Categories: uncategorized
Date: 06 October 2011 10:03:02
Music For Boys by David Cavanagh, (book 2 of 100), was a reflection of it’s plot. Just like the Belfast bands it centred around it seemed full of potential but ended up clunky and unfulfilled. That said it did provide an interesting insight into the way that there is a certain type of middle class 6th form angst which is universal. It’s that 6th form angst I want to comment upon, as somebody who became one of the casualties many years ago, and has since been an observer as a teacher and more recently as a parent. The book was set in Belfast in the early ‘80’s but even then there was the split between those who wanted to get into uni but stay close to home and those who saw higher education as the escape route from the “nowhere” they were currently located. The whole debt thing is something which is bringing this “should I stay or should I go?” debate into sharper focus year on year. So often I have heard people talking about wanting to stay close so they can carry on working in x, y or z store they know and not have to go through transferring. There are also an increasing number of young adults from single parent homes who want to stay at home or be in very easy travelling distance just in case they’re needed. I don’t want to knock this because for some people the staying at home is the right thing, but I think increasing numbers of our lower income middle class young people are losing out on something as a result of it becoming seen as “normal” to stay at home for uni. At the moment the conversations are in sharp focus in our house, particularly as Third Party got a good offer from the local uni as part of their supported progression scheme. I have explained to her that the most important thing must be that she chooses the course she wants to do which best fits in with her desires for the future and which she thinks she will enjoy. I have tried to encourage her in this to look at the whole of the UK; including the North East but not limiting herself to it. The pressure that young people are under and the way they use various methods to try and handle or escape from that pressure is another theme of the book. What the book does cleverly pick up on is the pressure that comes from the young people themselves, particularly if uni is seen as their escape route. Within the book music is an important feature and I think with this age group there is a fascinating relationship with music which does occur, particularly amongst certain types of student. Liking or knowing about “the right music” is seen as important amongst some of them, particularly those who want to bridge the gender divide in a platonic way. Within this age group retro-knowledge becomes important which I always found hilarious as a teacher. There would be earnest discussions about groups who were getting near their sell by date when I was their age. As a parent I love it, suddenly I am finding those CD’s normally consigned to being played when I am alone being played by Third Party too. It is accompanied by that ironic humour which is peculiar to pseudo-intellectual students of a certain age . This morning I did not know whether to howl with laughter or be mortally offended when I was told, “The Smiths are such a bourgeois concept”. To be fair she then did backtrack slightly and admit that the truth of the matter was that she felt Morrissey was a sell out. That I agree with – one was almost embarrassed to see him being a parody of himself on the Glastonbury coverage this year. Anyway the point is that as Cavanagh identifies in his story the 6th form years are a unique time for young people. As adults we need to tread that careful path of supporting them and giving them space to explore as they go through this highly pressured time full of very big decisions.