Posted by Prue Eckett on September 03, 2000 at 23:55:39 from 203-96-105-37.dialup.xtra.co.nz:
In Reply to: Re: More about Pauline Marshall, Broadcast and Memoirs... posted by Peter H on September 03, 2000 at 21:22:59:
I have found the above debate most interesting - especially the dogmatic inferences by both sides. As a writer, I can assure readers that no one person ever is responsible for a book character. Most writers begin with the picture of a character, as Ransome obviously did with Pauline Marshall and her sister for the Amazons, and then adds more character traits to suit as the book or books develop. Pauline knows what her father told her, that Ransome was going to use members of her family as rolemodels for the Amazons. Why would she make this up especially as the characters inspired by the Altounyan family are so well known. However, even members of the Altounyan family were quick to admit that only parts of their existence were used by Ransome, just as I'm sure Pauline recognises and is comfortable with. No-one ever was or will be a complete character in a book and it would be foolish to believe so.