A Leader in the Chalet School
The CBB -> Book Discussions

#1: A Leader in the Chalet School Author: Rachael PostPosted: Mon Jul 12, 2004 4:35 pm


There is no summary for this book Fave/worst scenes? How is Len shaping up as a leader? What do you think of her forfeiting her Montreux trip to speak to Miss Annersley about Margot? Is Margot finally beginning to mature? Opinion re Jack? Opinion re Margaret Twiss Anything else?

 


#2:  Author: RuthLocation: Lincolnshire, England PostPosted: Thu Jul 15, 2004 2:51 pm


I enjoyed this book. My favourite scene, scenes actually, would have to be - Jack's first go at skiing, the cobblers wax and Miss Burnett's bubble bath. I don't really have a scene that I dislike. I think that Len is shaping up well as a leader. Jack is one of my favourite characters - she has got character, hasn't she. I am not overly keen on Margaret Twiss but I am glad she and Jack make peace. I really think that Margot is beginning to show signs that she is maturing.

 


#3:  Author: Rachael PostPosted: Thu Jul 15, 2004 3:03 pm


Yay - someone finally posted on this one!! I like Jack - she's naughty, feisty and doesn't reform in just one book which makes a refreshing change ... and the cobbler's wax trick was very funny (cos it was Margaret!) even though it was very bad in terms of ruining someone else's property etc ... although she does get punished for it. I like the way she is "straight" and always owns up to her transgressions and I particularly liked the division in the form as to who sided with who when Jack was in real trouble - very realistic! I also like the relationship she has with Len and how it really opens Len's eyes to setting a good example and taking responsibility for the juniors ... I'm not sure about Len butting in regarding Margot though - Margot should have realised that the Head obviously only meant that the troublemakers would stay down. When has Hilda ever been unfair?! Honestly Rolling Eyes So I think that incident just reflects Margot's continuing immaturity in not thinking things through properly, even if she is pulling her socks up on the actual work front ... As for Len wading in to talk to Miss Annersley and forfeiting her trip in the process - talk about shades of Mary-Lou butting in! Her heart may be in the right place but I think it was totally unnecessary - a swift "don't be ridiculous" to Margot's woes would have sufficed ... the Head should have told Len where to go, sister or not!

 


#4:  Author: Kathy_SLocation: midwestern US PostPosted: Thu Jul 15, 2004 4:17 pm


As indicated by the title, this book is primarily a showcase for Len, who does come off very well – not just patient with Jack’s endless questions, but realizing the responsibility that comes with being a bit idolized and living up to it. I also thought her going to Hilda over Margot’s despair was very much the right thing to do, and Hilda’s advice extremely helpful. Sure, Margot shouldn’t have been so panicky, but given that she was, and that Len knew her well enough to see potential consequences – how could she have lived with herself if she hadn’t done something? Speaking of Margot- it’s nice to hear her talents praised, for once, re/ singing in the panto. I wondered if her embarrassed comment about a future with singing and teaching was meant for foreshadowing of the vocation. (Poor Con – so deep in the shade she’s barely mentioned.) It’s rather startling to see how frequently the characters look back to ML’s speech in Theodora as a major and positive turning point. Len, for example:
Quote:
Do you mean that I’m getting bossy? For pity’s sake, Con, if you see any signs of that happening, choke me off at once! I haven’t forgotten all Mary-Lou had to say to me last summer term! … I never felt so awful in my life!
Amazing! ML’s comments to Len & Con may have had validity, but to me seemed dreadfully out of place at the time. The weakest part of the book for me was the Ruey story line. But then, Mr. Richardson never did seem very real. Jack has one of the better EBD shorts. Of course partly that may be because I still can’t get my tongue around Jacynth. Jay’-sinth? Ja-kinth’? no idea. Plus, it was her idea rather than the school’s. Overall I like her, though found the tricks with the cobbler’s wax and the boot water OTT. (Bubble bath amusing, however). The snake plot device was quite well done – especially enjoyed its leavening with humorous elements, e.g. Sharlie as the guilty party, Len’s response to the strewing of flowers, and Hilda’s gown “billowing portentously round her Smile

 


#5:  Author: Rachael PostPosted: Thu Jul 15, 2004 4:36 pm


(I've always pronounced it Jay-sinth, as in Cynthia ...)

