Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson - April 1

[JoanP]

The Book Club Online is  the oldest  book club on the Internet, begun in 1996, open to everyone.  We offer cordial discussions of one book a month,  24/7 and  enjoy the company of readers from all over the world.  Everyone is welcome to join in.

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand  by Helen Simonson

April Book Club Online  

"When Major Pettigrew, a retired British army major in a small English village, embarks on an unexpected friendship with the widowed Mrs. Ali, who runs the local shop, trouble erupts to disturb the bucolic serenity of the village and of the Major’s carefully regimented life.   "As the Major and Mrs. Ali discover just how much they have in common, including an educated background and a shared love of books, they must struggle to understand what it means to belong and how far the obligations of family and tradition can be set aside for personal freedom. Meanwhile, the village itself, lost in its petty prejudices and traditions, may not see its own destruction coming."  New York Times  (best seller) "...a wry and witty love story set in a little English village where small town prejudices, and race and religious intolerances are alive and well. With gentle insight, the author captures the thrill of falling in love after 60 and the disruption romance can introduce into a well-settled life."

Discussion Schedule:

April 1-7 ~ Chapters 1-6]
April 8 - April 15 ~ Chapters 7-12

(E-readers ~ Last lines in Chapter 12:
 ..."he could not help but register a certain sense of exhilaration at having thrust himself into the heart of Mrs. Ali's life in such an extraordinary manner.  He was tempted to celebrate his own boldness with a large glass of Scotch."

*****

Some Topics for Consideration
April 8-15 ~ Chapters 7-12

1. The two  guns look nothing  like a pair."   What does the condition of Bertie's gun say about what they meant to him?  Would you say that Bertie and the Major's son, Roger,  share the same disregard for the history of the Churchills?

2. Is it accurate to say that Mrs. Ali  admires the Major's "Englishness," his house, his books, while he admires her for herself, apart from her Pakistani heritage?

3.  "One begins to accept, at a certain age, that one has already made all the friends to which one is entitled."  Do you find this to be true?  Can you share examples of the grief and loneliness that seem to permeate these pages? 

4. How many times have you noticed the Major unfavorably comparing Grace with Mrs. Ali?   Why is Mrs. Ali happy to have been asked to help with the dance at the club?  Why does this upset the Major?

5.  Why does the Major feel sorry for the doctor's wife, Saadia Khan?  Did you feel any sympathy towards her?  What moved the Major to invite Mrs. Ali to attend the dance as his guest?

6.  Is Mrs. Augerspier sharper than she appears to be - or is she another old woman about to be taken advantage of by the younger man?  Do you have any idea why Roger is interested in this house or the furniture?

7. What has caused  the ladies to change the theme of the dance from the Mughal to the Maharajah to focus  on the Major's father's service in India? What do you think of Roger in the role of Colonel Pettigrew?

8.  How will the Major adapt to the changes that are coming to the undisturbed peace of the village? Do you see a change in him already?  How does  Amina's appearance on the scene signal change? 

Related Links:
  SeniorLearn's Questions for Helen Simonson;    NPR's Interview with the Author;   Churchill Rifles - "World's Finest" ;    Churchill Method: Rules of Shooting;

   

  Discussion Leaders:  Barbara & JoanP

[rosemarykaye]

Joan P - I think Roger is so interested in Mrs A's house because it is a desirable property in a desirable English village.  Until a few years ago - and presumably still when this book was being written - property like this was like gold dust.  If the house went onto the open market, it would be snapped up by somebody prepared to pay a lot more than Roger can maybe afford.  And perhaps he is also trying to buy back a piece of his childhood - which suggests that it must have been happy, as there is no way on God's earth that I would want to move back to the town that I grew up in.

