ext_472 ([identity profile] vilakins.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] trennels2008-05-07 02:27 pm
Entry tags:

End of Term query

I was named after Nicola Marlow, and very pleased I was too when I read the books at around 10-12. I always identified with Nicola because of our shared name and because she was what I wanted to be and wasn't--confident and competent at games--and was--a tomboy, but obsessed with the RAF instead of the Navy. :-)

This year I decided to read all the books I can lay my hands on, and I'm enchanted and very impressed by their quality, depth, and understanding of teenagers. I think I've sorted out ages and terms thanks to this great comm, but I have a question.

I've just finished 'End of Term', which I don't think I've read before. The only bit that doesn't make sense to me is why Nicola is chosen for the Shepherd Boy by Keith. She bases her casting decisions on character (and possibly looks and size) rather than ability, so why does she choose Nicola when Nicola, as far as she knows, has been so unreliable at turning up for netball practices she was excluded from the team? Lawrie on the other hand has done nothing to upset authority, and doesn't already have an important role. OK, I know it was for Plot Reasons, but is there an explanation I can accept? It's so illogical to pick the best soloist they have for the shepherd boy and not the best actor.

[identity profile] lobeliaqueen.livejournal.com 2008-05-07 07:38 am (UTC)(link)
Miss Keith chose Jess as someone of sufficiently good character but after Dr Herrick's (?) arrival to direct the play, he moved people around, based on ability, so that Nicola had a solo. Was he involved in her promotion to Shepherd Boy too? Isn't this the book where we hear a snatch of Miss Kempe and another mistress talking and Kempe says that she argued for "the other one" (or something like that) but that Miss Keith wouldn't budge so she made the best of what was offered? I took this to mean that she really wanted Lawrie but Miss Keith was only prepared to accept Nicola in the role.

Miss Keith is illogical and that does allow for useful plot devices eg Karen as head girl when the twins arrive.

[identity profile] thekumquat.livejournal.com 2008-05-07 09:34 am (UTC)(link)
I figured Keith didn't want Lawrie getting big-headed after her success in the Third Remove play the term before. Probably with a helping of writing Lawrie off as emotionally immature or something.

I always rather identified with Lawrie...

[identity profile] geebengrrl.livejournal.com 2008-05-07 08:34 am (UTC)(link)
I always thought there was some sort of short-list for each role, and Nicola was probably on the short list? Given that she was of sufficient good character to be appointed Form Captain by Miss Cromwell, perhaps she had sufficiently redeemed herself between Autumn Term and the start of End of term to be considered for the short-list.

Lawrie however, probably tooled around in third remove for too long, got up to all sorts of hi-jinks under Tim's bad influence, and was considered too much of a liability for a big production (even though talented) because she was always bursting into tears. Also, netball's already taking up her time.

Also Lois's 'blackening' may not have been taken seriously by Miss Keith (it always struck me that Miss Redmond may have been a bit on the outer with the rest of the staff). In Attic Term when Nicola is getting her conduct mark, it says next to her name that she was left off the team for being overdonfident, but someone else has written 'query' next to this.

[identity profile] geebengrrl.livejournal.com 2008-05-07 08:35 am (UTC)(link)
Sorry, that sould be over-confident.
Also, how fabulous to be named after Nicola Marlow! I fully intend to name an infant Rowan, should I ever get one that is.

[identity profile] richenda.livejournal.com 2008-05-07 04:20 pm (UTC)(link)
That seems very likely - but I know three Nicolas who were named after fathers who had died in WW2 (Nicholases).
Why not Nichola, I wonder?)

[identity profile] geebengrrl.livejournal.com 2008-05-08 10:38 am (UTC)(link)
I do know a Nichola - not sure if she's named after a father though

[identity profile] prepneot.livejournal.com 2008-05-18 10:34 am (UTC)(link)
My baby daughter is named after Nicola Marlow. Although no-one I know has heard of the books. We almost gave her the middle name Lauren, and I only realised later that it would have been awfully close to Lawrie! We decided at the last minute to change the middle name. I also dislike Nicky as a nickname.

I'm slowly re-collecting copies of the books to give to my Nicola when she is older - my parents got rid of mine years ago :( and now I have to chase them on ebay.

[identity profile] rosathome.livejournal.com 2008-05-07 02:00 pm (UTC)(link)
I always wanted to name my daughter (should I ever have one) Rowan. But now I think people would assume she was named after Rowan Williams, so I'm rethinking the plan.

[identity profile] jen-c-w.livejournal.com 2008-05-07 09:16 am (UTC)(link)
oh, you have a treat in store! Attic Term is my favourite.

[identity profile] ankaret.livejournal.com 2008-05-07 01:05 pm (UTC)(link)
There's some lovely moments in The Thuggery Affair, but if I had to choose one never to re-read it'd be high on the list.

[identity profile] rosathome.livejournal.com 2008-05-07 08:37 pm (UTC)(link)
That's a particularly well-stocked library. Lucky you.