conviction. His charm and his pride pull against each other: he can trade platitudes with a hostess one moment and erupt into reckless satire the next, and the sight of a morose friend can sink him into gloom. He is the reader's eyes on the whole apparatus — family, church, press, parliament — and his slow education in how little any of it means is the book's engine. ## Relationships ### [Struve](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_room_se/characters/struve) _friendship_ Struve is a close friend and fellow bohemian who shares Arvid's literary ambitions and disillusionment with society. ### [Olle Montanus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_room_se/characters/olle_montanus) _friendship_ Olle Montanus is a philosophical friend and fellow artist who debates life and art with Arvid, often serving as a moral counterpoint. ### [Sellén](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_room_se/characters/sellen) _friendship_ Sellén is a painter friend and part of Arvid's bohemian circle, sharing artistic struggles and camaraderie. ### [Fritz Levin](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_room_se/characters/fritz_levin) _friendship_ Fritz Levin is a jovial and loyal friend to Arvid, often providing comic relief and companionship. ### [Lundell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_room_se/characters/lundell) _friendship_ Lundell is a fellow artist and friend in Arvid's bohemian circle, often collaborating and socializing. ### [Ygberg](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_room_se/characters/ygberg) _friendship_ Ygberg is a friend and fellow intellectual in Arvid's circle, sharing philosophical discussions and social outings. ### [Dr. Borg](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_room_se/characters/dr_borg) _friendship_ Dr. Borg is a friend and mentor figure to Arvid, offering medical advice and worldly wisdom. ### [Charles Nicholas Falk](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_room_se/characters/charles_nicholas_falk) _family_ Charles Nicholas Falk is Arvid's brother, with a strained relationship due to differing values and life choices. ### [Isaac Levi](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_room_se/characters/isaac_levi) _friendship_ Isaac Levi is a friend and fellow bohemian, often involved in Arvid's social and artistic life. ### [Master Joiner Eriksson](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_room_se/characters/master_joiner_eriksson) _professional_ Master Joiner Eriksson is Arvid's employer or landlord, representing the practical working-class world Arvid interacts with. ### [Rehnhjelm](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_room_se/characters/rehnhjelm) _friendship_ Rehnhjelm is a friend and fellow bohemian, part of Arvid's artistic circle. ### [Nyström](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_room_se/characters/nystrom) _friendship_ Nyström is a friend and fellow bohemian, often socializing with Arvid. ## In the story ### [A Bird's-Eye View of Stockholm](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_room_se/chapters/i-a-bird-s-eye-view-of-stockholm) Protagonist who quits his government job and declares his intention to become a writer; feels trapped and disillusioned. ### [Between Brothers](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_room_se/chapters/ii-between-brothers) Visits his brother to inquire about finances and announce his intention to change professions; feels guilty and overwhelmed by his brother's manipulation. ### [III: The Artists’ Colony](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_room_se/chapters/iii-the-artists-colony) Wanders through the city and countryside after his quarrel with his brother, eventually visiting the artists' colony at Lill-Jans. ### [At the Publisher's](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_room_se/chapters/v-at-the-publisher-s) Visits Smith to publish his poetry, is manipulated into accepting hack work, and ultimately rejects the offer out of pride. ### [VI: The Red Room](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_room_se/chapters/vi-the-red-room) Visits the artists' colony, feels faint and hungry, offers his gold watch and chain to be pawned for paint and food. ### [VII: The Imitation of Christ](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_room_se/chapters/vii-the-imitation-of-christ) Visits Skore's office, is manipulated into being advertised as editor of a religious magazine, and protests the arrangement. ### [Poor Mother Country](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_room_se/chapters/viii-poor-mother-country) Attends the Second Chamber as a reporter for the Red Cap, observes the proceedings, and spots his brother Nicholas and Olle Montanus in the gallery. ### [Bills of Exchange](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_room_se/chapters/ix-bills-of-exchange) Mentioned as the target of Charles Nicholas Falk's scheme to have Levin spy on him and pressure him to change his name. ### [X: The Newspaper Syndicate “Grey Bonnet”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_room_se/chapters/x-the-newspaper-syndicate-grey-bonnet) Mentioned indirectly as part of the journalistic milieu; the chapter focuses on the Grey Bonnet's operations. ### [XI: Happy People](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_room_se/chapters/xi-happy-people) Arrives with Lundell, grave but rejoicing for Sellén; learns his poems are being published by Smith, which fills him with deep thought. ### [Marine Insurance Society “Triton”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_room_se/chapters/xii-marine-insurance-society-triton) Sent to report on the Triton general meeting for the Red Cap; he observes the hypocrisy and makes a calculation revealing the society's precarious finances. ### [Divine Ordinance](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_room_se/chapters/xiii-divine-ordinance) Mentioned as Mrs. Falk's brother-in-law, a poet struggling in the world, discussed by Mrs. Homan and Mrs. Falk. ### [XVI: In the White Mountains](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_room_se/chapters/xvi-in-the-white-mountains) Sits alone in the garden on Moses Height, embittered and disillusioned after a summer of observing societal hypocrisy; loses self-respect despite no shameful actions. ### [XVIII: Nihilism](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_room_se/chapters/xviii-nihilism) Visited by Struve; agrees to lend his dress-coat and attend the funeral; later reads Montanus's letter and returns to his writing. ### [From Churchyard to Public-House](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_room_se/chapters/xix-from-churchyard-to-public-house) Falk walks through the city, observes children playing, and attends the funeral of Struve's baby. ### [Hard Times](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_room_se/chapters/xxii-hard-times) Visits Sellén's studio; pressured into signing an 800-crown promissory note and a counter-guarantee. ### [XXIV: On Sweden](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_room_se/chapters/xxiv-on-sweden) Attends his brother's celebratory dinner, feels alienated by the superficiality, later accompanies Olle to a lecture and reads a critical review of his poetry. ### [XXV: Checkmate](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_room_se/chapters/xxv-checkmate) Now a permanent staff member of the Workman's Flag, Falk appears disheveled and morally conflicted, participating in corrupt journalism while feeling trapped and loathing himself. ### [XXVI: Correspondence](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_room_se/chapters/xxvi-correspondence) Undergoing treatment by Borg; initially in a melancholy state, he gradually recovers and abandons his idealistic behaviors. ### [XXVII: Recovery](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_room_se/chapters/xxvii-recovery) Returns to society as a teacher and government clerk, struggling with his past savagery and finding a new routine. ### [XXVIII: From Beyond the Grave](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_room_se/chapters/xxviii-from-beyond-the-grave) Accompanies Sellén to the infirmary, identifies Olle's body, and helps decipher the water-damaged manuscript. ### [XXIX: Revue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_room_se/chapters/xxix-revue) Studying numismatics, engaged, and suspected of belonging to secret societies; appears calm but Borg distrusts his composure. ### [XXX: Epilogue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_room_se/chapters/xxx-epilogue) Now a respectable civil servant and member of Parliament, married and living in the old house. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_room_se/characters/arvid_falk - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_room_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_room_se/characters