Posted by andy bolger on April 07, 2002 at 22:08:34 from 213.1.140.248:
In Reply to: Casual Elitism posted by Jeremy Kriewaldt on April 07, 2002 at 00:24:03:
Who wrote the review? In the context of a comparison between AR and Ladybird books the statement is obvious nonsense. But is is, however, interesting what people pick up on. I know people who reject AR (their loss) put off by the middle class navy atmosphere whereas I still like him because of the remarkable lack of sexism, racism and jingoism in his works.
It is, however, true that AR, like most writers, wrote mostly about people like himself for people like himself. In other words, educated ( though didn't he skip the University bit?) upper middle class people. Also, I suspect he toned down his reflections on his own to make them fit what he though the market would bear. Like E.S. Nesbitt his own life was rather more colourful than those he portrayed.
As for whether it is better to stick to what you know than try to tell tales out of class, I'd guess that would depend on how well you do it. But getting it wrong could be horribly patronising. BTW if you want some unvarnished naive elitism have a look at "Escape to Persia" of the other Far Distant Oxus Books. Of course, the writers have the excuse of being rather young.
Can anybody suggest any good examples of "non elitist" children's literature for us?