It would be hard to think of a greater contrast than between the slow, measured, sedate and secure existence described in my grandfather's diary and the truly terrible and calamitous events of today. A world of upheaval in both the literal and metaphorical sense of the word.
Would you forasmuch rather live in 1928 or 2011? Insofar as this question has any sense, I think I would go for 1928, provided that I could be guaranteed a place among the (upper?) middle classes in England. One only has to write those words to realise what a pointless exercise it all is!
Would you forasmuch rather live in 1928 or 2011? Insofar as this question has any sense, I think I would go for 1928, provided that I could be guaranteed a place among the (upper?) middle classes in England. One only has to write those words to realise what a pointless exercise it all is!
But perhaps 1928 seems so "secure" because you are taking it out of context, Mr. Dunn. Remember, the writer of those diaries was a battered old General who'd fought his way up through the carnage of the officer class, if not in the actual trenches himself.
ReplyDeleteI would guess that for someone of his age and with his experiences the be-all-and-end-all was to be settled, calm and secure. But I think his serenity must have been paper-thin - look how often he went up to London for reunions.
Meanwhile, outside of his oasis there were to be found one Herr Hitler and one Senor Mussolini just flexing their muscles.
I think I have to go with Anonymous. The thing is Mr Dunn would you have been happy in 1928 if you had known what 1939 would bring. I do agree though, 1928 was a good time to be upper middle class and English, at least on the whole it was. Al those lovely motor cars and empty roads, flappers and slang.
ReplyDeleteWho are all these Anonymice? That's what I would like to know.
ReplyDeleteAnon the First here.
ReplyDeleteIt's lovely to think of our grandfather knowing any flappers or slang!
But my point was that I felt his serenity and security might not have been too assured precisely because of 1914-18 so he perhaps hugged his little insular world all the more tightly.
Possibly we shall see (if the diaries extend that far) that he recognised familiar storm clouds looming during the 1930s?
And perhaps we shall learn, though I'm not holding my breath, of our aunts going wild at the good old Kit Kat Club and possibly dancing with a man who danced with a girl who danced with the Prince of Wales.
The Prince of Wales was certainly in no hurry to rush back to his ailing father!
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