The publicelion of Biich in lismayed or infin iated those erities who had with Evelyn early comic novels.It seems that jaugh's apparent obsession with the upper class and fatholicism is horrible.repel- lent unpardenable. Howeyer.the sacred and profane meneries of caplain Byder are nol exclusivelv divided;rather.linny crilicize and counterbalan- ce each other.As a result.the imelies no wholehearted embrace of an ualue. The firet aim of this thesis is to explore the ambivalence of emotious th- nouah the ambiauous narrative--how time dislance does not offer the tone but tosters the nostalaic mood instead.The cmestion of Evelyn waugh's snobbery is the main issue in the second chadter.The last chapter cente- rs on the narrative which reveals that the profane proves to be the holv. The author hopes that this study can shed chariivino lish' an this often misread novel. #50010343.abs #50010343.abs