Posted by Patrick Fox on September 01, 1998 at 19:32:06:
In Reply to: Re: Latitude and longitude posted by Robert Dilley on September 01, 1998 at 14:39:03:
Robert Dilley wrote:
"...this is part of the general downplaying of school learning that pervades much of the stories..."
My gut instinct was that this was grossly unfair - I've always thought of the Swallows and Amazons as being quite "bookish". However, once I started to think of examples I noticed that Robert does have a point. The general attitude is perhaps summed up quite nicely by Nancy - "...clouds have silver linings (this is a quotation), and even lesson books have last pages...".
However, I still think its being over harsh to claim there is a "general downplayng of school learning". To draw another example from Swallowdale, where else in children's literature do you find characters comparing the merits of classic poems -
'"And the red glare on Skiddaw roused the burghers of Carlisle." Probably in those days they didn't have blinds in bedroom windows.'
'We know that one too,' said Peggy. 'But not all of it. It's worse than "Casabianca".'
'I like it because of the beacons,' said Titty.
So I'm not really sure that its fair to say that there's any general "anti-school" sentiment in S&As. The different attitudes displayed to book learning seem simply to be used to develop the characters.
Cheers
Patrick