Short Story – 60 pages / my paperback published 2007 & borrowed
- 3 nods out of 5 –
‘There’s a war on’ claims Smith, the 17 year old who is confined to Borstal for robbing a baker’s shop; continuing: ‘between us and them’. Us, are the other Out-laws like Smith, Them being the In-laws; it is a conflict which can never be resolved, Smith believing both sides being unable to understand one another.
This short story by Sillitoe comprises of three parts: the opener which establishes Smith’s situation as a long distance runner, training for a Borstal run at which a cup will be awarded to the victor; the second in which Smith recounts his robbery and how he was caught (worth the read itself); whilst the ending chapter is that of the race itself. It is a run Smith can easily win, yet decides against doing so. This despite incurring the wrath of the Borstal governor, despite being sentenced to the most awful duties in the last six months of his internment. His decision to throw the race can be seen as his refusal to bow down to the way of the In-laws; even though such a decision wrecks his continuance of running – something which gives him time for enlightened thought and peace, to make him seem like both the ‘first man’ and the ‘last man’ on earth.
Smith’s decision is one which can be debated until blue in the face. He turns his back on “going straight”, “doing right”, “turning over a new leaf”; but he notes, that in doing what he does he is staying true to himself. This kind of honesty is one in which the governor and other insufferable In-laws will never know the full value of. Whilst its larger overtones – coming from the 1950s – unmistakably hints at the divide of classes in society. Well, we could expect nothing less from working class venom.
This short story by Sillitoe comprises of three parts: the opener which establishes Smith’s situation as a long distance runner, training for a Borstal run at which a cup will be awarded to the victor; the second in which Smith recounts his robbery and how he was caught (worth the read itself); whilst the ending chapter is that of the race itself. It is a run Smith can easily win, yet decides against doing so. This despite incurring the wrath of the Borstal governor, despite being sentenced to the most awful duties in the last six months of his internment. His decision to throw the race can be seen as his refusal to bow down to the way of the In-laws; even though such a decision wrecks his continuance of running – something which gives him time for enlightened thought and peace, to make him seem like both the ‘first man’ and the ‘last man’ on earth.
Smith’s decision is one which can be debated until blue in the face. He turns his back on “going straight”, “doing right”, “turning over a new leaf”; but he notes, that in doing what he does he is staying true to himself. This kind of honesty is one in which the governor and other insufferable In-laws will never know the full value of. Whilst its larger overtones – coming from the 1950s – unmistakably hints at the divide of classes in society. Well, we could expect nothing less from working class venom.
