Alan Bennett is a British
playwright, screenwriter, actor and author. He attended Oxford University where he studied history and performed with The Oxford Revue. Bennett was made an Honorary Fellow of Exeter College, Oxford in 1987. He was also awarded a D Litt by the University of Leeds in 1990 and an honorary doctorate from Kingston University in 1996. His works include The Madness of George III and its film incarnation, The Madness of King George, the series of monologues Talking Heads, the play The History Boys, and popular audio books, including his readings of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Winnie-the-Pooh. Four Stories is Alan Bennett’s collection of hugely admired, triumphantly reviewed and bestselling stories in the category of Modern Classics.
The Lady in the Van is a true story of an old lady who was told by the council to move out but was invited by the author, Alan Bennett, to camp in his garden in his north London home. The eccentric old lady stays in the garden for 15 long years. Bennett has painted a detailed portrait of this interesting character that excites the reader’s sympathy and curiosity. A candid look at the way of conducting one’s life is beautifully depicted: “There are miracles. There is faith. Negative thoughts don’t help.” The old lady’s secret life of never disclosing her true identity and the whole time spent by her in a cramped van is summarised by the writer when he writes, “Her grave in the Islington St Pancras Cemetery is scarcely less commodious than the narrow space she slept in the previous twenty years. It is unmarked, but I think as someone so reluctant to admit her name or divulge any information about herself, she would not have been displeased by that.”
The Laying on of Hands is a darkly humorous story describing a memorial service for a masseur to the famous that goes horribly wrong. The memorial service is crowded with celebrities expressing gratitude for the life of a young, charismatic and much loved Clive Dunlop who was found dead in Peru in mysterious circumstances, probably dying of Aids. “What the Lord giveth the Lord also taketh away.” The story portrays the picture of memorial services these days that are devoid of any emotions and more of cosmetic celebrations. “As memorial services go these days it had been billed as a celebration, the marrying of the valedictory with the festive, convenient on several grounds. For a start, it made grief less obligatory, which was useful, as the person to be celebrated had been dead some time and tears would have been something of a role-playing. To call it a celebration also allowed the congregation to dress up not down, so that though the millinery might be more muted, one could have been forgiven for thinking this was a wedding not a wake.” He goes on, “These days people didn’t, or tried not to, always feeling death was unfair, so when they saw it coming to them or their loved ones they made a great song and dance about it.”
Father! Father! Burning Bright, is a savage satire on a dying man’s family reaction as he still asserts control over them from a hospital bed. Midgley, the son, not letting his dying father down, mounts a vigil, crying by his bedside, “You can cry more without tears.” There are certain light moments too in this gloomy backdrop: “This unit was opened by the Duchess of Kent. The fascination of medicine and royalty were equal in Aunty Kitty’s mind and whenever possible she found a connection between the two. Had she been told she was dying but from the same disease as a member of the Royal Family she would have died happily.”
The Clothes They Stood Up In is a painful story of what happens to an elderly couple when their flat is stripped completely bare. The Ransomes, a solicitor and his downtrodden wife, were robbed. The robbers took away everything; not even sparing the toilet paper. The incident marks the beginning of a new life for the couple, an opportunity and liberation from the daily life they were used to.
Alan Bennett’s collection of stories revolves around the lives of ordinary people while observing their lives with a very attentive eye. Playful and witty at times, they are full of twists, entertaining human nature, virtues and morals at the same time. As the writer quotes from William Hazlitt’s On the Knowledge of Character, “Good nature, or what is often considered as such, is the most selfish of all virtues: it is nine times out of ten mere indolence of disposition.” The collection has also touched on the political subject of Justice vs. dictatorship. “Justice in the world today with its gigantic ignorant conduct requires the rule of a Good Dictator, possibly.” Alan’s artistic touch has given this remarkable collection a space in the world of modern English literature.
The reviewer is a social activist. He blogs at http://drirfanzafar.com and can be reached at [email protected]