Argh!

[erastes]

Got carried away yesterday. The new protagonist (or rather I should say, the narrator, he’s not REALLY the protag) name of “Harry” – not very original, I know, but the relevance will eventually one day be clear – was developing nicely on the  page. I haven’t worked out what kind of person he is yet, but as it’s a first person novel (sorry to those people who refuse to ever read a first person) he’s not exactly going to confess his deepest sins to me on the first chapter or so…

Anyway – he’s chatting away nicely, he’s a little bit camp—and it’s 1921 so he can get away with it—and gossipy, and he’s talking about his Head Boy and how he had a big crush on him, and that’s why he doesn’t like the current HB and today I realise that I’m a doofus and this story is about men of university age and NOT of sixth form age. I’m a moron. *kick kick kick self * so I’m going either to have to scrap all of what I’ve done, or make it “when we were both at school” backstory or something – or rewrite it to mean someone in their college. Not having been in a position to go to Uni, I don’t know if there is an equivalent of a HB at university. Grump grump. I suppose this means research.

All I will say is that 1921 is very deliberate and that a law was passed in 1921 that sets the plot off. Yes, I know that’s no help at all. Sorry.

-  - -

Comments

[chris-smith-atr.livejournal.com]

CONFESS HARRY! CONFESS!!!

[erastes.livejournal.com]

eh?

[chris-smith-atr.livejournal.com]

Well if he's not confessing his innermost secrets, we must make him confess!

*pulls out hot pokers*

[tiggothy.livejournal.com]

Could it be the president of the student union / JCR (Junior Common Room [Committee])
From my experience (in a fairly traditional Halls, since this part seemed similar to what my parents remembered of Durham colleges in the early 1970s), all undergraduate members of the Hall/College are automatically members of the "JCR" - and they vote each year to elect a committee (usually referred to, confusingly, as the JCR). It's the JCR committee who organise, in conjunction/collaboration with the paid employees of the Hall/College all the college/Hall-specific events such as dances, formal dinners, sports teams etc.

[Post-graduate members of the college/Hall belong to the SCR (Senior Common Room)]

It does depend, though, on which university your boys are at. I'm not sure, but I think in 1921 only the collegiate ones (Oxford, Cambridge, Durham) would have had structures like that - I know my Uni (Sheffield) at that time just had the body which evolved into the Student Union...

[erastes.livejournal.com]

thank you - that's very useful! I know bugger all about Uni - and they will be at Oxford I think, seeing as how Charlie's boys are at Cambridge...but they are only there for a few weeks before going off to the protagonists parents for a Jolly Summer Hols of fun and recreation and happy happy times
. :D Do you believe me? :D

[tiggothy.livejournal.com]

Sounds good - and Charlie can probably provide more info specific to collegiate universities: I refused to even consider applying to Oxbridge, much to the bafflement of the head of sixth form at my school...

[charliecochrane.livejournal.com]

In re remark below, ask away, dear.

Other suggestions for someone to compare/hate/crush on would be an older student who was captain of the University cricket/rugby team or head of the boat club (who've just got Head of the river) or one of the junior fellows. Loads of possibilities, really. Or University wide, he could be discussing the president of the Union, although we'd need to research the Oxford angle on all of these.

Sorry, I think I just got over enthusiastic on YOUR project.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Would there be a Dean or something? He is currently describing how he dislikes the current "Dean" (for want of knowing what else to call him) because he took the place of the brooding scowling Heathcliff-esque (to his imagination) Dean Armitage who used to prowl the quadrangles scowling at everyone.

I'm happy to have enthusiasm! I'm rather enjoying it so far, even though they won't be staying in college for more than a chapter or so, they will still be undergrads.

[mylodon.livejournal.com]

If you mean by Dean the head of the college, then yes, they'd have one. Could have a title like Master or Warden or one you make up. There are other college officers too, subsiduary to the top dog, as well as all the fellows and dons and bursars and what have you.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Oo - thank you - Dean isprobably a bit high up, so I'll make him a don- master of classics or something...

thank you dear!