Saville

SAVILLE

by David Storey

 

Award: Booker Winner 1976

 

Date Read: May 22, 2021

 

In the beginning of the odyssey of Colin’s life, my heart goes out to him, a lad who never quite manages to be a kid. He has tremendous responsibility, is driven incredibly hard by his parents, Masters at school and even performs manual labor during break at the tender age of 11 to assist with household expenses. He watches over his younger brothers and helps with household chores. What more can a child do? My son is 12 and I cannot imagine him doing half of this, although he certainly would if the economic circumstances required it. 

 

From the outset, Colin’s parent’s hopes have landed on his shoulders and he is the one that will transcend their lowly economic position. He is their golden child, the one that will prove all their sacrifice worthwhile. And so he is pushed academically and ultimately succeeds in passing his exams and landing a coveted spot at one of the premier public institutions. 

 

(As an aside, my read of the hierarchy of schools seemed to be the city schools were highest the private schools second and village schools third. Japan has a much similar system which is the antithesis of American schools – the public schools invest in those who test incredibly high, while the private schools take the remainder at the expense of their parents. This is where cram-schools come in as an essential function of the human Pachinko that ensues.)

 

Yet, what his parents fail to understand the misery of education that Colin, and most likely all his peers endure regardless of the school. Learning is, by design, tedious and shameful. Masters threaten physical violence for error, publicly shaming students not just for error, but for trying something new or expressing themselves in some unique way. They wring all humanity out of imparting knowledge and this seems entirely backwards to me.

 

Colin, somehow, endures and thrives, reaching the milestones set before him and impressing his family that he will not follow in their footsteps. He eventually settles into a routine that allows him to play rugby and date Margaret at the same time he contemplates his own future – college.

 

Margaret opens Colin’s eyes to a force he hadn’t seen before – that of a female that strives for a life beyond marriage and raising babies. She wants for herself a life in addition to those familial obligations, that enhance her mind and propel her forward in the wider human world.

 

When describing this for Colin, the attitude with which Colin receives this revelation was startlingly misogynistic. He argues that because women haven’t become famous scholars or painters or excelled at any other major endeavor means that they are not equipped to do so. Margaret, conversely, argues they haven’t had the expectation or opportunity and I completely agree. Time has shown that women are just as capable as men given the same opportunities and access to education. I could have throttled Colin. Perhaps it becomes no surprise that this relationship ultimately fizzles.

 

Overall, I enjoyed Colin’s character and those of his family even more until Colin became a teacher. Beyond this point, I found little to like in who he grows to be. He comes resentful, argumentative, accusatory and detached from everything and everyone who had seen him to this point. In a nut, he becomes a whiney-ass-bitch and that’s not a good look on anyone.

 

He suddenly becomes resentful of his family, who he felt railroaded him into his current life. He resents his brothers who he believes have a freedom in their future that he never had. And he resent his parents for tethering him to the household so he can contribute financially even as he tries to break away. Aagh!

 

His father and mother spent so much time and resources trying to better Colin’s life that I found little sympathy for his arguments as to how he didn’t have a choice in his future. Further, his resentment at his brothers, particularly Steven who argued that he enjoyed his life, was simply out of bounds. If someone believes in what they are doing and enjoys the path they are on, then STFU! Seriously.

 

Overall, towards the end of this extensive novel I found myself enjoying Colin’s character less and less. Rather than respective the trajectory every one else’s life was on, he wanted everyone to adopt his beliefs in how their lives should be. And who does that serve? Absolutely no one but to validate the trajectory Colin’s life is on. Single. Alone. Unemployed. Uncertain.