One last essay before Easter -
Feb. 19th, 2007 07:28 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mary_j_59I've decided to seriously cut back on my fan activity for lent, so I won't be posting anything more here until after Easter (unless, of course, it's not fan-related). But I have been thinking of writing up these observations for a few months now. They are about a possible influence on J.K. Rowling, and what this might mean for the themes and conclusion of her story.
Title A possible influence on J.K. Rowling?
Author mary-j-59
Genre Essay
Rating G
Length About 1850 words
Comments Thanks to my sister Deirdre, who inspired this essay. No warnings - completely g-rated! The essay follows the cut:
A Possible Influence on J.K.Rowling?
This is something my sister noticed. When we were teens in England, we read an excellent family story called "The Rose Round". My sister rediscovered and borrowed it, and we both read it again, finding that it was as good as we'd remembered - perhaps not on the level of L.M. Boston, but close. Finding that there was another book by the same author in our library system, she interloaned it. The author's name is Meriol Trevor, and she wrote this second book in the 1950s; it's called "Sun Slower, Sun Faster". My sister called me up and began reading to me, saying, "Does this remind you of anyone?" This is what she read.
"The music stopped abruptly. Cecil was just going to creep back to the nursery when someone came suddenly out of the room, flinging the door back and letting out a stream of light. Cecil, startled, saw not a ghost but a tall man with black hair, a foreign-looking man in some kind of dark robe or gown. She was, momentarily, terrified: he looked like a magician, a black wizard, and she saw that he had a scar on his face. He did not seem to see her and went away down the passage. He walked very lame, putting a hand on the wall to steady himself. For all that, he seemed to get along very fast." (Sun Slower, Sun Faster, Bethlehem Books, page 10)
Cecil asks the housekeeper who that strange man is, and learns that he is her cousin Rick's tutor; his name is Dominic Erland, and his father was a foreigner. It is clear that the woman disapproves of him. The child is also inclined to disapprove. "Cecil thought to herself, 'Well, I don't like him: I expect he's a spy.'" (Sun Slower, Sun Faster, page 10)
After reading me these passages, my sister went on to another. It's shortly afterward, and the two children, Cecil and Rickie, are at dinner with their great-uncle Ambrose. The tutor, Dominic, comes in late:
"You've nothing to do all day," said Mr. Morne, "so you might at least arrive on time for meals."
Dominic said nothing.
"We've finished our soup," the old man said. "No, don't send for any more, Miss Blake."
She hesitated, but Dominic said, "I won't have any soup, Miss Blake."
"You haven't met Cecil, Dominic," said Rickie.
Cecil found herself fixed by a pair of very keen eyes, disconcertingly green.
"Well, you're smaller than we reckoned," Dominic said. "That's a relief."
Slightly offended, Cecil said with studied politeness, "How do you do?"
Ambrose Morne observed, "My nephew's manners are appalling, I'm afraid. If you don't like having lessons with him, we must find you a governess." (Sun Slower, Sun Faster, page 12)
So - what famous character does Dominic resemble? Harry, certainly, what with the green eyes and the scar - but also Severus Snape. Like Snape, he is an adult who is teaching children; he wears a black robe and has a long, beaky nose; and Cecil takes him for a spy. Like both Harry and Snape, Dominic has an explosive temper at times, especially when dealing with his cold and disapproving uncle. And he is scarred both in mind and body by a war: in his case, World War Two and a Japanese prison camp. However, in spite of these strong similarities to Rowling's characters, Dominic Erland is actually quite different from anyone in the Potterverse. With the two young teenagers he's teaching, he is friendly, patient and relaxed; he has a good sense of humor and is extraordinarily open and imaginative, accepting without more than a moment's doubt the remarkable things that begin to happen, first to the children and then to him. He is much less guarded than Remus Lupin (even though their hands-on teaching methods seem similar). And if, like Snape, he has become cynical (and he has) this is due to a basic idealism and desire for justice. (The same may be true of Snape; it is too early to tell). In spite of all his admirable qualities, the man remains at loggerheads with his uncle throughout the book, and one of the themes running through the story is Dominic's need to forgive.
To my mind, the little girl, Cecil, is also reminiscent of Harry. She's a bright child and rather stubborn, and, as we've seen, she distrusts Dominic on sight. In addition, she's the viewpoint character both at the beginning of the story and at the end - she is the one who receives the great mystic vision - and she's also the catalyst who gets the action going. However, there is one major difference between Cecil and Harry. He is definitely the protagonist of his story. She is not the only, or even the main, protagonist of hers.