You have a good point about stereotypying maybe being more common in a village.  I have only lived in Edinburgh a week (and many people call Edinburgh "a village" in that everyone seems to know everyone else), but already I feel a sense of freedom that did not exist in Aberdeen.  Aberdeen is not, of course, a village, but it is a very insular place.  Everyone associated with the oil industry is seen as an "incomer" and never really assimilated.  Edinburgh has a huge and transient population, and Anna & I have noticed, just through being out and about in the city, that there is so much more variety - people dress in all sorts of ways, some very unconventional (which I love), and no-one stares at them or makes remarks (as they would in Aberdeen).  People have all sorts of lifestyles, and again, there seems to be much more of an air of acceptance.  This may well all be our "honeymoon" period - we know so few people properly that things may change! - but even when we enrolled at the local pool, the attendants were more "open" and friendly - hard to describe, but Aberdonians tend to have this attitude that does not welcome strangers and sees southerners like me as namby pamby posh people.  So far I just have not come across that here, and we have certainly not stuck to the tourist areas.

Is there an allotted quota of friends?  I don't know.  I think that if you move, you make new ones - my friends who have done so have managed to forge new social circles, even though they are the same age as me.  I do think it is much easier to meet people when you have young children or are working, but it is not impossible when you are older/retired - there is so much to get involved in if you want to.  Also, the people you meet at the school gates may in the end have very little in common with you apart from babies, whereas if you meet people later on, you may well meet them through involvement with something that interests you both.  That said, I met my very best and closest friends when we had new babies at the same time.  I wonder if some people do run out of steam for making new friends?  My mother moved house in her 70s (which we did not think was a good idea, but we kept out of it as it is really none of our business) and she says she has never made friends where she now lives - BUT I am well aware that she makes no effort and positively fends people off.  When I have visited her, I have found the neighbours, local church, etc to be very friendly.

MaryPage - I have to say it again - your writing is just wonderful.  You really should write a novel (or maybe you already have?), your prose flows so beautifully, and is so moving and evocative.  I feel that all of those people did know that you loved them.

Rosemary

[Steph]

Back from a wonderful week at Elderhostel.. Great fun and learned all sorts of Spanish and
English and French history about St Augustine.
Both of my d-i-l's call me Mom.. The younger lost her Mother at 16 and has embraced me as his Mother all the years of her marriage. She feels like a daughter in many many ways. The older hesitated for a while.They lived together for about 4 years, but I let her find her way and she asked if it was ok to call me Mom and I agreed it was , so she does as well..
I loved the Major. He is so wistful about his marriage.. I dont think of him as a cardboard character. But then I have finished the book..He gets stronger and begins to understand what he really wants. Interesting.

[MaryPage]

Thank you, Rosemary.  Have written books of poetry in memory of my husband and privately published them for friends & family.  Previous to that, just wrote and destroyed, but he so wanted me to write.  Wrote a Geography curriculum for First Grade, now successfully taught by my daughter for 3 years; working on a Second Grade one.  If I live long enough, there will be one for Third Grade; that will make an end to it.  My husband wanted me to write for publication, but something inside of me cannot go there.  This old crone appreciates your appreciation.

I am in total awe of Helen Simonson.  Unfortunately, I will be at work in my son-in-law's business on Monday when she converses with her readers.

[FlaJean]

Unfortunately, I am still on the reserve list at the library.  Evidently a popular book at our library.

[bellamarie]

Oh dear, I seem to have gotten so busy I overlooked this book discussion.  I will get the book on my nook and try to catch up in the next few days.  I have been waiting for a fun, light read after attacking Little Bee.  I will read all the posts after I get a chance to catch up to the chapters you are now on. 

Ciao for now~

[JoanP]

FlaJean, Bellamarie - you two are going to LOVE the book, no matter when you read it.  And this whole discussion will be available to you in the Archives and a Readers' Guide - so you can follow along as you read.  There have been many interesting and insightful observations here  that you will not want to miss.
And Mary Page, Helen Simonson's comments will be posted here for you to read on Monday when you get in from work.  Is there anything in particular you would like to ask her.  We can ask it for you if you'd like?

Steph - I'm so glad to hear that the Major develops during the story.  Already we see chinks in his armour, his feelings show through his crusty demeaner.  How many times have we seen his eyes start to fill with tears already?
Remember this - quite early in the book, just when he is so critical of Roger's life style -

."..He gave a couple of tentative pats to the part of Roger's back he could reach.  Then he rested his hand for a moment and felt, in his son's knobby shoulder blade, the small child he had always loved."

