Nina Bawden Carrie’s War: notes

Nina Bawden Carrie’s War: notes.

1. Consider the question of the nature of Carrie’s War, i.e. the definition of war which goes beyond the political and national conflict of WW2.

·         is it only to do with the circumstances of war?

·         her emotional and psychological state?

·         negotiating the space between childhood and adolescence where she begins to see the other sides of adult life in a sensitive, yet confusing way, as she begins to think about the complications and emotions of the adults around her

·         her various relationships: with Nick; her mother; Mr Evans; Aunt Lou; Albert etc.

·         Carrie as an adult and as a child

2. How war disrupts and pervades the lives of ordinary people.

3. Carrie the adult dealing with her recent loss and returning to the puzzles and turmoil of childhood.

4. The rational v. superstition.

5. The ways in which other characters, such as Albert, Hepzibah, Mrs Gotobed and Mr Johnny are incorporated into this complex plot.

6. The subtexts of imperialism and slavery. How far and in which ways are the effects of such still evident in the mid-twentieth century?

7. Questions of class.

8. Matters of freedom. They are all variously tied to situations until they make decisions which will change their lives.

9. The relationship between fantasy, reality and perception. For example, Carrie’s view of Hepzibah as an adult is very different from that which she has as a child.