Re: Fussing grannies - Susan


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Posted by deb on April 25, 2006 at 23:41:12 from 203.79.92.154 user deb.

In Reply to: Re: Fussing grannies - Susan posted by Peter H on April 24, 2006 at 14:50:51:

The John and Susan issue can be looked at from another angle. In order to work, the stories need to be at least semi–plausible as narratives of events happening to ‘real’ children. To ensure good pace in the books, these events need to be exciting and Ransome obviously decided the stories needed to be based on the children with adults playing secondary roles.

Therefore, if 4 children aged between 7 and John’s initial age (12?) are to be allowed to go off on their own for a week or more, in a boat, to an island, there needs to be ‘adult–like’ characters in place to encourage plausibility. John and Susan fill this role perfectly.

This in turn allows Titty and Roger (and later the Ds) to fill very different roles. Plausibility requires a certain amount of obedience to ‘authority’ (Aye aye, Sir!) but there is plenty of room for minor mutiny and character development — and Ransome builds on this throughout the series. His character development of John and Susan however, takes a little longer to get under way. In S&A they are often little more than ‘mini–adults’, although John has his moments, but once the initial roles are established he comes through like the master storyteller he is — and I agree that WDMTGTS is a John/Susan masterpiece.

The Nancy/Peggy duo have less need to conform to this plausibility set up. In S&A they are not free from adult constraints like the Swallows and therefore have no need of a ‘responsible adult–like’ figure. By the time they join the camp, it is quite clear that Commodore John and Susan will fill this role for the Amazons as well.

I have always felt that the Amazons had less freedom than the Swallows. They are almost always stuck at Beckfoot under adult supervision for one reason or another — S&A, SD, WH, PP, P&M. Previous to meeting the Swallows, it seems to me that their camping and sailing was mostly under the supervision of their Uncle Jim.


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