That really got to me!  He never stopped loving this boy of his.  He's just lost the ability to communicate!

Rosemary, you are very generous in ascribing Roger's interest in Mrs. Augerspier's cottage to a desire to buy back part of his childhood!  I guess I'm seeing him through the Major's eyes - I thought he was trying to cheat the old woman of property that he knew he could sell for more than he would get it from her.  If only the Major could convince her that Roger was the right sort, meaning that he would take care of her old place, her garden, as she did...rather than sell it to the highest bidder who would raze it to the ground. I saw Roger looking at this cottage, the way he looks at the pair of Churchills - with dollar signs for eyes, not sentimentality.


"Is there an allotted quota of friends?  I don't know."  I have to run now, but let's talk about this subject some more.   Rosemary, I think you are on to something.  Off to the airport...
 

[Steph]

As the story unfolds, I find myself changing my views of not only the Major,but also Jasmina and her nephew.. Sandy,, etc. All of them become rounded as the story goes on. Simonson is extremely good at letting the characters become more than they start out as.

[Frybabe]

I just read the section where they were touring the cottage. From the Major's description of it and Roger's reaction to the cottage, I believe Roger had on a pair of rose-colored glasses. By the sounds of it, it will need a lot of repair and renovation work.

What an interesting turn of events with Amina and Abdul. The Major's offer was a surprise as was Abdul's acceptance. I am looking forward to seeing how this all plays out.

[Laura]

Joan, my question does not contain an explicit spoiler, but concerns character development and parallelism.  It is not a question I would want to read if I hadn’t finished the book.  I’ll wait until I hear what you and the author say.

[Laura]

Back to the stereotypical characters…

I don’t think the Major is responsible for the stereotypical characters.  Yes, he does describe to us his thoughts and feelings regarding people, but the characters identities, words, and actions are what make them stereotypical to me.  We seem to have each type of person represented in the story and they are fulfilling their stereotypes.  At this point in the book, I was longing for something more original in the characters.  

Below is an excerpt from the interview with the author on NPR which is posted in the heading.  After reading this, I think the author created stereotypical characters on purpose.  I don’t want to say more now, for fear of spoiling something, but I think this is something to keep in mind as we are reading and discussing.

Well, I guess I'm very interested in the role of the outsider in society. I also believe that all of us, at one time or another in our lives, have probably experienced what it feels like to be on the outside. I'm very fortunate. I'm very welcomed in the United States. People love that British accent, and I have many, many friends here. And I've never been put on the outside. And what interested me in Mrs. Ali is, here's someone who -- though she's older than me -- is British-born and bred, raised to be an English woman with a father who really believed in Britain, and yet she's permanently branded an outsider because of her ethnic heritage. And that continues to be an issue in England. And I wanted to write a book that just gently said to people, you know, next time you see Mrs. Ali coming down the street, perhaps you might want to put aside the stereotype and say, hello, have a cup of tea.

[JoanP]

Laura, hang on.  I'm sure we'll come up with a solution to get your question answered.

Steph, I'll be watching to see whether  the characters themselves change, or whether Simonson relates more about them as the story unfolds.  "Jasmina"...I have to stop and think who this is, am so used to referring to her as Mrs. Ali.  Is the Major still referring to her as "Mrs." Ali at this point in the story?  

Frybabe, it sounds as if you are in agreement with Rosemary on Roger's reason for wanting this cottage.  I'm still operating under the premise that he wants to buy the place and resell to the highest bidder - who will raze it, develop the land.    Can't see Sandy living in this place either for that matter.  Now I am going to have to reconsider, since I am the only one who reads Roger's motives this way...

Laura, I loved that interview with Diane Rehm.  Helen Simonson is so forthcoming answering questions about her book, her characters.
  From the excerpt you brought here it does sound as if the author thinks  stereotyping is something we are all guilty of.  

 What do you think was the germ, the seed from which this story came?  Did she intend to tell a love story?  How important to her is the change and the need to adapt?  Or was it the  stereotyping that goes in every level of society?
In a way, it really doesn't matter; the book has so many strengths.  
Can you relate to any of these characters?  Is there any one in particular that you feel you know?
 

