I was highly amused by my picture of Bunter physically blocking Peter from leaving on account of his pants; an actual "lol" situation (rather than the general "qstm" (quietly smiling to myself) that is still called lol).
On a serious note though, the character of Peter took a completely left turn, and my opinion of Sayers as a writer with it. While I was enjoying the book and hero at about this level (picture me holding my hand out), after the scene where Peter was having flashbacks to the Great War--wow, we're here (picture other hand much, much higher). WWI had an intense affect on not just literature but society and Western humanity writ large. To see that reflected in a character written so soon after the end of the war shouldn't have been surprising to me, but it was. I'd almost forgotten about history amidst the fun, but Sayers didn't. Now my heart aches as I see Peter's frivolity as not just emblematic of his class and personality, not just a screen to hide a clever, clever mind, but a coping mechanism to deal with the horrors of what he experienced at war. The layers that adds to his character as well as his and Bunter's relationship is incredible. No longer is it just an affectionate employer/employee mutual respect thing, but they were comrades in arms. I can only imagine how that bonds individuals when they've fought together while witnessing atrocities they can't even speak of. Wow.
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3 comments:
As usual you have said exactly what I wanted to say, just in a clearer and more eloquent manner...so I guess we do assume Bunter and Lord Peter were in the war together for real. I was hoping so as it makes the relationship more poignant.
~~Emily~~
Um, see my comment on Emily's post, in regards to Bunter and Peter. Oh, and i'll try not to give away anything from chapter ten when I post.
You guys have to read them all. They're brilliant. I quite want to cry in some of them.
I see we all appreciated Sayers and this book a lot more when she took it to another level in these last few chapters. I think this book by itself is a good example between being a good/average author and a great author. I mean it was your typical detective story through six chapters, then in these last three she has elevated her writing and this story to great. She took her characters a whole level deeper. I personally was more appreciative of the scene with Parker and examining his feelings about detective work, than the flashbacks, but both were amazing additions to what to that point was just your average detective story. Amazing stuff!
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