Posted by Ed Kiser on June 15, 2004 at 00:41:42 from 152.163.252.98 user Kisered.
In a recent thread, the degree of politeness among our beloved
characters has been discussed, including their sincere desire to
be obedient to the rules of their parents. This desire enhanced
their dismay in WD as they drifted out to sea past Beach End
Buoy, protesting, "But we PROMISED!"
Just how polite and proper in their speech were they? Did they
used certain words or expressions that would be considered
obscene or vulgar? Of course, their use of such words would be a
violation of the author's intent, that of producing a story that
would be acceptable to children, so perhaps he rode herd on their
choice of words.
There were, occasionally allowed by the author, a few occurrences
of a certain amount of swearing.
In SA CH20, we overhear the burglars in the dark as they stop at
Cormorant Island to deposit their loot.
"...you blamed fool. You've blooming well smashed the blighted
boat."
Not exactly all that obscene perhaps, but not exactly the
language to be used before the local Vicar. As they continued to
struggle with the heavy box, Titty hears:
"Blast it. Why didn't you bring a chisel..."
Again, not all that reprehensible, but it does go as being a
suggestion of rough language. Without the author's being
explicit, he merely adds that the burglars said: "some curses"
and let it go at that.
Later on, in SA CH23, when Titty was recounting her adventure in
the dead of night, she reported:
"Real pirates?"
"Of course, real ones. They swore like anything."
Again, the explicit choice of swear words is left to the
imagination as being unnecessary to have them spelled out.
Then there is that little four letter gem that in some quarters
seems so common and natural, and it others totally shocking (or
at least, I'd like to think such places still exist) where our
children's author makes used of the expletive, "DAMN", but not
from the mouths of any of our child characters. This becomes the
private domain of the adults in the stories.
There are five instances when this word comes into usage.
In BS CH32, Mr. Farland, during that final hearing with the
accused and their two accusers, George Owdon and Ralph Strakey,
made this pronouncement:
"...I shall expect you to write an exact confession of all
that you have done in this damnable, yes, damnable plot to bring
discredit on the innocent."
This is hardly considered to be swearing, merely an accurate
description that is technically correct.
In GN CH15, they suddenly see that the egg collector's boat has
appeared at the mouth of the bay where they were hopefully
hiding.
He heard Captain Flint say "Damn!" under his breath.
This expletive was to express their dismay at having been
discovered. The author gave to the adult character to
assignment to utter that expression.
In ML CH4, with Captain Flint locked up somewhere below decks out
of sight, they manage to communicate with him using TAPPING and
MORSE code. In that "conversation" that followed, Captain Flint
actually tapped out the expression, then, admitting privately
that such was perhaps not all that acceptable, changed and tapped
out a replacement, but much softer expression, as he tapped:
"Damn!" tapped Captain Flint, paused a moment and tapped again...
"Bother!"
In ML CH26, they were making their escape when they heard an
unexpected bang of a door below decks, and suspected the monkey
of doing some of his exploring.
"Damn that monkey!" said Captain Flint.
Again, the expletive became the job of the adult, not any of the
younger set.
In SW CH1, another adult felt the need to express this expletive.
Daddy ... saw the O.H.M.S. on one of them [letters from the
Postman], tore it open, and said one "Damn" as if he really meant
it.
The Swallows' father had just received his orders to report for
duty, thus making him unable to partake in the family outing that
had been planned. This of course, opened they way for them to do
the outing on their own, without parental presence.
It is interesting to note that this word is decidedly absent from
the PETER DUCK story, although there are some salty unsavory
characters that would not have any problem with such language.
Even Peter Duck, an old sailor, could be considered to be "in
character" if he had let slip here and there an expletive or two.
Perhaps the absence of such merely supports the concept that this
story was "written" by the children themselves on a wherry one
Winter, that it was just something they made up, and thus did not
use language that was beyond their own vocabulary.
But when it comes to swearing, perhaps we can take some delight
in how Nancy manages to let loose a choice phrase or so, with her
delightful "Jibbooms and Bobstays" serving so well to cover that
requirement. A related expression, "shiver my timbers," however
could hardly be attributed to her personal imagination as such an
expression was something that she had remembered from reading the
story, "Treasure Island," so it was not original with her, but
nonetheless, quite appropriately used by her to convey her
feelings. Even in the famous pumpkin face at the window
episode, with her semaphoring madly to the others down in the
yard, she sent the strange word, "SMT", which puzzled them at
first, until Titty provided the translation as being "shiver my
timbers" much to the chagrin of the others that had not
understood.
But to be consistent with the concept of writing children's
stories, just how much more in the swearing direction could an
author go. This seems to be enough to do the job without giving
undue offense, yet convey the flavor of the emotion of the
moment.
This is all just one more step towards the appreciation and
understanding of "All Things Ransome."
Ed Kiser, South Florida