Tag Archives: old writing series

Old Writing: Part 30::Upstairs, Downstairs

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I have had a nearly life-long love of British television, starting with the Avengers when I was in 3rd grade. Here I talk about Upstairs, Downstairs. I was in my freshman year of college. I don’t remember writing this though.

I only received a B on it with the following comment: “Good but in order to show the credibility of the characters you should show their actions as common to others — a comparison paper in other words.”

English Comp. 102
T-TH- 8:00 – 9:15 am
1-26-76

Upstairs, Downstairs, one of public television’s most popular programs, owes much of its attractiveness to the credibility of its characters. This BBC program portrays life in Britain during WWI as seen through the eyes of one certain upper class household. Both upper and lower classes are shown. Masters and servants (Upstairs and Downstairs) interact, giving the audience glimpses of the happy and sad times of each class.

One character who comes to mind is the overbearing but sensitive butler, Hudson. The viewers can sense the pain felt by Hudson when he is told that, because of poor eyesight, he can’t be sent to “the front” to fight for his country. He overcomes this pain by joining the “Special Constables” and the pain turns to pride.

Upstairs has believable characters as well as downstairs. Richard Bellamy is the kind and patient, but troubled former master of the household. He’s the quiet member of Parliament who loves his son’s wife, Hazel, like a daughter, yet wishes that he were twenty years younger and in his son’s place because that his son doesn’t really love Hazel.

Finally, there is Georgina, the nineteen-year-old niece of Richard Bellamy. She, though not like her uncle, is a believable character. She is a young woman who is afraid of being hurt, yet wants to serve her country in its time of crisis, so she befriends many soldiers, letting take the memory of her charming personality to comfort them to whatever fate has for them. She lets them love her, but never allows herself to love them back.

Every one of the members of the Bellamy household, upstairs and down, has at least something about them that their audience can believe in. An insecurity shown by Hazel or a jealous rage by the master shows us that they are as human as ourselves.

Old Writing: Part 29::How Doth the Little Termite?

Series, Writing

I don’t remember this — but I noticed that I didn’t finish. I only wrote one stanza and that stanza was pretty lame.

How doth the little termite
improve his appetite
by eating wood and nothing else
O that fussy termite.

(the assignment is below in mimeograph color)

Against Idleness and Mischief — An Excerpt

How doth the little busy bee
Improve each shining hour,
And gather honey all the day
From every opening flower.

How skilfully she builds her cell.
How neat she spreads the wax
And labors hard to store it well
With the sweet food she makes.

Assignment: Using Mr. Watts’ poem as a model, make substitutions of the underlined (bolded) words with your own. Try to be as clever, original and as interesting as you can be. YES, you may change any of the other words to suit your idea. Keep the same rhythm if you do decide to change the original plan. YES, you may leave some of the underlined (bolded) words. Be imaginative!

Old Writing: Part 28::Sibling Rivalry??

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I have very little memory of writing this, but I remember reading it. I was a weird teenager.

May 1, 1973

“Sibling Rivalry”

“But mother, I want one too! You can’t give a doll to Heather without giving one to me, you know that!” cried ten-year-old Megan.

“Oh Megan, stop being difficult. You are making a scene. Grandma gave you a new nightgown last week, and this is Heather’s eighth birthday,” whispered Mrs. McLaughlin impatiently.

“If you give Heather a present without giving me one I will tell her what it is!” warned the near hysterical child.

“Oh Megan, whatever shall I do with you?” said Mrs. McLaughlin, turning back towards the toy department. “All right, pick out something under five dollars.”

With an almost satisfied gleam in her eye, and a sinister smirk on her face, Megan eyed the toys with exasperation. “But Mama dear, whatever can I find for under five dollars? Besides, Heather’s doll cost fifteen dollars!”

“Oh well, how about a party dress? You can wear it at Heather’s party.” angry that she couldn’t keep her own child under control, and defeated, afraid of what Megan could do if she didn’t give in, Mrs. McLaughlin gave in.

“All right, if it will make you happy I will get an old dress — but only if it costs more than Heather’s china doll!”

“We’ll see, honey, but now let’s pick out a dress for you.” She then led a satisfied little girl to find a dress.

“Oh Mama! What a beautiful doll, I shall call her Amy,” cried the joyous Heather at her eighth birthday party while Megan looked on in her new dress with envy.

“The doll is okay, but look at my dress everyone, it cost twenty-two dollars. Heather’s doll only cost fifteen! Heather never had a dress as pretty as this one, Mama even said so!” said Megan, distracting attention from Heather’s many gifts.

“Shh, Megan, this is Heather’s party.” whispered Heather and Megan’s mother.

“Shut-up! I hate you! I never get any presents. I hate you all!”

“Megan! I am sorry, kids. Megan is just tired from shopping today. You just on on with your party,” said Mrs. McLaughlin, running after her hysterical child.

Later…

“Megan, do you want this top that Kim gave me? Or this Barbie doll from Sandy? Please don’t be angry with me,” pleaded Heather.

“I’m not mad,” said Megan, picking up Heather’s new china doll and looking at it with an odd smile, “but I would like this!”

“Oh, no, Megan, please, not that. Mama gave it to me and I want to keep it. You can have anything else though,” said Heather in tears.

“No! I want this, it is mine anyway. A nice rich man gave it to me and Mother gave it to you because she hates to spend money on you, only me!” lied Megan.

“You are lying, Megan. Go out of my room, you can’t have anything!” screamed Heather.

“Oh yeah” Well how about this?” screamed Megan, throwing the fragile china doll to the floor. “So there, I wouldn’t want that old doll anyway, now!” Megan ran out the door slamming it behind her.

“Oh Amy, Amy, don’t die, don’t be broken please.” sobbed the heartbroken Heather, picking up the shattered doll and rocking back and forth as if trying to comfort the doll — only getting the comfort from the “dead” doll instead. ” Oh, Amy, Amy…”