Ian Fleming versus Charles Higson
I’ve focused on
the similar parts between Ian Fleming’s and Charles Higson’s James Bond. By
knowing a lot about the adult James Bond I have found and noticed some
parallels.
Silverfin is written in three parts. In the beginning there is a prologue where
you can follow a young boy who wants to go fishing at Loch Silverfin. He founds
a big fence, he dig under it and run towards the water. There an eel-like man saves him. The prologue
is really a cliff-hanger… what’s happen to the boy? In Ian Fleming’s books
James Bond always has a mission. Here you have Higson’s coming mission to young
Mr. Bond.
The first part
we can follow James Bond’s start at Eton College. He doesn’t know much about
the world outside. James Bond is a handsome, gently and honest boy who arrives
to Eton. What about his entrance at Eton:
-What’s your
name boy?
-Bond, James
Bond.
Does it sound
familiar? There he meets George Hellebore, son to Lord Hellebore who had worked
together with James’ father during the war. Lord Hellebore and his son,
embodies the image of Americans. They are white, strong, well-educated and have
gleaming white teeth. James has problems with George and his friends, he can’t
put any trust in them and they are not honest. In Ian Fleming’s books there are
always some villains James Bond has to fight against. Who are they and can some
of them be civilized? Higson’s character must of course do the same…to fight
against enemies.
In part two
James Bond has Easter break and travels to Scotland by train. There he gets to
know “Red” Kelly who is cousin to Alfie, the missing boy from the prologue. At
the station, his aunt Charmain is picking up him and they go for visiting Uncle
Max. His aunt seems to be a modern woman by her behaving in the novel. Uncle
Max teaches young Bond how to drive a car. Can we say here starts Mr. Bond’s fascination
of cars? What car are aunt Charmain and Uncle Max driving? What a coincidence! The
same as in Ian Fleming’s books: a Bentley and a Bamford & Martin (later
Aston Martin). Wilder Lawless (what a name of a girl) comes like a riding heroine
on her horse called Martini (shaken not stirred, Mr. Bond’s favorite drink) There’s
always some woman who is giving Mr. Bond a helping hand.
Finally part
three James and Red are trying to get into to the castle. This part has a lot
of action. Lord Hellebore tries to kill them and finally ended this part with a
fight between him and his eel-like brother. Both of them are killed-mission
closed.
Margery Hourihan
points out the details in hero stories often are the same. Nothing has changes
through the years. Why is it so? Perhaps it’s time to start analyzing this
genre much more, or as Margery Horihan writes in her article: “it’s time to
tell knew stories and read the old ones differently.”
I must say I thought that was the whole idea of Silverfin, and the rest of the "young Bond" books to copy Fleming's James Bond in order recreate the feeling of Bond.
SvaraRaderaThere are always an urge to get to know beloved characters and their lives before the story starts, or to find out what happens after the story has finished. In this case, however, James Bond seems immortal and we are unlikely to ever see an epilogue.
After having read Mona's blog, who is more familiar with Fleming's James Bond than I am, I must say I feel that Higson has succeeded!
Yes, he has succeeded by following the "old rules", but we have to analyze from the bottom. Why is this book written? Earn money of course.Why has someone chosen Charlie Higson to use his pen? Many critical voices have raised against him because he has in some situation said by recycling old characters is like a bay of leaf adds nothing to the flavour of spagetti bolognese.In his case he had no doubts to recycle James Bond! Quite fun! I don't think he has made something new.He has in cleverly way used and embedded old rules and frames in Silverfin. Would we buy it straight off?
RaderaHigson has simply taken a very old and succesful concept. I must admit that I have never read Ian Fleming nor have I managed to see an entire James Bond film as I find them extremely boring, but I must admit as many of the others has done that I enjoyed reading the book. Although I flicked through the pages in the end when they fought fairly quickly.
RaderaHaving in mind what young people are reading today, the hungergames, all the endless vampire stories, this is no worse than themn, but very well written.
If everything written was to be politicly correct it would be quite boring. I think one has to read a certain amount of books like this, then you see the pattern they all follow and then you are ready to take the step to read literature which is deeper.
But it is very interesting to discuss a book like this from the view of Hourighan with the pupils.
Good question: should we buy it straight off?
RaderaWhen reading Ronald Paul’s article I realized he is quite critical to the young Bond stories. He claims this book “promotes an uncritical view of the British imperial policing in which young people are seen as natural recruits with a license to kill.” He also says that we don’t want child soldiers but we want Bond. I see his point, but when reading a book like this you might just enjoy it for the moment, it’s like an escape from the real life, and when putting it aside you forget about it (at least I do when reading action packed stories).
I understand some children can’t determine what’s right or wrong so maybe it is our responsibility to analyze and talk to our students and children about issues mediated through literature. But do we always have to?
Mona, it is interesting that you know a bit more about Ian Flemming´s character than I do myself. I have only seen the last few films with James Bond and cannot say I know anything about the character in the books, only from what I have seen in the films.
SvaraRaderaI do like the way though that Charlie Higson "recycles" James Bond and plays around with names and places in "Silverfin", just like you have written in your blog. I also think this adds a sense of humour to the book, at least to an adult reader. I mean, the enemy is Lord HELLebore, the chief scientist (who seems to be totally crazy) is Dr P. Friend, Wilder´s horse is called Martini, Ian Flemming himself attended Eton and so on. In a clever way, Charlie Higson has taken a character that alredy exists and has managed to create a new, big market - the young adult, who before probably was not so interested in old Mr. Bond.
Yes Linda, I also like his sort of "pratical jokes" and Charlie Higson isn't only a writer, he is also an actor and a comedian!
RaderaJust as Lina I have never seen an entire Bond movie, it doesn't appeal to me, and I have never read Ian Flemming. But SilverFin was very enjoyabel to read. And even though I know very little about James Bond I recognised some of the things being recicled like "Bond, James Bond" and there was also something about you only live twice (don't remember right now). Lina also refers to the hungergames, which I find less pleasant to read according to all the horrible things in it. SilverFin could easily be read just for fun. Sometimes we should just let the students read and have their own thoughts. I can think of a few boys who would actually read this book, but if I gave them something else to read and discuss they wouldn't do it. Better to read for fun than not reading at all. Hopefully the deeper thoughts will come.
SvaraRaderaThe book was interesting to read when you think of all the similarities Higson has in Silverfin and when you compare it with the modernized Bond in the films, as you Mona also noticed; the presentation at Eaton, his interests in cars specially Bentley (=Aston Martin), his Martini drink/a horse name in Silverfin. There are numerous of examples in that direction. Higson has done a bit of research there hasn´t he?
SvaraRaderaWhen reading a book in this category you have to decide with what kind of eyes you´ll be using; the analyzing eyes with Hourihan´s tools or just pure entertainment. I strongly belive there are no right or wrong in both those ways.
I agree with Pernilla "better to read for fun than not reading att all" but I don´t think "the deeper thoughts will come " if we as teachers don´t help out students with the right questions to focus on and make them see and discuss the values in the novel.
SvaraRaderaAn other important thing is that too many young people today do not read novels. This is a pity, not only beacause they miss the fantastic experience in reading a novel but also reading quantities is extremely important if you want to become a good reader- there is no short cut - and being a good reader is extremely important if you will succeed in higher studies.
Therefore to tempt our student with a novel like Silverfin is brilliant.Let them enjoy and after reading, let them analyse and discuss deeper with suitable questions. I think they then will enjoy the novel even better and they will realise that they actually have learned something by studying the book in different perspectives. I thing we by doing so can kill two birds with one stone!