Who is, then? The boy, Rickie, whom Cecil also initially looks down on. He's failed his entrance exam for public school, which is why Dominic is tutoring him, and, in modern terms, he suffers from low self esteem. Here is a scene which might remind a reader of another character in the Potterverse:
(Uncle Ambrose is speaking) "If you are interested in crests and devices, Cecilia, I must show you my box of seals. Richard, just see if it is in that cupboard." The next moment he roared out, "Not that one, you idiot!"
Rickie turned red and fumbled helplessly. Cecil was surprised to see his clumsiness.
"Hurry up," said the old man irritably, making things much worse. (Sun Slower, Sun Faster, page 13 )
Shy, clumsy, underconfident and apparently slow, Rickie seems a lot like Neville Longbottom. (It may or may not be significant that the wealthy cousin with whom he lives, and who puts him down continually, is called Neville.) Rick is an orphan - both his parents died in the war - and there is a mystery about his past. As the story begins to unwind, it becomes clear than Rickie is like Neville in other ways. He is very brave; in particular, he has considerable moral courage and will try to do what he sees as right even if he is actually terrified. Nor can he be inveigled into doing something he sees as wrong in order to seem cool or to make himself popular.
The action of the story takes the children into the past. They find themselves going further and further back into the history of their own family, and, as they travel backwards in time, they learn more and more about who they truly are. Here is a brief scene that shows the sort of moral courage typical of Rickie:
(The children have traveled back to the time of King Edward, older brother of Richard III, and have encountered some distant cousins, Roger and Margery.)
Roger grimaced and danced up and down. "Let's after the king!" he cried.
"Where's he going?" Rickie asked
"They say to see the execution of rebels, Baldwin and others," said Roger.
"Then we certainly won't go," said Rickie.
"Why not?" Roger demanded, surprised.
"Because we don't like to see people killed," said Rickie firmly.
"By the mass, you are soft-hearted!" said Roger scornfully.
Rickie flushed, but he answered with decision, "All right, then, I am." (Sun Faster, Sun Slower, page 174)
Rick also shows considerable physical courage. In the episode at the center of the book, he chooses to stay alone in the past in order to rescue a priest who has been arrested and may be tortured and killed. He doesn't know how he will get back, nor what he can do to help, but none of this stops him. It is not the first time he's taken a risk like this, but it is the first time he has acted alone. This is a turning point for the boy. What he experiences of the past changes him in the present. Through his adventures, he gains the courage to speak up for himself, stand up to uncle Ambrose, and claim the loving family he has discovered. He knows what he values and will not be separated from his beliefs, morality or family.
Dominic is the second protagonist. He, like Rickie, discovers an unexpected love, and he must learn to let go of cynicism and bitterness in order to claim it. The mystery of his past intersects with the mystery of Rickie's, but, in order to move forward into a happier future, Dominic has to forgive uncle Ambrose. Only after the old man and the younger one have forgiven each other and reconciled can Dominic finally free himself from the burdens he's been carrying since the end of the war. I also find it interesting that it's Dominic, though he seems the injured party, who must make the first move toward forgiveness. Without his action, both he and his uncle will remain mired in their mutual animosity.
I've gone into these details because, as different as Rowling's books and Trevor's are, the similarities in the characters and even some of the themes are striking. I wonder if Rowling could have been influenced by Trevor, and, if she was, I wonder how far that influence extended?
I'm not suggesting that all Potter fans should immediately seek out Meriol Trevor. Far from it. Trevor's book is episodic, quiet, and character driven; it's also very emphatically Catholic, so much so that it might actually repel non-Catholics. As a result, though it's certainly a good book in every sense, the audience for it will always be small. The Harry Potter books, in contrast, are full of action, suspense, and imaginative, humorous details, and the combination of mystery, school story, bildungsroman and fantasy give them an appeal that transcends any particular genre. If they carry any particular message or philosophy, it is not overt enough to disturb the books' audience.
Yet, I do think these books share certain themes. First, Trevor shows, through the action of her story, that love is the greatest power in the universe; it makes forgiveness, growth, and happiness possible. Wouldn't Dumbledore agree with that message? Second, we are all part of a living history, and what we learn of the past can free us to act in the present. Doesn't Harry need to learn more about his own past, especially his mother? (Rickie, in Trevor's story, doesn't know who his mother was, either, and it's a moment of great happiness for him when he finds out.)Third, forgiveness, which love makes possible, can vanquish hate and anger. Aren't both Harry and Snape trapped in their anger by an inability to forgive? If I am right that Rowling, like Trevor, is illustrating these themes through the action of her story, then I have hope that I am right about her ending. Whatever else happens, Harry and Snape must reconcile. Because it is only through forgiveness that Harry, like Dominic, Cecil and Rickie, will be able to tap into the greatest power in the universe - the power of love.
