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There is reference to Henry Stephen’s reading of key texts of the period (the 1970s) which dealt with a critique of schooling and education, such as Ivan Illich’s book Deschooling society and Postman and Weingartner’s Teaching as a subversive activity.
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Title: Recessional
Author: Michael King
Published: Cape Town, Michael King, 2023
Similar to Michael’s second novel, Merrydown Farm, in which the narrative unfolds around the experiences of the central protagonist, Arthur Buckly, Recessional deals with the life and experiences of a young teacher, Henry Stephen, who joins the staff of a school called the Imperial College in 1974 as a Latin teacher. This fictional school is located in the Orange Free State, and for Henry Stephen, fresh out of university, it is his first teaching post.
However, as compared with Merrydown Farm, in which a third-person narrative is utilised, the use of a first-person narrative in Recessional provides a far more intimate view of the central protagonist’s (in this case, Henry Stephen’s) personality, his point of view and his experiences. The narrative in Recessional charts Henry Stephen’s life experience during his first year of teaching.
The novel is cleverly structured; instead of chapters one, two, three, etc, the novel consists of four sections, titled “Term 1”, “Term 2”, etc. As I understand it, a school year should be a period of learning and growth; similarly, the action that unfolds during these four terms represents a period of challenges, of growing insight and understanding, and of personal growth for Henry Stephen, with the narrative reaching a tragic climax in the final section, “Term 4”.
One aspect of the narrative deals with Henry Stephen’s intellectual and professional development as a teacher through his experiences in the school environment and his interactions with the pupils and staff alike. There is reference to Henry Stephen’s reading of key texts of the period (the 1970s) which dealt with a critique of schooling and education, such as Ivan Illich’s book Deschooling society and Postman and Weingartner’s Teaching as a subversive activity. Hearing this, you might think the novel would be of interest mainly to those who have spent time working in schools or other institutions of learning, but that could not be further from the truth.
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On a thematic level, Recessional deals with the inexorable need for institutions together with us as individuals to grapple with the world and society as it changes.
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Recessional is a beautifully crafted novel that contains exquisitely written passages and is deeply moving. On a thematic level, Recessional deals with the inexorable need for institutions together with us as individuals to grapple with the world and society as it changes, and what happens when institutions and those who run them fail to understand the need for change.
The first-person narrative in Recessional presents the reader with a profoundly human response to situations, through which Henry Stephen’s innate compassion and willingness to wrestle with what he sees as unjust or in need of change made a significant impact on me. If the hero in a novel is the main protagonist who goes on either a literal or figurative journey in which they must use their skills and knowledge to deal with difficulties and problems, then in Recessional Henry Stephen is a true hero.
The novel contains some fine passages reflecting the author’s responsiveness to nature; on pages 15 and 16, the passage in which Henry Stephen stops on his way to the Imperial College, standing in the Free State veld to appreciate “the high blue of the sky, almost Wedgewood blue”, is one such example. Similarly, another strength of the novel is the convincing portrayal of human interactions and feelings, at times humorous, at times serious. One of my favourite passages is the interaction between Henry and Selena Anthony on pages 67 and 68; it is an evocation of human connection, tenderness and sensuality that is, to quote Alan Paton, “lovely beyond the singing of it”.
Of course, the title of the novel, Recessional, and its associations are fascinating; in particular, it references “Recessional”, a poem by Rudyard Kipling composed for Queen Victoria’s diamond jubilee in 1897. The poem went against the celebratory mood of the time, being rather an allusion to the end of British imperial power, and when you read the novel, the references really hit home.
I found myself admiring Henry Stephen as a character not only because of his concern for others and his compassion, but because throughout the novel he seeks to understand the issues facing him. He is constantly applying his mind to issues and problems he encounters, seeking through reason and the pursuit of knowledge to find solutions. In the end, Henry Stephen comes to understand that the complexities of the world and people are far more nuanced and layered than in his earlier understanding of things. If only there were more Henry Stephens in the world today.
Kommentaar
The author is a very talented writer and also very retiring about his gift as a writer not least the winner of the Newdigate Prize for Poetry at Oxford University.