Miss Annersley
The CBB -> Book Discussions
#1: Miss Annersley Author: Josie, Location: London PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 9:27 am

Please discuss the eyes that have never yet needed glasses here...

(Want to start us off, Lesley? Laughing )

 

#2:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 10:59 am

What do you want me to say, Josie? Wink

Everyone who reads my stories is well aware of my opinion. In fact, to a certain extent, when I read the books now, I find myself saying, 'No, she wouldn't act like that!' The Miss A in the books starts out with very little personality, she's only occasionally mentioned, far less so than Nell Wilson or Con Stewart. But the traits are there. She is known to be gentle, yet a strict disciplinarian, the older girls love her while the younger hold her in some awe. She is able to take charge in any given situation eg. when Mdlle is ill over Eustacia being missing, and when Mdlle is admitted to the hospital and Miss A takes over the Headship temporarily in Jo Returns.

That she is Senior Mistress by Eustacia shows that her qualities were appreciated by Madge Russell and Mdlle. And that she has the entire Staff behind her - including Nell Wilson, the one most likely to think she had a case for being next in line. She is a little shy and doesn't realise the esteem in which she is held.

She is, I think, EBD's ideal of a Headmistress, and probably one that never would exist in real life. EBD didn't give her much of a life outside of the School, but, by the end of the series, it wouldn't be the CS without her. There are occasions when I am annoyed at how she is portrayed - one particular gripe is how she breaks the news to Josette about her not going to St Mildreds (may have to write about that someday). And her very conservative and old-fashioned views really grate - although, to be fair, the books were written in the 1930's - 60's and reflected EBD's own old fashioned views.

After all that, she is my favourite character - there's a surprise - but possibly, she is that, because I and others have expanded her character, made her more human.

 

#3:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 1:37 pm

Let's face it, Miss Annersley, once she becomes HM, is clearly who EBD wanted to be. EBD started off wanting to be Madge, but then had to marry her off and had a gap. Mlle didn't fit it (read the post-Princess, pre-Returns books and check just how often Mlle Lepattre is out of the school or not feeling well. It's a real eye-opener!) so EBD brings Miss A to the fore. I'm convinced it is Miss A, not Jo, who is EBD's own Mary Sue.

 

#4:  Author: Ruth, Location: Physically: Lincolnshire, England. Inwardly: The Scottish Highlands PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 1:43 pm

I like Miss Annersley - I wish my headmistress had been like her instead of a bit of an old witch!

I like the way she is portrayed - she appears like a real person to me although I wish we could have seen more of Mam'zell LePattre instead of having her killed out of the series.

I don't know why EBD made such a thing out of 'eyes that had never yet needed glasses' I know quite a lot of people who are way older than the Abbess and don't wear glasses.

I always think that she looks like a headmistress.

 

#5:  Author: MaryR, Location: Sale Cheshire PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2005 10:30 am

Ruth wrote:
I like Miss Annersley

I always think that she looks like a headmistress.


In how many books is there a picture of her? I've only seen one - in Prefects.

I agree with all the above. Like Lesley she is my favourite character but I prefer the way she is depicted in the earlier and middle books. Far too dependent on Jo towards the end, which as a strong character she wouldn't have been. Also in the last book she seems to be in a permanent bad mood with no humour in her - which is not how she is normally. at all.

But then I'm biased, as my story will attest!!!

 

#6:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2005 1:20 pm

There's a picture of her on the front of my armada New Chalet School, but as she's shocked by a box of frogs it's not very flattering!

Liz

 

#7:  Author: pim, Location: Helmel Hampster PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2005 2:37 pm

LizB wrote:
There's a picture of her on the front of my armada New Chalet School, but as she's shocked by a box of frogs it's not very flattering!


I have that one too! I often wondered who was on the cover and hoped it wasn't Miss A because the picture didn't live up to the one in my head. Let's just say I wish she'd been my headmistress.

 

#8:  Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2005 3:07 pm

I thought that was Mddle de Lachennais??......*hasnt got her copy, cant check*

There are pictures of Hilda on the HB covers of Leader and Reunion

She looks different in both Rolling Eyes

 

#9:  Author: Kat, Location: Swansea PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2005 6:32 pm

Yup, you're right Ally, tis Mddle not Miss A...

 

#10:  Author: Catherine_B, Location: Oxford, UK PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2005 12:03 am

What I find fascinating about Miss A is that, out of all the characters in the books, she is the one whose character we all of us on the CBB seem to admire. Jo, Madge, Mary-Lou... we've taken them all apart on various occasions, but hardly ever Hilda, except when we're being deliberately silly.

