[GO] WSVS: The Impact of Illness and Injury on DFB's Plots]
When Sweet Violets Sicken: The Impact of other Other Character's Illness and Injury in DFB's Plots I'm afraid this paper became even shorter than intended, as I was suddenly asked to work more this week and lost time for research. So I might have forgotten a few more examples. So, please, add them if you like. DFB she doesn't use illness and accidents for character building like the Victorians and many other early 20th C writers, but more for the building of plots. There are few permanently delicate girls in her school stories: Nicola Carter in the Springdale books, and Althea Stoddart in Nancy at St. Bride's. There is also Alison Mellish in the historical 'Colmskirk' novel, The King's Curate. It's for her sake that her brother Patrick accepts the ministry in Kirkarlie. DFB doesn't describe illness very much from the point of view of the ailing person - but I might be wrong? DFB's preference for psychological problems is perhaps a little conspicious: Mrs Maitland in the Senior Prefect; Sylvia Drummond in Dimsie among the Prefects; Miss Caldwell in Nancy Returns to St. Bride's. We might add Lena Ewell in Dimsie Carries On and April in Wild Goose Quest. I won't mention the many instances even in DFB - common in many writers in all periods - when the death of parents or other relatives changes the situations of young characters, especially in the 'Colmskirk' novels. Or the men wounded in war or accidents (Peter Gilmour, Kenneth Orde, Miles Haydon) I will concentrate on a small aspect of illness important for many of DFB's books; how the absence of one character because of illness or an accident may influence the situation of other characters or the plot at large. There are two main types: A: One character stepping into the place of somebody somebody absent. Type A may have either a positive or a negative impact on the school as a community. B: The absence of one character leading to difficulties in clearing up a mistake. Major Examples: The Terra-Cotta Coat: Sylvia can't clear up her misunderstandings with Mona while the latter is ill with influenza. - Type B For Mona's Sake: The death of Mona gives Daphne a chance to gradually take over her place as Sylvia's chum. - Type A The Senior Prefect/Dimsie Goes to School: the Head girl Sylvia Drummond is absent because of a sprained knee and Daphne Maitland takes her place, until Sylvia returns as 'dea-ex-machina' at half term. In the same book, the former headmistress, Miss Darrell, must leave in order to look after an old relative, leaving her successor, Miss Yorke, to face initial difficulties. The disappearance of Dimsie's mother is also very importance for this book. - Type A Dimsie Moves Up: Sylvia - the accident prone - sprains her foot and Rosamund Garth to run for her in a cricket match; Primrose Garth's influenza gives Nita Tomlinson temporarily a greater influence over Primrose's chum Meg Flynn. ? Negative Type A This also postpones the final reconciliation between Primrose and Meg. - Type B Dimsie Among the Prefects: Sylvia's illness - 'neuralgia' from overwork - is important for the plot but a bit difficult to fit into my crude cathegories. Dimsie's absence from school after her accident postpones her full information of the events at school. - Type B That Boarding School Girl: The illness of Kathleen Hallam makes it difficult for Nancy?s friends to find the truth about the latter?s first term at St.Bride?s. - Type B Nancy Returns to St. Bride's: The 'Locum', Miss Warren takes over when Miss Caldwell has a break-down - 'brain-fewer' - Negative Type A. - This book was published in 1938, 6 years before Gay from China at the Chalet School! New House Captain: Sidney Carter visits her sick younger sister, Nicola, in spite of the town being out of out of bounds because of the epidemic. Diana Stewart is isolated by mistake and Peggy Willoughby must break this isolation to make up their differrences. Type B The Best House in the School: Sidney Carter gets her chance to make good as games captain when Alice Craven has hurt her knee. ? Type A Captain Anne: Nicola Carter is removed from school by her sister Sidney because of a weak heart, which gives Miss Marlowe a chance to make her own favourite Selina Duncan house games captain - with disastrous results - until the return of Nick. - Negative Type A As seen above, the wicked successors are only temporary: Nita, Miss Warren, Selina. Please add other examples if you like, either from DFB or other writers. Question: Is DFB less 'Victorian' than EBD in spite of being 9 years older? Eva Margareta Sorry if this message comes out a bit messy, as it was sent via webmail from a busy school libraryg - WebMail från Tele2 http://www.tele2.se - -- Girlsown mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] For
Re: [GO] Admin: the Augustan mean
No, its the last resort, Diane. For use very sparingly, and only when admin requests have been not taken seriously. On 12 Nov 2004 at 14:15, Diane Purkiss wrote: In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], girlsown- [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes So is this the equivalent of being gated? I think it's actually the equivalent of being censored :). I just hope we won't be prevented from talking about recipes and films and other faffle. -- Helen_A -- Girlsown mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] For self-administration and access to archives see http://home.it.net.au/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/girlsown For FAQs see http://www.club-web.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/girlsown/faq-0.htm
Re: [GO] Buffy
I never see any titles of the Buffy episodes, so I never know where I am when titles are mentioned. (Of course, the Swedish sub-titles may cover them up, as they do all the guest starring names.) I thought Tara's death was extremely sad, too. I just never saw it coming! We're on the last season here in Sweden. There can't be many episodes to go as everything is falling apart. Kait Diane Purkiss wrote: In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], girlsown- [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes What episodes, precisely? Innocence. And I know it's in Angel, but it's got Buffy in it: I Will Remember You. And the one where Tara dies. -- Diane Purkiss -- Girlsown mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] For self-administration and access to archives see http://home.it.net.au/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/girlsown For FAQs see http://www.club-web.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/girlsown/faq-0.htm
