"The Sense of an Ending" Julian Barnes

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(1) What is the meaning of phrase ‘Blood Money’ in Veronica’s reply email?
This phrase can be interpreted in various ways like Tony is self-centric narrator and he think Veronica’s mother sent 500 dollar because she damages him is silly thing.
Ans: For Sarah it means because of Tony she got handsome young boy who in love with her and that’s why she sent money to him which is blood money for Veronica. She may felt guilty of Adrian’s suicide and she wants to blame Tony or wants to regret for that and so she sent him. Veronica thinks that because of Tony Adrian would have relation with her mother. If Tony had not sent letter to Adrian or informed him that if you are not believe in me than ask her own mother who will inform you. And Adrian may go to ask her and since there their relation would have started and she became pregnant and that’s why intellectual Adrian had suicide. It means Tony played feelings of people and which lead to the destruction of some character’s life like Veronica, Sarah, baby, Adrian so it is blood money. 

2) How do you decipher the equation: b = s – v x/+ a1 or a2 + v + a1 X s = b?

It is the equation Tony found it in the diary page of Adrian. Earlier in the novel Adrian use it to demonstrate chain of responsibility.

I would decipher it as

1.      b = s – v x/+ a1  as B= Baby, S=Sarah, V=Veronica, and A1= Adrian

Thus for the Baby all three are responsible.

2.     a2 + v + a1 X s = b?

B= Baby, S=Sarah, V=Veronica, and A1= Adrian and A2=Anthony

They all are the units of a chain, a chain of responsibility which caused the birth of a baby. Adrian was able to meet Sarah only because he was boyfriend of Veronica, And it is Anthony/Tony who suggests Adrian to meet Sarah.

Thus not only Adrian and Sarah are responsible for the retarded child, but it is collective action of all these characters which resulted in the birth of a child.

3) Was the mentally retarded middle aged ‘Adrian’, Tony’s friend who did not commit suicide and was suffering from trauma and thus gone mad, and was living with hidden identity?

No it’s not true(according to the story- unreliable narrator), This mentally retarded person is the son of Adrian and Veronica’s mother Sarah Ford. The retarded Adrian is the result of late age pregnancy of Sarah. According to the

Story  Adrian the friend of Tony has committed suicide long before. We can say he his super sense of morality, and the guilt conscious of Adrian forced him to commit suicide.