The Dreams of William Golding. Sat March 17th on BBC2 TV 9.30 pm

[DracoM]

No, that#s not the one in the Carey biog, interestingly. Were ALL you lot at BWS incipient voyeurs?

[salymap]

There is at least one more on these boards who would have a few good tales to tell I'm sure, but a few years later.

HS would it possible to have your photo to complete the relevant stories on my computer, perhaps?

[amateur51]

It is good, isn't it? And the view out through the window makes a perfect backdrop. Congrats to the teenage (?) photographer.

It's a wonderful photograph - many thanks to HS & ff - I did notice that he was a lefty, HS being one myself. I think it's the nicest one of WG I've seen.

I'm slowly unpacking my books and recently came across a couple by WG so this photo is the spur I need to re-read them - many thanks

[Nick Armstrong]

It's a wonderful photograph - many thanks to HS & ff - I did notice that he was a lefty, HS being one myself. I think it's the nicest one of WG I've seen.

I realise that I'd never seen WG at that age - just looked him up and of course one is used to seeing the white beard, the flowing white locks...

What year would that pic have been taken, HS?

[french frank]

I realise that I'd never seen WG at that age - just looked him up and of course one is used to seeing the white beard, the flowing white locks...

What year would that pic have been taken, HS?

From the title HS gave it, I assume it was 1948, when WG was 38.

[Hornspieler]

It is good, isn't it? And the view out through the window makes a perfect backdrop. Congrats to the teenage (?) photographer.

Aw shucks, FF!

Beginners' luck, I guess. It was indeed the spring of 1948 and at the age of fifteen, I was probably the youngest pupil in the Sixth Form. (and possibly the most precocious!)

HS

[ardcarp]

I'm really looking forward to the programme...just hoping I'm able to watch it. The Spire is a much weirder book than LOTF, but the oddest one of all (whose name I can't remember) involves primitive tribes, invention of steam power about 5000 BC (I'm guessing) and must surely be the product of a wildly creative imagination. Hence the dreams, I suppose.

[Lateralthinking1]

HS writes: The clandestine photo was taken during an English lesson

That is an extraordinary photo HS. I would be interested to hear what was he like as a teacher. Specifically, was he distant or just ordinary? Overly serious? Did he ever speak about his experiences of the war?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I'm really looking forward to the programme...just hoping I'm able to watch it. The Spire is a much weirder book than LOTF, but the oddest one of all (whose name I can't remember) involves primitive tribes, invention of steam power about 5000 BC (I'm guessing) and must surely be the product of a wildly creative imagination. Hence the dreams, I suppose.

The Inheritors?

... Darkness Visible plays with the mind, too!

[DracoM]

The Inheritors?

... Darkness Visible plays with the mind, too!

Sammy Montjoy in jail in Free Fall?
Jocelyn's dream in The Spire?

[Hornspieler]

That is an extraordinary photo HS. I would be interested to hear what was he like as a teacher. Specifically, was he distant or just ordinary? Overly serious? Did he ever speak about his experiences of the war?

Well I suppose I knew him better than most, because we were both friends of the Brown Family; Anthony**, his wife the lovely Fiona and his children, Iona, Timothy and Ian. All distinguished musicians - largely due to Tony's teaching.

(Tony was remarkable at getting people to give up their spare time. Even in our school holidays, he would hold rehearsals for the school's next choir concerts and every member of the choir would turn up!)

Not actually off the point because that reminds me that WG was also a fine singer. In December 1945, when he was still in the Royal Navy, he and fellow sailor John Milne (the Deputy Headmaster) took part in a broadcast by the school choir of a Nativity Play written by our Headmaster (F C Happold) which was broadcast to America.
Tony Brown conducted a small orchestra, led by Fiona and other soloists included John Carol Case, C T Newton Waters and Rodney Senior.
A commemorative souvenir programme was given to all who took part and, tatty though it may be, I could also send you scanned reproductions of that programme if you would like to see them.

Returning to your query regarding teaching; WG also taught philosophy and did discuss his happenings and feelings as an officer serving on board a destroyer during the war. I had no idea at that time that he also taught Greek (intentionally, that is)
I would not say that he was distant. Intolerant sometimes - but what schoolmaster isn't; dealing with a class of adolescent knowalls?

HS

** Tony Brown was crippled from birth with a spinal defect but he had enormous hands and could span from C to G' on a keyboard.
A fine organist (FRCO, ARAM, ARCM, LGSM and MRST) quite a load of music qualifications.

[Lateralthinking1]

Thank you hornspieler for those memories.

I think I was fifteen when I first became aware of "Lord of the Flies". When presented as an option in English, most chose it but I didn't. It was too bleak for me. I believed, and wanted to believe, both that a constructive working together was the modern way and that this would continue indefinitely. A more powerful force than savagery.

At that time - 1978? - what I witnessed in other class members was a greater than usual excitement about the book. While I think everyone who read it took appropriate meaning from it, there is at that age something of the savage in many. I could see the wheels turning there in minds. Questions being asked about suitable balance going into adulthood.

I only know the basics of the plot. Piggy I think was bullied whereas Simon was one of the three leaders, perhaps better described as people just trying to find solutions. More constructive than the other two, he stands for something other than the savage. It is though he who is killed. I would identify with Simon now as then. I guess many of us as adults would do.

But the book seems to have a lot more to say about the nature of systems in 2012 than those of the 1950s and the 1970s. Simon is surely symbolic of the order of society. In that broader sense, I would see him as being in trouble right now what with the economic outlook. I would imagine the same felt true during the course of WW2 albeit in a very different way.

[french frank]

Herewith another contribution from HS:



"WG (clean shaven) is on the far right ... John Carol Case next to him and then E G Stokes.
Anthony Brown conducting and wife Fiona leading the players. John McN. Milne is playing flute in that ensemble."

[DracoM]

Did John Carey have access to these pix?

[ardcarp]

Ah...I've found the book....three short novellas, The Scorpion God, Clonk Clonk and Envoy Extraordinary, all in one cover. Just about to read them again. I was very struck at first reading, especially with the feckless males in Clonk Clonk. (Mustn't let Mrs Ardcarp find me reading it.) Clearly WG had a great interest in anthropology among his many other strengths as outlined by Hornspieler.