Posted by Peter Ceresole on October 04, 2009 at 21:09:20 user PeterC.
In Reply to: Writing in the first person posted by Ross Cossar on October 03, 2009 at 14:43:37:
Twice so far in Swallows & Amazons I've found passages where Ransome reverted to writing as the narrator mentioning "I" as in "I will not tell you about...). Does this happen often or is it just in this book.
I think it came in SA because he hadn't completely found his style. Later examples (as quoted from GN by Tom, or from SD by Andrew) are put into an impersonal voice, or put into the mouths of the characters. I can't think of another example where AR directly addresses the reader.
I have to say that even when I was jolly young, reading SA when I was maybe eight years old, I remember that I found that direct address rather odd, and jarring. I didn't like it.