Book cited: "Sun Slower, Sun Faster", by Meriol Trevor, Bethlehem Books, Bathgate, ND. Original copyright 1955.
Title A possible influence on J.K. Rowling?
Author mary-j-59
Genre Essay
Rating G
Length About 1850 words
Comments Thanks to my sister Deirdre, who inspired this essay. No warnings - completely g-rated! The essay follows the cut:
A Possible Influence on J.K.Rowling?
This is something my sister noticed. When we were teens in England, we read an excellent family story called "The Rose Round". My sister rediscovered and borrowed it, and we both read it again, finding that it was as good as we'd remembered - perhaps not on the level of L.M. Boston, but close. Finding that there was another book by the same author in our library system, she interloaned it. The author's name is Meriol Trevor, and she wrote this second book in the 1950s; it's called "Sun Slower, Sun Faster". My sister called me up and began reading to me, saying, "Does this remind you of anyone?" This is what she read.
"The music stopped abruptly. Cecil was just going to creep back to the nursery when someone came suddenly out of the room, flinging the door back and letting out a stream of light. Cecil, startled, saw not a ghost but a tall man with black hair, a foreign-looking man in some kind of dark robe or gown. She was, momentarily, terrified: he looked like a magician, a black wizard, and she saw that he had a scar on his face. He did not seem to see her and went away down the passage. He walked very lame, putting a hand on the wall to steady himself. For all that, he seemed to get along very fast." (Sun Slower, Sun Faster, Bethlehem Books, page 10)
Cecil asks the housekeeper who that strange man is, and learns that he is her cousin Rick's tutor; his name is Dominic Erland, and his father was a foreigner. It is clear that the woman disapproves of him. The child is also inclined to disapprove. "Cecil thought to herself, 'Well, I don't like him: I expect he's a spy.'" (Sun Slower, Sun Faster, page 10)
After reading me these passages, my sister went on to another. It's shortly afterward, and the two children, Cecil and Rickie, are at dinner with their great-uncle Ambrose. The tutor, Dominic, comes in late:
"You've nothing to do all day," said Mr. Morne, "so you might at least arrive on time for meals."
Dominic said nothing.
"We've finished our soup," the old man said. "No, don't send for any more, Miss Blake."
She hesitated, but Dominic said, "I won't have any soup, Miss Blake."
"You haven't met Cecil, Dominic," said Rickie.
Cecil found herself fixed by a pair of very keen eyes, disconcertingly green.
"Well, you're smaller than we reckoned," Dominic said. "That's a relief."
Slightly offended, Cecil said with studied politeness, "How do you do?"
Ambrose Morne observed, "My nephew's manners are appalling, I'm afraid. If you don't like having lessons with him, we must find you a governess." (Sun Slower, Sun Faster, page 12)
So - what famous character does Dominic resemble? Harry, certainly, what with the green eyes and the scar - but also Severus Snape. Like Snape, he is an adult who is teaching children; he wears a black robe and has a long, beaky nose; and Cecil takes him for a spy. Like both Harry and Snape, Dominic has an explosive temper at times, especially when dealing with his cold and disapproving uncle. And he is scarred both in mind and body by a war: in his case, World War Two and a Japanese prison camp. However, in spite of these strong similarities to Rowling's characters, Dominic Erland is actually quite different from anyone in the Potterverse. With the two young teenagers he's teaching, he is friendly, patient and relaxed; he has a good sense of humor and is extraordinarily open and imaginative, accepting without more than a moment's doubt the remarkable things that begin to happen, first to the children and then to him. He is much less guarded than Remus Lupin (even though their hands-on teaching methods seem similar). And if, like Snape, he has become cynical (and he has) this is due to a basic idealism and desire for justice. (The same may be true of Snape; it is too early to tell). In spite of all his admirable qualities, the man remains at loggerheads with his uncle throughout the book, and one of the themes running through the story is Dominic's need to forgive.
To my mind, the little girl, Cecil, is also reminiscent of Harry. She's a bright child and rather stubborn, and, as we've seen, she distrusts Dominic on sight. In addition, she's the viewpoint character both at the beginning of the story and at the end - she is the one who receives the great mystic vision - and she's also the catalyst who gets the action going. However, there is one major difference between Cecil and Harry. He is definitely the protagonist of his story. She is not the only, or even the main, protagonist of hers.
Who is, then? The boy, Rickie, whom Cecil also initially looks down on. He's failed his entrance exam for public school, which is why Dominic is tutoring him, and, in modern terms, he suffers from low self esteem. Here is a scene which might remind a reader of another character in the Potterverse:
(Uncle Ambrose is speaking) "If you are interested in crests and devices, Cecilia, I must show you my box of seals. Richard, just see if it is in that cupboard." The next moment he roared out, "Not that one, you idiot!"
