Re: P&M and SW


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Posted by Pam Adams on August 18, 2009 at 23:57:09 user PamAdams.

In Reply to: P&M and SW posted by Alex Forbes on August 14, 2009 at 18:06:03:

Sigh. I wrote a long response yesterday, but it didn't save. Grrr. Let's try again.

I like your ideas. My feeling is that Mrs. Blackett (and Cook) are trying to urge Nancy to a more 'normally' grown-up life. She's in charge of the house, gets to select the meals, and act as hostess. (This reminds me somehow of Rebecca, where Mrs. Danvers keeps pushing 'proper' tasks on the new Mrs. DeWinter) She isn't really interested, except as far as it's entertaining. While getting ready for the D's, she tells Cook to decide on the meals. When the D's arrive, she acts hostess-like, but as Dorothea says, 'No one can keep that up for long.' She probably would have accepted the GA's dethroning her if it wasn't for the fact that it also would cause problems for Mrs. Blackett and the D's.

We've seen Nancy acting unselfishly before. In Swallowdale, she comes up with several plans for the Swallows, plans that allow for them to have fun, but usually rebound on her head. The choice of Casabianca as a poem is no accident, in my opinion. She does the same in WH- planning expeditions that she may never get to participate in. Again, her plans cause some problems, when the D's follow her original instructions, only to find themselves lost in the storm. They persevere however, and Nancy's rescue of them turns into a celebration.

PM is where Nancy really takes up responsibility successfully. She allows the GA to reign supreme, while still managing to make sure that the D's enjoy themselves, and her mother is protected from censure. This is much more grown-up than the ability to tell Cook that her dinner plans are approved, and I admire Nancy greatly for it. AR allows Nancy her moment of triumph in PM, with the D's undiscovered through the end, and the GA writing letters of commendation.

(As an afterthought, maybe this is why I don't care particularly for Secret Water- Nancy seems to be sabotaging the Swallow's expedition, something which as I look back, I realize is out of character for her)


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