Posted by Andrew Craig-Bennett on January 22, 2009 at 08:36:47 user ACB.
In Reply to: Re: AR influence - rebelliousness posted by Jock on January 22, 2009 at 02:07:22:
1) Not of Polish descent so cannot comment. Had Polish friends at school in the Sixties, but never got round to asking them.
ii) Is the GA just an Edwardian hangover, or is she a symbol of an authority that has become disconnected from those it seeks to 'look after'?
Both. No problem with that. Literature is not binary. See, for instance, the once very fashionable anti-imperialist readings of "The Tempest" for a similar case.
iii) Is Mr Farland allowing class prejudices to overrule logic and common sense? (I found BS deeply disturbing when I read it as a child and I am still deeply upset by the way nearly everyone turns
against the D&Gs.)
Yes, of course. No surprises there. Remember the D&G's were Ransome's favourite characters, and his own political leanings were somewhat to the left of Ghengis Khan (or Stanley Baldwin, come to that!)
iv) Given that Commander Walker is in the RN, and John intends to follow in his footsteps, why are there no references to Britain's glorious naval history?
There are some - for instance, the mysterious "well known book" in SA (which I am still hunting for, using your tip - we can also rule out Captain Marryat...a hand with the search very welcome...)
v) Why does John run Swallow as a Merchant ship, rather than a Naval vessel?
I answered separately but I believe the reason for "signing articles" is to be found in EF Knight's "Small Boat Sailing".