Yes, I like Peter too. I think he's the most interesting character and AF shows us a 14 year old boy's thoughts and feelings (in the 40s , of course, probably different now)with great perceptiveness. He has weaknesses, is frequently afraid, having to push himself hard so people don't guess, has real feelings of inferiority on occasions and seems constantly to be trying to live up to the God awful Marlow image because it must be right because he's a Marlow. Plus having to tread in He Who Can Do No Wrong Giles' footsteps.
I can't think of another example where a teenage boy is portrayed so accurately in children's literature at the time AF was writing. Boys were often written as leaders, or teasers, or jokers and almost always as the ideal sex.
Patrick, on the other hand, is just horrid. There are undertones (or do I mean overtones?) of Giles in AF's writing of him which may be why Nicola is drawn to him.
I think it's odd that Patrick makes no attempt to meet Peter in spite of them once being friendly as small children, and, in fact, puts him off. No wonder it's all a bit stiff when they do meet.
Perhaps there was a Peter in the large family AF used to play with. She writes him so well.
Nicola's dismissiveness of girls and complete acceptance that boys are automatically better has always grated. But I get my own back on AF by thinking that Nicola would never have wanted to read any of her work, especially the school stories, apart, possibly, from the historical novels.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2014-07-28 02:49 pm (UTC)I can't think of another example where a teenage boy is portrayed so accurately in children's literature at the time AF was writing. Boys were often written as leaders, or teasers, or jokers and almost always as the ideal sex.
Patrick, on the other hand, is just horrid. There are undertones (or do I mean overtones?) of Giles in AF's writing of him which may be why Nicola is drawn to him.
I think it's odd that Patrick makes no attempt to meet Peter in spite of them once being friendly as small children, and, in fact, puts him off. No wonder it's all a bit stiff when they do meet.
Perhaps there was a Peter in the large family AF used to play with. She writes him so well.
Nicola's dismissiveness of girls and complete acceptance that boys are automatically better has always grated. But I get my own back on AF by thinking that Nicola would never have wanted to read any of her work, especially the school stories, apart, possibly, from the historical novels.