The main character in Silverfin is a boy becoming a man a bit too fast. James Bond saves the world since he is brave and takes action, just like a typical male hero. His enemy is Lord Hellebore, an American who has turned into a monster fighting to achieve his goals. Lord Hellebore doesn’t like women. He was betrayed by his wife, also the mother of their son (George), and claims women are weak and they don’t need any women in their lives. George on the other hand misses his mum very much and glorifies her, which also credits motherhood. George can’t stand living on the castle in Scotland
By contrast with what I have written above, the two other female characters (Wilder and aunt Charmian) are praised for their masculine skills. Wilder Lawless challenges James and shows him her strength. She “beats” James and hereafter he admires her for being tough and brave just like a boy unlike all the other girls he have meat. So according to this book and James Bond it’s not ok to be just like an ordinary girl with curls and fine dresses?!
Aunt Charmian shows her masculine skills as soon as she picks James up from the train station. She drives fast (a sports car; Bentley) and she is able to handle it perfectly on the road. She gives her opinion about the Britons and the British Empire when talking about drinking tea is just for uncivilized people. She rather drinks coffee and claims the British Empire will soon be destroyed. She is indeed a strong woman with political views and masculine skills, but she is also taking care of the household just like a typical woman. Margery Hourighan claims that women in"herostories" define the hero’s manhood and their mission is to serve and they must be controlled.
We talk about savages, monsters, wild animals as “the others”. According to James Bond it is like women can be defined as “the others” as well since he believes most of them are very different from him.
Malin, it is strange that women has to be masculin to be able to compete with men. But as the book is set in the past would it be trustworthy to make oncle Max the take care of his household himself? Of course that sort of thing actually happened even then. But still..
SvaraRaderaYes I agree, women and man perspective was a bit different in the past. What actually upsets me is that Max "only" has to be masculine serving his country, but Charmain has to have both masculine and feminine skills. In many ways I still think we have these problems nowadays. Women tend to work full time, but also taking care of household and children. As Hourighan says: a book is written by the world its author lives in. So even though the plot is set in the past contemporary values may influence the author's way of writing?!
SvaraRaderaMalin! I agree with you. Why can't a woman just be a woman without proving something! Many novels are still using these patterns those you mentioned. We must highlighting them more and discuss them. Too often it is a boy/man who saves the world, are the hero and so on. The pupils must be informed and start to preconceive their own opinion.
SvaraRaderaAs you both write in your comments it has been this struggle men - women seems like it´s been for ever. Can a book change the attidtudes you can ask yourself or does it show the normality/gender issue through decades? So it´s not that strange that values have been passing on to younger generations although we read books like Silverfin in a different way today when we are used to look at litterature differently than how it was done before.
SvaraRaderaI wonder if we used this book in our classes would our students reflect on these issues? I´m not that sure myself.... You could use Silverfin in school in many ways; eg. discuss moral, gender and how actually a hero story is created or just simply as pure reading an action-packed story.
I came to think of "Tusen gånger starkare", where the girl (I don't remember her name) who came to the class turned everything up-side-down. First the teachers were a bit surprised that she wasn't shy, knew a lot of things and spoke in the class room. Then the teachers supported her to influence the other girls but when she did the whole class room situation got out of hands. Just because the boys didn't like to be treated as they used to treat the girls. When both the boys and the girls behave the same way in the class room, the teachers blame the new girl for being trouble. Now they don't want the equality between gender any longer. Suddenly it was a lot better in the old days.
SvaraRaderaI haven't seen this movie. Is it the teachers who don't want the equality beween gender anymore?
RaderaI often think about how to work with quite and shy girls in the classroom. Many are so afraid of answering and asking questions since they don't want to do any mistakes. Many boys are just too loud and have to be told how te behave repeatedly.
Well, this is somehting teachers have to struggle with all the time. I just want to be fair on both boys and girls, but it's not always easy!!
Saga is the hero, but the story is told by the more shy Sigrid, who are growing by the way Saga protests against the unequalities in thhe ways their teachers treat boys and girls. But Saga leaves in the end ... gives in ... There are also many similiraties between Saga and Pippi ... but that's another story ... though a good one.
RaderaI have read the book "Tusen ggr starkare" and seen the movie in my class with adults.They loved it and were eager to discuss what happened in class when Saga entered. I would be interested to hear about the reaction from the boys if you have discussed the novel/film in your class. I really agree that it was a pity and a dissapointment when she moved and everything became as it was before..
RaderaI do not see why Wilder and aunt C are "praised for their masculine skills" - for me even in the 30ies driving, riding and fighting back/challenging being made/called inferor because of ones sex would be the natural human more than masculine thing to do. Why does that have to be in contrast to being "just like an ordinary girl with curls and fine dresses" - "Beauty" lies in the eye of the beholder, just as what is masculine and feminine is this respect.
SvaraRaderaWilder is pretty and knows how to ride. Aunt C is educated, has traveled the world and has strong opinions and runs her and her dying brother's household. I see her as a good role model to anyone and not as a character who is there to "define the hero’s manhood and their mission is to serve and they must be controlled". Do you really?