Re: [GO] Weeping over Buffy
Caroline German wrote: Jonathan's speech when presenting that daft umbrella at the Prom get me every time: Is this the same Jonathan who's part of the three villains later? Most of us never found the time to get to know you. But that doesn't mean we haven't noticed you. We don't talk about it much, but it's no secret Sunnydale High isn't really like other schools. snip We're proud to say that the class of '99 has the lowest mortality rate of any graduating class in Sunnydale history. And we know at least part of that is because of you. So the senior class offers its thanks, and ... gives you, uh, this... It's from all of us, and it's got written here, Buffy Summers. Class Protector. Thank you for quoting this! I remember being really gripped by this speech too, and I've been trying ever since to catch a re-run of that particular episode. But I've always missed it! TV makes me cry *way* more than books. In books, it's just Jacynth's Auntie's letter, really. Oh yes. That sets me off too. Every time! Kait -- Girlsown mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] For self-administration and access to archives see http://home.it.net.au/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/girlsown For FAQs see http://www.club-web.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/girlsown/faq-0.htm
Re: [GO] tearjerkers
phyllgriffiths wrote: I've sniffed over a couple of Jacqueline Wilson's as well but can't remember which. Re Jacqueline Wilson: I've never seen any of her books, only heard of her on this list. But now Swedish TV is showing is showing a series called Girls in Love, based on her books. I really like it too, so I hope I can find some of her books some time. Kait -- Girlsown mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] For self-administration and access to archives see http://home.it.net.au/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/girlsown For FAQs see http://www.club-web.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/girlsown/faq-0.htm
[GO] Wintle's Wonders
Wintle's Wonders is my favorite NS. So much so, in fact, that I suggest that children in my library start with it, rather than with Ballet Shoes. I don't think that Wintle's Wonders is the better book - just that it's more accessible for children today. Rachel is a well-drawn character, and I think Hilary is adequately characterized. I'm not sure that she _could_ be more deeply characterized; she lives so much on the surface of things that I don't think there's much below to write about. That said, I agree about Dulcie and her mother as cardboard villains. Certainly they appeared that way to RachelandHilary (one of my favorite bits in the book, that - they begin to be lumped together and called tiresome). The events are unlikely, but the book is (for me, at least) a loveable bit of fluff. And yes - Fancy, a shark! And him an Honourable too! is one of NS's best lines. Allison (who might have to re-read tonight) [EMAIL PROTECTED] --- Ann Dowker [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: What do people think of Wintle's Wonders? I think that Rachel's mistaken sense of responsibility for Hilary's dancing, and the ways in which her reaction to her mother's death are misunderstood, are very well done. But I think that the book as a whole is marred by Streatfield's obvious distaste for the world that she's describing. In her other books, there are lots of improbabilities of plot, but they are carried along by enthusiasm and by the characters. In Wintle's Wonders, Rachel is a very good character; but Hilary isn't seen enough from the inside, and Dulcie is a bit pasteboard [e.g. Miranda in Curtain Up is a somewhat similar character, but much more believable]. Also, there are rather too many dramatic fates carrying off various characters in the first chapter; though these do provide one of the best lines of the book, when Mrs. Wintle comments on the fate of Pursey's former charge: Fancy, a shark! And him an Honourable too! Ann -- Girlsown mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] For self-administration and access to archives see http://home.it.net.au/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/girlsown For FAQs see http://www.club-web.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/girlsown/faq-0.htm
[GO] Feng Shui and books
Another thing about books and Feng Shui is that the space on a shelf, at the edge, can be considered a knife...not a good thing thing in Feng Shui. To help to manage that energy, books should be lined flush with the edge of a shelf, not pushed back on the shelf with space between the edge of the shelf and the books. That explanation about the stagnant energy from books sort of makes sense, but I won't part with my books, and don't really have time to do much reading. So I will have to regard them as sources of the energy that will fuel many flights of fancy to worlds of the imagination, created by many different writers...when the day arrives that I can go to all of those places! Right now I am so overwhelmed by my life that I wish I COULD read more, just to escape. -- Girlsown mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] For self-administration and access to archives see http://home.it.net.au/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/girlsown For FAQs see http://www.club-web.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/girlsown/faq-0.htm
RE: [GO] Feng Shui and books
The true reason is slightly more prosaic - as every good librarian knows, if you line the books up at the front of the shelves then you don't have to dust there! Gareth -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Deborah A. Fleming Sent: 12 November 2004 14:15 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [GO] Feng Shui and books Another thing about books and Feng Shui is that the space on a shelf, at the edge, can be considered a knife...not a good thing thing in Feng Shui. To help to manage that energy, books should be lined flush with the edge of a shelf, not pushed back on the shelf with space between the edge of the shelf and the books. --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free via AVG. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.794 / Virus Database: 538 - Release Date: 11/10/2004 -- Girlsown mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] For self-administration and access to archives see http://home.it.net.au/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/girlsown For FAQs see http://www.club-web.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/girlsown/faq-0.htm
