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Fact Box Level: 2.716 Tokens: 1672 Types: 574 TTR: 0.343 |
11. Father and Son
The relationship between a father and a son is one that has been explored by many writers. Here is part of a play depicting the conflicts in ideology, world view, and artistic taste between an Englishman and his grown-up son.
| Stanley: | (carefully) Clive, do you remember coming to the factory for your allowance the day you went up to Cambridge? |
| Clive: | Yes, I do. |
| Stanley: | Did you have a talk to my manager while you were waiting? |
| Clive: | Did I ... I suppose I did. |
| Stanley: | Is it true you told him you thought the furniture we make was—what was it—'shoddy and vulgar'? (Pause). Well? |
| Clive: | I think I said it—it lacked ... |
| Stanley: | What? |
| Clive: | Well, that it didn't use materials as well as it might. Wood, for example. (He smiles hopefully.) |
| Stanley: | And the design was shoddy and vulgar? |
| Clive: | Well, yes, I suppose I gave that impression. Not all of it, of course—just some things ... |
| Stanley: | What things? |
| Clive: | (plucking up a little courage) Well, those terrible oak cupboards, for example. I think you call it the Jacobean line. And those three-piece suites in mauve plush. Things like that ... |
| Stanley: | (impassive as ever) Mr. Clark said you called them 'grotesque'. (Clive lowers his eyes.) Is that right—grotesque? |
| Clive: | (rises, crosses to commode for book, takes it to chair R. of dining table) I think they are, rather. |
| Stanley: | And I suppose you think that's clever. That's being educated, I suppose; to go up to my manager (Louise enters.) in my own factory and tell him you think the stuff I'm turning out is shoddy and vulgar ... Is it? |
| Louise: | (crossing to the sofa) Just because you've got no taste, it doesn't mean we all have to follow suit. (Stanley gives her a look which silences her, then turns again to his son. Clive continues to sit rigid at the table.) |
| Stanley: | Now you listen to me, my boy. You get this through your head once and for all; I'm in business to make money. I give people what they want. I mean ordinary people. Maybe they haven't got such wonderful taste as you and your mother; perhaps they don't read such good books—what is it?—Homes and Gardens?—but they know what they want. If they didn't want it, they wouldn't buy it, and I'd be out of business. (Piano stops.) Before you start sneering again, young man, just remember something—you've always had enough to eat. (The explosive opening of the Brahms Third Symphony is heard from Walter's room.) (Looking up, dangerously.) One stops, the other starts. I'm going out. (Stanley stands up.) |
| Louise: | Where to—Mr. Benton? |
| Stanley: | And if I am, at least I can get some peace there. |
| Louise: | Ssh. |
| Stanley: | Don't you ssh me. |
| Louise: | This is the first weekend we've all been here together since Clive went up to Cambridge. I think the least you can do is stay home, the first evening. Why must you be so disagreeable? (She goes to the landing and calls.) Walter! Walter! (She turns on the landing lights.) |
| Walter: | (coming from his room) Did you call, Mrs. Harrington? |
| Louise: | Do you think you could play your records another time, dear? Mr. Harrington has got a slight headache. |
| Walter: | Of course, Mrs. Harrington. I'm so sorry. So very sorry. (He reaches into his room and turns off the machine.) |
| Louise: | That's quite all right, dear. I hate to disturb your concentration. |
| Walter: | Oh, no. |
| Louise: | Come down when you want to. I've got some delicious petits fours and I'll make you some fresh coffee. (She turns off the landing lights.) |
| Walter: | Thank you, Mrs. Harrington. (He goes into his room.) |
| Louise: | (coming down the stairs and into the living-room. Stanley is again in the armchair) I don't know! You say you can't stand London. I go to all the trouble fixing this place for you, and you can't stay in it a single minute. Now try and be a bit more pleasant, will you. (To Clive as she removes jewellery at the commode.) Jou-jou, it's washing-up time. Are you going to help me? |
| Clive: | Can't we leave it for once? |
| Louise: | It's all right. I can manage perfectly well without you. (She goes into the kitchen.) |
| Clive: | I'm sorry I said that about the furniture. I suppose it was tactless of me. |
| Stanley: | Never mind. How are you settling down at Cambridge? What about the other boys, do you get on with them? |
| Clive: | It's not exactly like prep school, you know. You rather pick your own friends. |