Rickie turned red and fumbled helplessly. Cecil was surprised to see his clumsiness.
"Hurry up," said the old man irritably, making things much worse. (Sun Slower, Sun Faster, page 13 )
Shy, clumsy, underconfident and apparently slow, Rickie seems a lot like Neville Longbottom. (It may or may not be significant that the wealthy cousin with whom he lives, and who puts him down continually, is called Neville.) Rick is an orphan - both his parents died in the war - and there is a mystery about his past. As the story begins to unwind, it becomes clear than Rickie is like Neville in other ways. He is very brave; in particular, he has considerable moral courage and will try to do what he sees as right even if he is actually terrified. Nor can he be inveigled into doing something he sees as wrong in order to seem cool or to make himself popular.
The action of the story takes the children into the past. They find themselves going further and further back into the history of their own family, and, as they travel backwards in time, they learn more and more about who they truly are. Here is a brief scene that shows the sort of moral courage typical of Rickie:
(The children have traveled back to the time of King Edward, older brother of Richard III, and have encountered some distant cousins, Roger and Margery.)
Roger grimaced and danced up and down. "Let's after the king!" he cried.
"Where's he going?" Rickie asked
"They say to see the execution of rebels, Baldwin and others," said Roger.
"Then we certainly won't go," said Rickie.
"Why not?" Roger demanded, surprised.
"Because we don't like to see people killed," said Rickie firmly.
"By the mass, you are soft-hearted!" said Roger scornfully.
Rickie flushed, but he answered with decision, "All right, then, I am." (Sun Faster, Sun Slower, page 174)
Rick also shows considerable physical courage. In the episode at the center of the book, he chooses to stay alone in the past in order to rescue a priest who has been arrested and may be tortured and killed. He doesn't know how he will get back, nor what he can do to help, but none of this stops him. It is not the first time he's taken a risk like this, but it is the first time he has acted alone. This is a turning point for the boy. What he experiences of the past changes him in the present. Through his adventures, he gains the courage to speak up for himself, stand up to uncle Ambrose, and claim the loving family he has discovered. He knows what he values and will not be separated from his beliefs, morality or family.
Dominic is the second protagonist. He, like Rickie, discovers an unexpected love, and he must learn to let go of cynicism and bitterness in order to claim it. The mystery of his past intersects with the mystery of Rickie's, but, in order to move forward into a happier future, Dominic has to forgive uncle Ambrose. Only after the old man and the younger one have forgiven each other and reconciled can Dominic finally free himself from the burdens he's been carrying since the end of the war. I also find it interesting that it's Dominic, though he seems the injured party, who must make the first move toward forgiveness. Without his action, both he and his uncle will remain mired in their mutual animosity.
I've gone into these details because, as different as Rowling's books and Trevor's are, the similarities in the characters and even some of the themes are striking. I wonder if Rowling could have been influenced by Trevor, and, if she was, I wonder how far that influence extended?
I'm not suggesting that all Potter fans should immediately seek out Meriol Trevor. Far from it. Trevor's book is episodic, quiet, and character driven; it's also very emphatically Catholic, so much so that it might actually repel non-Catholics. As a result, though it's certainly a good book in every sense, the audience for it will always be small. The Harry Potter books, in contrast, are full of action, suspense, and imaginative, humorous details, and the combination of mystery, school story, bildungsroman and fantasy give them an appeal that transcends any particular genre. If they carry any particular message or philosophy, it is not overt enough to disturb the books' audience.
Yet, I do think these books share certain themes. First, Trevor shows, through the action of her story, that love is the greatest power in the universe; it makes forgiveness, growth, and happiness possible. Wouldn't Dumbledore agree with that message? Second, we are all part of a living history, and what we learn of the past can free us to act in the present. Doesn't Harry need to learn more about his own past, especially his mother? (Rickie, in Trevor's story, doesn't know who his mother was, either, and it's a moment of great happiness for him when he finds out.)Third, forgiveness, which love makes possible, can vanquish hate and anger. Aren't both Harry and Snape trapped in their anger by an inability to forgive? If I am right that Rowling, like Trevor, is illustrating these themes through the action of her story, then I have hope that I am right about her ending. Whatever else happens, Harry and Snape must reconcile. Because it is only through forgiveness that Harry, like Dominic, Cecil and Rickie, will be able to tap into the greatest power in the universe - the power of love.
Book cited: "Sun Slower, Sun Faster", by Meriol Trevor, Bethlehem Books, Bathgate, ND. Original copyright 1955.
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Date: 2007-02-20 11:07 pm (UTC)