Posted by Peter Hyland on April 10, 2007 at 20:10:53 from 86.130.131.241 user Peter_H.
In Reply to: 'does the moral framework shown in Ransome's work have any relevance today?' was Re: Relevance to AR. posted by LaurenceMonkhouse on April 10, 2007 at 18:05:10:
Like Laurence, I would hope that the general framework of trust and fair-dealing in AR’s stories still exists today, but I can't be absolutely sure. By chance, earlier today, I read this passage in CC:
George . . . had much more pocket money than any of the Coots but was known to make more still by taking the eggs of rare birds and selling them to a man in Norwich.
That passage still shocks me, but I wonder how many people today would think ‘Yeah - nice little earner!’ (Rather reminds me of the Iraq hostages selling their stories to the press – oops, off-topic but doesn't matter apparently on TarBoard . . .cough, cough, ahem . .). On the other hand, the interest in ‘green’ issues today might rule George Owdon’s egg racket as well out of order.
I think the main difference nowadays would be the constant obsession now with money. A while ago, it was suggested that Mrs Jackson would have added the cost of the toffee she made for the Swallows to Mrs Walker’s bill, whereas I just know that she would not have dreamt of doing that. Whether a Cumbrian farmer’s wife would charge now for supplying toffee to paying guests I don’t know, but from my general experience in the Lakes I suspect not. I reckon Ransome might be alive and well. Thank you, Laurence, for helping to ensure that he is alive and well on this Board too.