Week 7 20.11.09

I have read decline and fall over the last day or so and found it to be a ‘nice’ story. This is not damning through faint praise but ‘nice’ is as good a word as any to describe its nature. I understand from the introduction, and class discussion, that the book is intended to be a social satire describing the failing moral fibre of post war Britain. However it was not the bitter attack on capitalism that I have come to expect from theory two but more of a light hearted funny story with cartoon like characters and a cheerful plot. Despite it promising scandal the humour was simply old fashioned by today’s standards, maybe a little childish, and completely excusable. It did not offend. In light of my opinion of this book I find it difficult to examine the architect, Professor Silenus’ character in any great depth. Silenus and the process of rebuilding King’s Thursday was a manifestation and characterisation of the attitudes of the bright young things. As it happens Silenus’ Corbusian principles appear to harmonise very well with the shock tactics employed by bohemian London society of the time. Waugh manages to make Silenus/Corbu look stupid (- I challenge anyone to read Vers Une Architecture without laughing) clearly showing that such arrogance can only lead to downfall .

My favourite part of the book was the description of the central character, Paul, where for one fleeting moment a glimpse of the possibility of his capability can be seen through his otherwise bumbling story.

‘For an evening at least... Paul Pennyfeather materialised into the solid figure of an intelligent, well-educated, well-conducted young man, a man who could be trusted to use his vote at a general election with discretion and proper detachment, whose opinion on a ballet or critical essay was rather better than most people’s, who could order a dinner without embarrassment and with a creditable French accent, who could be trusted to see to luggage at foreign railway stations and might be expected to acquit himself with decision and decorum in all the emergencies of a civilised life.’

I think that this is a fabulous piece of writing which leaves me asking where can I find one of these gentlemen? Waugh answers this question by reminding the reader that this description is only possibility and that the only interesting thing about the central character is the events that he is involved with. His fate for the remainder of the book is reliant on the decisions of Mrs Beste-Chetwynde the strong female character who lives by independent means courtesy of her numerous whorehouses in the Americas. This is a lovely little observation of the myth of the gentleman and it made me smile.