Alan Bennett on "History" and more

Via National Theatre email, I read a characteristic article (in the Daily Telegraph) by Alan Bennett. The article is a version of a speech he gave, so it is a series of observations rather than a seamlessly connected argument. It is therefore hard to summarise it in a pithy sentence or two, but it contains plenty of wryly amusing Bennetisms on the topic of why he doesn't accept invitations to school speech days, teaching styles (as epitomised in The History Boys), the writing process (characters are the most important thing), achievement, potential and a comparison of state and public education systems. This being Bennett, there are also some good anecdotes, particularly at the end. Here's a quote from the piece:

"It's nice to think there is some pattern in what one writes but I'm not always sure there is. You write one thing and then you write another with no more purpose than a hen scratching about in a yard. Still I can see there is a tenuous connection between History Boys and The Uncommon Reader if only because Hector believes books are companions, which is what a woman rather late in life discovers for herself and which liberates her in a transformation of which Hector would surely have approved."

The talk on which this article is based, given at the Wyndham's Theatre where The History Boys is still running, is available here; and you can watch a video of the cast at the National Theatre website.

Comments

[Susan Balée]

I loved the play/movie "The History Boys," but it definitely gave American audiences the idea that British prep schools have a sub-rosa homosexual curriculum, learned along with the Latin, Greek, and modern poets. Is this true?

[Maxine Clarke]

Well -- History Boys was set in a grammar school, i.e. a state (free) school, whereas a prep school is a public (i.e. in American terms, private, you pay for it). But, yes, I think there is a general impression that male public schools are a bit of a hotbed that way. I have no idea if it is true. I think in the UK, "prep" is usually used to mean age 5-13, in "prep" for the main event, which is public school post 13, but I don't really know.

[Susan Balée]

Ah. "Prep school" here means preparation to get into a very good college -- Ivy League or otherwise elite. College here = university. And prep schools are private, which means families pay for them. Public schools are paid for by everyone's taxes.

Confusing things further is that "grammar school" here is another term for "elementary school," or grades 1-6. In England it seems to mean schools where the brightest kids go.

[Maxine Clarke]

"In England it seems to mean schools where the brightest kids go." But you aren't allowed to say that over here, Susan -- it is official Labour government policy to try to stop all selection on basis of academic achievement.......selective (grammar) schools are gradually disapparing (and there are precious few of them left from the 50 per cent in my day) hence we can presumably look forward to more Lolita beds in future!