 


#6:  Author: Lisa_TLocation: Belfast PostPosted: Thu Jul 15, 2004 6:24 pm


Me too- for Jacynth, I mean. Re Len, Rachael, do you have the HB or PB? I have the HB and Hilda comes across as much more the HM in the HB. Len asks Hilda if she can get Margot and Co together and tell them her remarks weren't directed in them. The pb makes Hilda seem more co-operative here (which always made me feel uncomfortable if she had, it would have been so unprofessional, to put it mildly). in the HB, Hilda tells Len.."..it does apply to them. Don't you see, child, it applies to everyone who won't work honestly.." Incidentally, in the HB the whole slant of this chapter is different. Would anyone like me to transcribe it? It really was badly cut- two whole pages slashed plus lots of other paragraphs and dialogue- and a wonderfully snobbish comment from Joey!

 


#7:  Author: EllieLocation: Lincolnshire PostPosted: Thu Jul 15, 2004 6:54 pm


I for one would really appreciate that Lisa, I had no idea it had been cut, and I would love to see what EBD really meant to say. (Plus Joey's snobbish comment, of course)

 


#8:  Author: Kathy_SLocation: midwestern US PostPosted: Thu Jul 15, 2004 7:46 pm


Yes, please, Lisa! What's the real story? Though Hilda doesn't exactly embrace Len's idea in the PB -- not that she should have! - just gets Len to understand the use of peer pressure "to make hard work fashionable," and suggests she use the hint on Margot without saying from whence it came. *wishes work were more fashionable among her students*

 


#9:  Author: liseLocation: varies... PostPosted: Thu Jul 15, 2004 8:23 pm


I really like leader because it's where we see the start of a new group and think they're all quite strong characters. I like that we meet Wanda - she seems like a link with tirol times. I think the way Len feels reponsible for Jack is realistic, Jack's new, young and a real character, you can't help warming to her and it's not like len forces authority on Jack. The point about having a bad reputation always grated on me a bit, though!

 


#10:  Author: Lisa_TLocation: Belfast PostPosted: Thu Jul 15, 2004 11:55 pm


its perfectly true though, especially in a boarding school where your reputation can make or mar your school life *speaking from experience*

 


#11:  Author: Rachael PostPosted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 8:50 am


Thanks, Lisa - would love to see the HB version ... (and I agree about reputations in boarding school!)

 


#12:  Author: liseLocation: varies... PostPosted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 2:30 pm


wow...seems like i had a lucky escape (small catholic day school!). I guess it's true judging by the reactions of her class. Glad she didn't let it put her off madness completely though! about the hb, anyone know the ggb reprint time for it?

 


#13:  Author: RayLocation: Bristol, England PostPosted: Mon Jul 19, 2004 11:39 am


I just reread this last night and I was pleasantly surprised this was one of the books that I never really liked as a kid, but reading it again now, it seems a lot better than I remember! Fave/worst scenes? Not really sure I have either of these. Nothing stuck out either way it's a fairly good, solid book without being spectacular. Though I will say that the scene where the Triplets are wondering about Miss Andrews' sanity is definitely amusing! How is Len shaping up as a leader? Pretty well, I would have said. I think she handles Jack very well - and it can't have been easy to be faced with someone as inquisative as Jack. I think she also handles Margot very well, being willing and able to talk to her but not forcing her confidence and not butting in until Margot asks her to. What do you think of her forfeiting her Montreux trip to speak to Miss Annersley about Margot? I think it's perhaps the only thing she could have done given that Margot was clearly very anxious about the matter. The other option would have been suggesting Margot go and see Miss Annersley herself - and given the state Margot was in, that probably wasn't a good idea at all! I know the HB version of the scene differs (so I'll be interested to see exactly how), but the PB version (at least from my read) does work quite well. Is Margot finally beginning to mature? Yes. I know there are a few trials still for her to come through (I'm looking forward to discussing Triplets in a couple of weeks' time!), but she is definitely more mature here. Here's a thought though: How much more mature would she be (or not be) if Emerance had stayed at the school? I think it's very much the lack of Emmy in this book and Ruey before it that force Margot to mature. Opinion re Jack? I like Jack she's a basically nice child, although I do have a question: Is she supposed to be Ruth's daughter? If so, I thought she and Anne were twins! Opinion re Margaret Twiss I didn't like her. She's a bit of a whiner. She serves her purpose, and thankfully, irrc, then vanishes into the ether never to be seen again. Anything else? One other thing I did like was the continued development of the Len/Con/Margot/Ros/Ted/Ricki/Ruey/Francie chummery. I think the scene when they're ski-ing to the san is such a nice interraction of friends, something that EBD does very well. Ray *will now wade her way through another not-favoured book so as to be able to contribute to the Wins the Trick discussion*

 




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