Posted by Peter H on August 24, 2007 at 12:19:20 from 86.130.126.147 user Peter_H.
In Reply to: Re: Is it all worth it? Yep, reckon it is (was 'Toff' ruled out (was Amazons Toffs? posted by Jock on August 24, 2007 at 11:22:31:
How could the social status of AR's creations by itself carry any message?
Well TarBoarders seem to have derived plenty of sociological 'messages' from AR's text recently! However, I can see Jock's logic, but surely in a sense all authors are sending 'messages', either deliberately or unconsciously, to their readers by the fact that they have carefully selected their characters and locations. Perhaps a better word would be 'impressions'. I personally feel that the impression AR is giving us, either because he wanted to or because that is what he observed around him so he reported it, is not so much the social class of the 'natives' (although that can be deduced), but the assymetrical and non-standard nature of their families (eg all the missing spouses). That is the one thing that struck me, even as a child reader. Please forgive me if I say no more now - having written a piece on it, I feel like rest from it!