Three Days of the Wuthering Triffids

Oh where have I been? Not sure really but not quite out of this world yet. Big news for today is a reshowing of the early 80’s go at The Day of the Triffids from the BBC. Charlie Brooker seems to like it despite the Naff 80s look and bemoans the lack of genuine shocks on TV. I though my daughter might like it but she asked if it had a happy ending and when I replied that while not happy, the end was optimistic, she wanted to know what that meant out of ten. I had to say 4 which was met with the statement that she doesn’t watch anything under 5 on the happy-ending scale. I seem to remember it being genuinely scary, not because of the Clack-Clacking Giant Marigolds, but because of the accurate following of the book’s tale of the breakdown of civilization.

After my final capitulation as regards classic literature led to me reading and quite enjoying Jane Eyre, I have started on my fourth attempt at Wuthering Heights, sparked into it by it’s choice as one of the books in A Good Read on Radio 4. One of the guests, Professor Lisa Jardine said it was a standing joke that she had never finished this though for the show she managed it. She went on to complain at the main Narrator – Ellen Dean – who depending on the requirement of the plot either tells tales or withholds information. My thought that wasn’t this just a personification of what the novelist does anyway - but what do I know? I am not enjoying it as much as Jane Eyre, there is no real depth to the characters. What there is instead is a real whirlwind of passionate action all contained within this delicious little world of the moors and heights. The story does not seem to be much beyond the ramblings of what Emily Bronte would know about from her little world as filtered and arranged through the tales and actions of Nelly Dean. I suddenly thought about Mark Helprin and his book Refiner’s Fire which jumps around the world in a way which seems vaguely autobiographical but comes out seeming like a fantastic novel based on everything the author knows. Of course both Emily Bronte and Mark Helprin have literary ability which makes such fantasy possible. As I am over half-way through, I do expect to finish this though I am not sure it will leave me as satisfied as I have been expecting.

I have to go now and wore up all the phones in New York so no one can tell where I am calling from.