Re: Ransome and the Millennium


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Posted by Peter Gee on March 21, 1999 at 15:35:59:

In Reply to: Ransome and the Millennium posted by Andy Morley on March 11, 1999 at 18:50:51:

Dear Mr Morley,

Your article entitled "Ransome and the Millennium" has been a welcome breath of fresh air to what appears to have been a pretty stagnant debate. It is with some interest that I consider your thoughts as to whether Ransome’s work will continue to engender wider interest some two hundred days henceforth and beyond. My son has been engaged on a school project to consider the relevance of literary works like "Swallows and Amazons" to the juveniles of the new Millennium. The conclusions of his group make interesting reading and might be regarded as the verdict of the new youth on such matters.

The message is that Ransome has not only already missed the bus but that the appetite for tales of frolics in skiffs ended around the time of skiffle groups. We find ourselves in a visual age and works such as those of Rev. W.F Awdry will chug along relentlessly well into the new Millennium immortalised by the little blue engine and his chums. Others thought to have continuing popular appeal include Roald Dahl with his BFG and chocolate eating Charley and Raymond Briggs with his cartoon-styled Snowman and Fungus the Bogeyman.

Dear Mr Morley,

Your article entitled "Ransome and the Millennium" has been a welcome breath of fresh air to what appears to have been a pretty stagnant debate. It is with some interest that I consider your thoughts as to whether Ransome’s work will continue to engender wider interest some two hundred days henceforth and beyond. My son has been engaged on a school project to consider the relevance of literary works like "Swallows and Amazons" to the juveniles of the new Millennium. The conclusions of his group make interesting reading and might be regarded as the verdict of the new youth on such matters.

The message is that Ransome has not only already missed the bus but that the appetite for tales of frolics in skiffs ended around the time of skiffle groups. We find ourselves in a visual age and works such as those of Rev. W.F Awdry will chug along relentlessly well into the new Millennium immortalised by the little blue engine and his chums. Others thought to have continuing popular appeal include Roald Dahl with his BFG and chocolate eating Charley and Raymond Briggs with his cartoon-styled Snowman and Fungus the Bogeyman.

As with tales from the days of the Raj and other "lofty" works Ransome’s offerings have already dwindled into obscurity. This ponders the question as to why Kipling has made it aboard. It’s obvious really; a seat booked courtesy of Messrs. Disney and of course we mustn’t forget that Mr K. makes exceedingly good cakes.

So when the question is asked even today, never mind many years into the future, as to what impact Ransome has had on our lives the answer is most likely to be … "Oh Yes, Esther did a lot for the consumer". This is not quite the answer that an Arthur fan might have in mind but "That’s Life".



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