The Irvine Welsh Porno Novel is the sequel to Trainspotting. The book describes the characters of Trainspotting ten years after the events of the earlier book, as their paths cross again, this time with the pornography business as the backdrop rather than heroin use. However drugs and the issues related to them still remain a fundamental part of this novel. For instance we see the character Danny ‘Spud’ Murphy battle his heroin addiction, he feels he has accomplished little with his life through his drug use. His heroin addiction has also made his relationship with his wife strained; this leads him to contemplate suicide in order to leave his life insurance to his wife.

At the other end of the scale we have Mark Renton the main character of Trainspotting who in this novel has completely turned his life around. He’s managed to kick his heroin addiction whilst still remaining fairly reliant on cocaine. After leaving Glasgow for Amsterdam he became successful at running a nightclub his only relation back to the Glasgow scene is that of an illicit deal with ‘Sick Boy’ and his pornography dealings.

‘Sick Boy’ was unable to hold down a steady job in the ten years since Trainspotting (suggestive of the economic climate of Glasgow at the time and also the negative attitude towards work of the contemporary Glasgow youth) he traveled to London but later returned to Glasgow to take over his aunties pub. Rather than run it legally he attempts to turn the upstairs of the pub into a set for pornography, this business venture eventually ends up with ‘Sick Boy’ alienating his mates through trying to get all their girlfriends involved in his illicit films.

SELECTION >

Irvine Welsh, (2002) Porno. Published by Jonathan Cape.

Group E selected Nord as our practice for ArC6-2 for which we developed the theme of social inequality to explore choosing the Ceramic Ashtray, Urban Green Park as our precedent study.

It was felt that in the group it would be a good idea to read some the of Irvine Welsh novels and interpret his representation of Glasgow in relation to our theme. Thus why ‘Porno’ was chose.

ARGUMENT >

The main social divisions that take place in Porno are to do with sex, drugs and fraud. When narrated by a male character women are often seen as objects, used for male pleasures. However when narrated by the woman involved in the sexual acts, they see it as a position of empowerment.

Drug abuse is also a key focus in ‘Porno’. Drug abuse appears to be a rebellion against social norms, society. The characters who abuse drugs are often refered to as ‘Wasters’

Its widely believed that Renton the main character from Trainspotting and Porno is an alter ego referenced to his colourful life growing up in Leith. Some of the situations in the novel could be a direct reference to actual events.

RESPONSE >

I think reading this novel was appropriate for our case study. In some respects its fairly easy to relate the way the smoker of today is treated in comparison with the drug addicted illicit dealer mentioned in Irvine Welsh’s novel. Drug use may be very taboo in society but being a smoker is also being frowned upon today.