| Stanley: | Yes, I suppose you do. Well, what do they do there? I mean apart from lessons. |
| Clive: | Anything you like. There are all sorts of clubs and societies. |
| Stanley: | Do you belong to any? |
| Clive: | Yes, I joined a Dramatic Society as a matter of fact. |
| Stanley: | You mean for acting? |
| Clive: | It's quite professional, you know. They have their own theatre and get reviews in The Times. |
| Stanley: | Don't any of your friends play games? |
| Clive: | Yes, but—the cricket and football are sort of professional standards. I thought of taking up fencing, it's not as odd as it sounds. It's meant to be very good for co-ordination— |
| Stanley: | What's that? |
| Clive: | Muscles, I think. |
| Stanley: | Clive, as you know your mother and I didn't see eye-to-eye about sending you to University. But that's past history now. The point is what use are you going to make of it? Well? |
| Clive: | That's rather as it turns out, I should have thought. I mean you can't judge things in advance, can you? |
| Stanley: | Ah now, that's just what I mean. If you don't know where you're going you might just as well pack up. |
| Clive: | Why? |
| Stanley: | It's quite simple, I should have thought. |
| Clive: | It isn't. It just isn't like that. I mean if I knew where I was going I wouldn't have to go there, would I? I'd be there already. |
| Stanley: | What kind of silly quibble is that? |
| Clive: | It's not a quibble. Look, education—being educated—you just can't talk about it in that way. It's something quite different—like setting off on an expedition into the jungle. Gradually all the things you know disappear. The old birds fly out of the sky, new ones fly in you've never seen before, and everything surprises you too. Trees you expected to be a few-feet high grow right up overhead, like the nave of Wells Cathedral. Anyway if you had seen all this before, you would not have to go looking. I think education is simply the process of being taken by surprise, do you see? |
| Stanley: | Be that as it may. |
| Clive: | You don't see. |
| Stanley: | (rises—crosses to above dining table) Clive, I'm not talking about education. By all means, take advantage of your lessons. Look here boy, let's not pretend. Everyone doesn't get to Cambridge, you know it and I know it. You're in a privileged position and you must make the most of it. What you do now will influence the rest of your life. You know that, don't you? |
| Clive: | Yes, I suppose it will. |
| Stanley: | Take your friends for example. What kind of friends do you have? |
| Clive: | Do you want a list? |
| Stanley: | Now don't start getting on any high horse. I'm simply saying this ... (Sits above the dining table. Leans towards Clive.) People still judge a man by the company he keeps. You go around with a lot of drifters and arty boys, and you'll be judged as one of them. |
| Clive: | I don't ... |
| Stanley: | (cuts him off immediately and closes his book) I don't say you do, and you're old enough to decide for yourself anyway. Right? (Clive nods.) Number two is this. Now's the time for you to be making contacts with the right people, I mean people who will be useful to you later on. I don't mean the smart people or the fancy la-de-da people your mother's always on about. I mean the people that matter. The people who will have influence. Get in with them now and you won't go far wrong. I never had your opportunities, the contacts I made I had to work up myself. So I know what I'm talking about. Do you understand? |
| Clive: | Yes, I do. |
| Stanley: | Good. Now you've got a good brain and I'll see to it you've got enough money. There's no harm in having a few pounds in your pocket, you know. (Louise enters. Closes kitchen door.) Never be so foolish as to look down on money. It's the one thing that counts in the end. |
| Louise: | (at the commode putting on her jewellery) Money! Is that all you ever think about? Money! |
| Stanley: | You don't have any difficulty spending it, I notice. (To Clive) Now let's see, how long have you been at Cambridge? Is this your half-term holiday? |
| Louise: | (crossing to the sofa above the armchair) Half-term! You talk about it as if it were a grammar school instead of our leading University. Really, Stanley, I don't know how one can even begin to talk to you. |
| Stanley: | (rises, crosses R. a few steps as if to answer Louise. Then turns to Clive) Would you like to walk with me over to Benton's? |
| Clive: | I—I've got some reading to do actually. |
| Stanley: | We can stop in at the Red Lion for a quick one. |
| Clive: | No. I don't think so really. |
| Stanley: | Very well. |
From English Studies Series 4,
ed., Ronald Mackin, etc., 1967.