References to Britain's Decline in Colonel Sun (1968) by Robert Markham (Kingsley Amis)?

Dragonpol

I've been looking at Colonel Sun (1968) and I have been going mad (nay, madder) trying to find out where Amis refers to Britain and its perceived decline. I think that he mentions the fish and chips culture and possibly council houses and social problems, but I can't find the right place in the novel and would appreciate the help most graciously of my fellow MI6 agents here. Then again, I could just be imagining all of this or have gotten my wires crossed.

saunders

It's towards the end of chapter one 'A man in sunglasses' when Bond is driving from the Sunningdale golf course to M's home 'Quarterdeck' in Windsor Great Park. Amis does reflect on Britain's social changes (including the 'fish and chip' culture and even the blight of 'crazy paving'...perish the thought!), but on rereading the text he's not actually completely condemning the perceived decline, it feels almost as if he considers Bond/Fleming would disapprove of this modern world and writes accordingly, yet he can't help but subtly defend the great social benefits these times have achieved.
The book although peppered with references to Britain's decline on the world stage still manages to remain suitably patriotic, a good example being Colonel Sun's belief that the British make the toughest, bravest and most challenging torture victims.

saunders

*sorry double post*

(Can't we please get a delete post option on this site!)

Dragonpol

saunders wrote:

It's towards the end of chapter one 'A man in sunglasses' when Bond is driving from the Sunningdale golf course to M's home 'Quarterdeck' in Windsor Great Park. Amis does reflect on Britain's social changes (including the 'fish and chip' culture and even the blight of 'crazy paving'...perish the thought!), but on rereading the text he's not actually completely condemning the perceived decline, it feels almost as if he considers Bond/Fleming would disapprove of this modern world and writes accordingly, yet he can't help but subtly defend the great social benefits these times have achieved.
The book although peppered with references to Britain's decline on the world stage still manages to remain suitably patriotic, a good example being Colonel Sun's belief that the British make the toughest, bravest and most challenging torture victims.

Thank you so much, @saunders! I wasn't mad, then, just looking in the wrong places, it seems. It's all grist to the mill for the article I've been working at on and off.

To change tack somewhat:

Do you consider Colonel Sun to show an increase in violence when compared to the Fleming Bond canon?

This is what my article in particular is concerned with, so I'd really love to hear your (and indeed other members') views.

Dragonpol

saunders wrote:

It's towards the end of chapter one 'A man in sunglasses' when Bond is driving from the Sunningdale golf course to M's home 'Quarterdeck' in Windsor Great Park. Amis does reflect on Britain's social changes (including the 'fish and chip' culture and even the blight of 'crazy paving'...perish the thought!), but on rereading the text he's not actually completely condemning the perceived decline, it feels almost as if he considers Bond/Fleming would disapprove of this modern world and writes accordingly, yet he can't help but subtly defend the great social benefits these times have achieved.
The book although peppered with references to Britain's decline on the world stage still manages to remain suitably patriotic, a good example being Colonel Sun's belief that the British make the toughest, bravest and most challenging torture victims.

Perhaps this prevaricating on his part is due to the fact that it was around this time that Kingsley Amis changed from being a Socialist Labour voter to a Conservative voter and he still had small 's' socialist sympathies, such as those of many of the One Nation Tories (or Butskellism) (Eden, Macmillan, Douglas-Home and Heath) had at that time. Interesting subject matter, nonetheless.

saunders

Dragonpol wrote:

To change tack somewhat:

Do you consider Colonel Sun to show an increase in violence when compared to the Fleming Bond canon?

This is what my article in particular is concerned with, so I'd really love to hear your (and indeed other members') views.

I've heard this argument before and personally I disagree, yes there are many acts of violence throughout the book, but all of them are very much in line with Fleming's own works, the murders of the Hammonds are reminiscent of those of the Havelocks, Bond blowing up the attackers boat has echoes of the limpet mine on the Secatur in LALD, Colonel Sun's dispassionate interest in torture and sadism is reminiscent of Dr No and the notorious skull screwing torture is just another take on the carpet beater sequence from CR.
Amis himself has stated that he wanted a torture scene, but not like one that Fleming had already done before, so he went to his own Doctor to fix him up with a good idea for a torture scene (His Doctor actually makes an appearance in the book as the police doctor Allison). It's certainly an effective scene, more so because he didn't limit himself to what his own imagination or war anecdotes could create but rather because he got professional advice to maximise the scenes impact.
Rather than his book being released in a more permissive time accounting for the perceived increase in violence, I would argue it's more a case of Amis trying to emulate Fleming's writing and managing to almost inadvertently out do him with a brilliantly original concept.

Dragonpol

Thank you for the follow-up reply, @saunders. Much appreciated.

I just thought that I would bump this one up again as I'm very interested in these aspects of Colonel Sun and it would be great to hear from some other MI6 members on this one.

4EverBonded

I haven't read it yet, but it is on my list. Many member here seem to note it as one of their favorite nonFleming Bond novels.

And now I know why some members are posting "Quarterdeck" as the suggested title of Bond 24. Perhaps it was mentioned elsewhere, but I didn't spot the meaning until now. Thanks for that, too.

Dragonpol

4EverBonded wrote:

I haven't read it yet, but it is on my list. Many member here seem to note it as one of their favorite nonFleming Bond novels.

And now I know why some members are posting "Quarterdeck" as the suggested title of Bond 24. Perhaps it was mentioned elsewhere, but I didn't spot the meaning until now. Thanks for that, too.

Quartdeck, M's home, is also mentioned in OHMSS. It also appears in the film version.

4EverBonded

I rarely watch OHMSS and it has been far too long since I read the novel. I am re-reading Fleming over the next year. I am sure there are other bits I'll pick up again. :)

Dragonpol

4EverBonded wrote:

I rarely watch OHMSS and it has been far too long since I read the novel. I am re-reading Fleming over the next year. I am sure there are other bits I'll pick up again. :)

I know the feeling, but some of this stuff just stays with me, I guess.

Dragonpol

I'd be interesting in reviving this thread on Amis' Colonel Sun too, if anyone cares to add their thoughts on this topic...