Posted by Jock on February 23, 2008 at 13:44:31 from 87.105.81.146 user Jock.
In Reply to: Re: This isn't about 'dinner' posted by Peter Ceresole on February 23, 2008 at 09:29:06:
what is the objective truth, the truth that exists independently of any of us? That can only be
judged by what is in Ransome's text.
Yes, I buy into this as well, and I like your follow up comment and analysis. I guess I've
got whizzy hubcapitis bad. But I would like to take issue with one comment in your post.
Yes, AR was a superb craftsman, yes, he crafted his stories to make a living, yes, he wrote
them so they would give delight. But he also shared a great deal of himself in his stories - his
interests, his values, his delight in many common things that would be of little significance
to others.
Most of this is fairly straightforward. If we but heed his words, AR will teach us to sail, to
respect people regardless of profession or social status and to enjoy the countryside. Yet
occasionally the master's pen slips. There is an anomaly. It could be a leftover from an earlier
scheme - like the inconsistency in dates between SA and the rest of the series. It could be
an inconsistency from necessity - AR was aware of the poor fit between normal summer holiday
dates and the great northern diver nesting season. It could be a straightforward mistake -
the Bawdsey masts seem to be in that category. And yet, I think there is also a fourth category
where AR's enthusiasm or the requirement of the plot made it useful to escape the confines
of strict realism. Sinbad's Creek, The Roaring Donkey pub and the pug William's musings
immediately come to mind.
One example has never been discussed on TarBoard. In the 1930's, enormous shoots were
organised on the Broads, with hundreds of coots, ducks and other birds were killed for sport.
The Pleasure Boat Inn on Hickland Broad used to display a picture (and for all I know still
does) of the Duke of Edinburgh and Prince Charles taking part in such a shoot in the 1950's.
While we may be shocked now, not all that long ago such things were regarded as normal.
In fact many locals would have welcomed the extra cash that employment as beaters would
bring. The Death and Glories engagement in the Bird Protection Society seems to be a
fairly big stretch from their daily lives as the sons of boatbuilders.