Posted by Peter Ceresole on December 30, 2006 at 11:43:51 from 80.177.22.49 user PeterC.
In Reply to: Grammar posted by Fiona on December 30, 2006 at 09:38:23:
'Group' as a word is surely a collective noun, as is 'people'
Oh Golly, you do bring back memories... In 1998-9 I worked on a series called 'People's Century'. When we had to decide on a title, most thought it ought to be 'Peoples' Century'. I'm glad to say that I was one of the happy band who held out for the correct version- which was used.
As for AR and class; his ability to empathise with the emerging Soviet rulers of Russia speaks, among other things, for his dislike of 'class' values. All his characters, from whatever class, are treated sympathetically- with the possible exception of the Hullabaloos, who are a broadly drawn caricature which children find delightful. Well I know I did... The only truly nasty person he depicts is George Owdon, but he is a classic character from English children's fiction, who keeps the story moving. It's a sound practice. Look at J K Rowling's liberal plundering of the canon of children's school adventure stories, to brilliant and lucrative effect- although I much preferred 'Stalky and Co' which is clearly one of her many antecedents.
My thoughts about the Hullabaloos are slightly tinged by the fact that Ransome makes such effective fun of their hideous taste in music ('We now switch over... The Hoodlum Band') and I spend a lot of time listening to 'The Kingdom of Swing' on www.live365.com, which plays wonderful stuff, some of which would certainly have been playing on the radio as the Margoletta sank into the Water...