Arthur Seaton is 22 years old, and enjoying a night out with Brenda, the wife of a colleague at work.

Challenged to a drinking contest, Arthur defeats "Loudmouth" before falling down the stairs drunk.

Arthur keeps his mind occupied during the mundane and repetitive work through a mental collage of imagined fantasies, and memories of the past.

During another night out at the pub, Arthur meets Doreen, a young unmarried girl with whom he begins a relatively innocent courtship — all the while keeping Brenda and Winnie a secret.

On 5 November 2019, BBC News included Saturday Night and Sunday Morning on its list of the 100 most influential novels.