The Dreams of William Golding. Sat March 17th on BBC2 TV 9.30 pm

[Belgrove]

I did watch it and thought it very good. The Arena series rarely produces a dud programme, they are always intelligent, well crafted, revealing and sometimes quirky documentaries. I recall the South Bank Show profile that was referred to, and this was what first piqued my interest in the author. This documentary was more revealing because of the contributions from Golding's children. He is one of those authors who picks a big theme and explores it's multi-faceted expressions through his prose. He's an important author and the documentary did him justice. Do try and catch it if you have not seen it already.

[DracoM]

If you have read the books, the insights / info were revealing, and illuminating, as well as on occasions confounding. But that's WG!!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

DracoM (#52):

It was an excellent documentary; moving, informative and focussed on his superb writing with no loitering on events in his life unrelated to his work. The BBC at its best. Thanks again to HS.

[salymap]

I've just discovered an interesting Monitor broadcast from BBCTV in 1959 of a 20 minute interview with William Golding,where he discusses his work and influences. The interviewer was Peter Newington.

From the Modern Authors Archive.

[aeolium]

You mean this one, salymap?

There are some interesting interviews in that collection. I like the T H White one, a writer now sadly out of favour.

[Chris Newman]

Thankyou for that, salymap. Although about three quarters of that Monitor programme was re-used in John Carey's film a couple of weeks ago it was fascinating have the opportunity to hear WG thinking out loud again. Also, like aeolium, I have just spotted there are many gems in that Modern Authors' Archive. A veritable treasure trove. I have just finished reading John Carey's book on WG which I bought some time ago and the recent TV film nudged me into reading. A very complicated man, our WG.

[salymap]

I don't know when I discovered it but that Modern Authors Archive is a favourite of mine and I often go back to it. It leads to other fascinating sites too.

[Hornspieler]

This has proved to be an interesting discussion and it seems to me that it would be appropriate to end it by reproducing some of the comments on this programme by former members of Bishop Wordsworth School, who knew and were taught by Scruff Golding:

SIR WILLIAM 'Scruff' GOLDING TV PROGRAMMME, 17 MARCH on BBC2 at 9pm

From the Old Wordsworthian magazine’s Editor:
I watched the Arena programme on the 'catch up' service yesterday and was suitably impressed! I never realised quite what an interesting character Mr Golding was and how many books he had actually written apart from 'the one'!
It was a pity that there wasn't more content from those who were taught by him, especially as so much time was taken to interview them but what was included was relevant. His life at BWS was simply marginalised. His teaching. His acting. His participation in musical events. His eccentricities. His contribution of religious books to the library. His 'scruffiness' offset by his immaculate turn-out in naval uniform on OTC/CCF days. And more. ...
It was quite compulsively fascinating as a study of a weirdo genius. All-in-all an educational and informative programme which I surprised myself by being totally enthralled.

From Dr David Happold:I had not expected the programme to be so long or so informative. It was fascinating and I learned a lot about 'Scruff' that I did not know but there was also a lot about him that I did know. It was lovely to see some of the old photos, and I recognised some of the staff and boys [these mostly taken before I was at BWS]. I did not know about the very long diaries which 'Scruff' wrote, nor about some of his 'dreams'. He was such a complex person.
I remember his English classes, and the way he set us to work and then started to write in his exercise books, usually (if I recall correctly] in red biro pen. We used to wonder what he was writing -and now one can assume that it was 'Lord of the Flies' or one of his many other books. We have often wondered how many of the ideas, and characteristics of the boys, came from BWS boys of those days. Has the Arena film received good reviews in UK?
I have not read Carey's biography of 'Scruff', but I think I heard a commentary which suggested that it was not a particularly good assessment of 'Scruff'.
Another interesting snippet. My Father had a number of his books published by Faber and Faber, and he used to go to London quite often to see Sir Geoffrey Faber. Since my Father knew about Scruff's writing, I wonder if he recommended that 'Scruff' should submit them to Faber and Faber - and where it was eventually accepted for publication?

Other quotes from the OW magazine:
“I did enjoy the film. Someone said to me today that it was very depressing. I wish she had heard your radio comments, for you speak with affection as well as honestly. I have just watched bits of the programme again”.

“I thought it was a very good programme, excellent balance between life and works”.

“I certainly enjoyed the programme; it evoked many more memories of my time at BWS (1954-1961) than I had anticipated, as well as providing a deeper appreciation of Golding. Whilst it is true that Adam Low made little use of our contributions, that is perhaps understandable when you see in the finished documentary the large amount of material that he was handling and the emphasis he was aiming for”.

Hornspieler

[amateur51]

Many thanks for this (msg 58), Hornspieler

[salymap]

IMHO that photograph of Golding in the classroom is very special indeed.