Posted by Art Mulder on June 29, 1998 at 22:51:53:
In Reply to: Re: after Great Northern posted by Phil Winterbourne on June 29, 1998 at 13:52:56:
Personally, I've never been that interested in the various speculations
about possible "pairings" between the characters. But then, as an
adult I've lost all contact with my childhood playmates -- and certainly
didn't marry one.
I'm right now about midway through a reread of "Secret Walker" and
was struck by the thought that perhaps Mary Walker (the Swallows
Mother) was actually the sort of person that Nancy would grow up
to be like; an older, wiser, and yes very much more settled Nancy.
Mrs Walker is certainly a capable sailor. Also, if I recall correctly
she has regaled the children with tales of her own childhood adventures.
(eg: when she was "man Friday" to Titty in the first book). Finally,
and perhaps most telling, she is willing to let her children go off
on their own and have their own adventures.
But then maybe this isn't such a stretch, since as I was just reading
elsewhere on the TARS website: "Much of Taqui Altounyan's personality
shows up in the character of Nancy." and also that the character of
Mrs Walker is "A blend of Mrs Altounyan [Taqui's mother] and Arthur
Ransome's Australian Grandmother."