Combined Post for 062Y55AFX 09/03 & 062Y55A03Mrs. Henderson & World War 2 10/03

As I gave two classes this week the same movie to discuss, I am directing this article at both of you. I do hope you all find it.

Although we are going to talk about the movie next week, I left you with the question..."Why do you think I showed you this particular movie?" I'm quite interested in the reply because this movie, while seeming to be a light, sorta funny story about something that was not exactly earth-shattering [a common phrase to indicate something of extreme importance and/or consequences], it actually covered a lot of ground. [ see, discuss or write about a lot of different things]

In it were aspects of racism, ageism, sexism, war, social class, changing times, morality, the function of the Arts, entertainment, love and friendship. Quite a lot of important subjects.

There is one aspect though, that might have escaped you: the attitudes of civilians to war.

I think I have have told you that my mother was 45 when she gave birth to me - and I am now even older than that, so both of my parents were involved in the Second World War. My mother stayed in England for the duration [literally means 'for the whole time that something happened.' Older people call the whole war period - 1939 to 1945, the 'duration'. ] while my father, who was an officer in the Air Force, went all over the various war-fronts.

They mentioned in the movie that everyone had 'war-work'. This meant that civilians, whether they were working or not, were asked to do extra, unpaid, work to help the war effort. They turned their gardens _ and you know the English LOVE their gardens - into vegetable patches, learned how to do First Aid [basic medical procedures], patrolled the streets at night on the look-out for stray bombs, lights, (everyone had to hang black cloth over their windows so no light would show which would help enemy bombers) or fires, dug people out of the ruins, knitted socks etc. etc.

My mother's war work, like the people in the movie, was entertainment. (She was also a nurse) She turned her house into a place where people could stay as so many had their houses bombed that accommodation was hard to get. Mostly the people who stayed with her were from the Theatre. At one stage she had a woman who did an act with a python [large snake] staying with her, another who had six dogs, a man with a parrot - and there was always room for American or British Air Force guys who came to London on leave. They were bombed out a couple of times (in other words, the house got directly hit from bombs).

Phyl (my mother) was a wonderful dancer (ballroom), and an incredible pianist. Like me, she couldn't sing very well, but the audiences didn't mind. Apart from classical music, she would play popular music (the pop music of the time) and get everyone to join in and her personality was so wonderful no-one ever noticed she had a really rotten voice! As an Acter she was crazy in comedy roles...something I guess I inherited from her.

As a child I remember the wonderful parties my parents used to give: at some stage Phyl would always end up at the piano and everyone would sing very loudly all the songs from the War. From my place under the piano I learned all of them and would listen to the stories everyone would tell. These stories were never dark or sad. They were always hilarious!

Phyl would tell how one day one of the American Air Force bods [I also know all the wartime slang: 'bods' means 'guy"] walked in on Leave and put his hand on the banister [the hand rail on stairs] only to find that it moved! She said that the scream the brave pilot gave could be heard two houses away: - the python had curled itself round the banister and was taking a nap!

Also, hearing that my grandmother's house had been bombed, she hurried around to find my Grandmother who, as I said, was very like Mrs. Henderson, bent over the staircase with a tiny brush trying to sweep up all the dust and stuff from the bomb and muttering "What will the neighbours think if they see this mess!" Except that the only part of the house left standing WAS the staircase and my bent-over grandmother was unknowingly displaying her pink silk knickers [women's under pants] to everyone who went past!

The first and second World Wars were called that, of course, because most of the countries in the world were involved. However the second world war was the one in which more civilians than ever before were involved - except in America which was the only major country in the world never to have a bomb dropped on it.

For this reason most of the foreign war movies you will have seen will involve only soldiers. Some Americans went to the wars, but wars haven't gone to everyone in America. This is a very great difference between the experiences of people from Europe/U.K. etc. and the people of America. It affects their cultures, backgrounds and their foreign and financial policies. It is also the reason that the 9/11 bombing affected America so much. And for the resentment many people felt when President Bush claimed that "The world" has been changed forever by 9/11.

Understanding of the West and the diversity of thought between the many countries there has to take this into consideration. Perhaps you might be able to think of some of the ways understanding of this fact helps?