This is partly due to some excellent drabble writing, I think, but also because there is something in her character from the original books that convinces us in a way that Jo & co don't. Is it that she's less identifiably a product of her times than Jo & co? She works, after all, she's an "independent" woman in a way that perhaps appeals to us now. But then, why particularly her & not one of the other girls/women who don't marry? Maybe it's her friendship with Nell Wilson (we seem to identify with that more than Jack & Jo, however much we appreciate Jack - is it because it's a visibly equal partnership?). Or maybe it's something about her inate qualities of grace, calm, 'justice tempered with mercy', etc etc.

No answers but lots of thoughts!

 

#11:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2005 1:47 am

That, and possibly also the fact that she is an authority figure, for whom we all have an inherent degree of respect. Being insulting to Miss A would be like insulting our own Headmistresses and -masters, which thought is probably almost incomprehensible. Madge seems more like a normal person and so doesn't imply the degree of respect accorded to Miss A. We never see her making major mistakes in the series, as we do some of the other characters, so there is less to mock or criticise.

 

#12:  Author: jennifer, Location: Sunny California PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2005 6:37 pm

Plus, most of the more vehement objections to Joey and Madge involve the way they change during the series. I quite like both of them as characters in the early books, but find they become less realistic (in Joey's case), or less interesting (in Madge's case) towards the end of the series. Miss Annersley doesn't really change during the series - in her early portrayals she's calm and gentle, a good teacher, and has a great deal of authority and respect with both the students and the staff. She maintains that consistently throughout the series.

In my view, she's not a deeply three dimensional character either (drabbles and fill-ins aside). She's an example of the ideal headmistress, compassionate, wise, all-knowing, stern or kind as needed, and with a deep understanding of the girls and their motivations. You don't see her flaws or failures, and she doesn't seem to ever be in a bad mood.

 

#13:  Author: aitchemelle, Location: West Sussex PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2005 7:43 pm

I would agree with the above - most of my opinions about Hilda have been formed through the drabbles rather than the books themselves. AND I find that reading the books after reading the drabbles has made the characters more interesting - more applicable to nancy and kathie but also Hilda too!

 

#14:  Author: MaryR, Location: Sale Cheshire PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2005 7:51 pm

You don't see her flaws or failures, and she doesn't seem to ever be in a bad mood, says aitchemelle




I don't know. In one book - can't remember which one - she gets very snappy with Rosalie during the Fohn (wind) and as I said earlier here, in the last book she's definitely not her usual sweet self. Plus she does sometimes get het up about things.

PS What happened to the quote? Must be the wine!!

 

#15:  Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2005 10:49 pm

The most annoying thing, which doesnt actually fit with Hilda's character, is that to keep Joey in the series, we see her seeking Joey's advice when Hilda was perfectly compedent to do it herself.

However, I think this is probably an EBD/Joey flaw rather than a Hilda flaw so she is able to rise above it!

Hilda has grown on me as I have gotton older and I have come to respect her way of dealing with things. Remaining calm and trying icy stares on people can have a really great effect! Very Happy

 

#16:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2005 10:51 pm

MaryR wrote:
I don't know. In one book - can't remember which one - she gets very snappy with Rosalie during the Fohn (wind) and as I said earlier here, in the last book she's definitely not her usual sweet self. Plus she does sometimes get het up about things.


I think that was showing the severity of the weather at the time, that it would even change Miss A (and she did only snap in private).

 

#17:  Author: aitchemelle, Location: West Sussex PostPosted: Sat Apr 16, 2005 12:47 pm

MaryR wrote:
You don't see her flaws or failures, and she doesn't seem to ever be in a bad mood, says aitchemelle


acshurly it wasnt me who said that but jennifer! (I thought it was a bit too well expressed to be me lol!
i kind of agree tho, having not remembered the bit abut the wind.

How old is Miss A when she comes to the CS - I'm sure this has been answered elsewhere but I can't remember!

 

#18:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Sat Apr 16, 2005 12:57 pm

At most 26.

 

#19:  Author: MaryR, Location: Sale Cheshire PostPosted: Sat Apr 16, 2005 1:01 pm

Sorry, aitchemelle, it was because I couldn't get the quote thing to work and got totally confused.

About Hilda - I think Lesley's take is that she was about 29 when she came to the school.

Lesley will no doubt say I've now got THAT wrong!!!!!!!!

 

#20:  Author: aitchemelle, Location: West Sussex PostPosted: Sat Apr 16, 2005 2:22 pm

Thank you! Very Happy

I know I was reading last night (Bride) and wondered how oldish she was then but I can't remember why.... of course now I have to go away and do the Maths......

 

#21:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Sat Apr 16, 2005 10:53 pm

MaryR wrote:
About Hilda - I think Lesley's take is that she was about 29 when she came to the school.


Eep, just realised I counted back to the first year of the school starting, not when Miss A began. I'll correct my age and say 28, which is close enough to Lesley's that I won't offend anyone.

 

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