[CallieOK]

Joan, re: Roger's motive for buying the house...I agree with you.  I don't think he or Sandy has one iota of genuine interest in anything historical - other than for "prestige" or its value in today's market.

Re:  Helen Simonson's comment that she wanted to "...write a book that just gently said to people, you know, next time you see Mrs. Ali coming down the street, perhaps you might want to put aside the stereotype and say, hello, have a cup of tea.".
While I agree in theory, I confess that I might hesitate to reach out to someone of such a contrasting nationality/culture unless I had become acquainted in some "general" circumstance.

It seems to me that the Major is, perhaps unknowingly, opening some doors for Mrs. Ali to interact with the village ladies and I suspect this is going to make a big difference in her acceptance as the story moves along.  

[rosemarykaye]

I agree Callie - I think it is a lot harder than just "asking someone in for a cup of tea".  My son's best friend at primary school was Muslim - his mother was young and always wore traditional dress.  I did try on many occasions to say hello to her when we passed in the street, but although she never actually avoided me, I don't think she wanted any interaction from me.  She spoke perfect English, but I think her husband - who was older than her - was firmly in charge.  I asked my friend, who lived in Saudi Arabia for some time (I appreciate that that is not Pakistan), about this - she said the women there are not allowed to make eye contact with Westerners.

Or maybe she just didn't like me!  I'm sure we shouldn't think that just because we are "generous" enough to make an approach, it should always be accepted - after all, we wouldn't expect that from every white person we meet (viz, as I have explained before, my mother!!)

Rosemary

[Steph]

Actually, I live in a town where I dont think I have ever walked by a Pakistani or Indian..Now there are some areas in an adjoining county ( by Disney) that are heavily tilted to the Muslim community, but when I owned a store there, I had a lot of young employees. I remember vividly a girl who was dating a football hero, who was also a Pakistani.. They were very happy, but his Mother was infuriated and did everything in her power to break them up. She regarded it as improper and actively said, she disliked american girls and that they were not good enough for her golden son. She sent her husband back to their native village and he came back with a 15 year old female, who was promptly married off to their son before he went off to college. The girl stayed with his family ande he went off alone.. I remember how upset many of us were at this type of behaviour. I still think that if the whole family felt like that, they should have gone back to the country that they came from. We obviously were not good enough for them. They just wanted to make tons of money and be superior. Sad, but true.

[CallieOK]

I can remember having a huge argument back in college days (mid 50's) with a fellow who insisted we "had" to be Friends with the inter-racial students who came to our church student group.  I maintained that it was always necessary to be kind and welcoming - but becoming "Friends" was a choice just like it was with white students.  Sometimes, there just wasn't a connection and it would be patronizing to pretend there was. (We never did settle our differences 

However, things are changing in this week's chapters.  Several characters have some attitude adjustment coming.  
I love the way Helen Simonson is allowing the story to progress.

[pedln]

I think the stereotypes in this book are not just ethnic, but are related also to "class."  Mrs. Ali is not just Pakistani, but also shopkeepers/trades class.  Now, Rosemary, I mean no offense here, but sometimes it seems to me that the British are really obsessed with class.  Is this so?  Is it changing?

Re: Roger and the house -- (he is such a _____) -- he wants to look good to his clients, future clients, and the house is not far from his father's golf club.  It's not the most prestigious club, but it's a stepping stone to something a little higher.  He's thinking down the road and looking ahead to the fancier golf clubs where he can take his clients.

[JoanP]

Pedln, I'm thinking of what you are saying here about "class" distincition.  Mrs. Ali is a Pakistani shopkeeper in the village.  If she comes to the ball on the arm of the Major, is this enough to overcome her "lowly social position, Callie?  It can't happen unless the village ladies evolve in their thinking too.  There's a lot to overcome in the remaining chapters, I think.  Everyone will have to cooperate.
 

Roger and the house -- (he is such a _____)

Does the blank word begin with a "p", Pedln? - just wondering...   Roger is the one making the class distinctions.  I wonder what his reaction will be when he hears Dad is going to the dance with Mrs. Ali, a shopkeeper?

Rosemary, you were a victim of reverse discrimination, snubbed because YOU were different!  Steph, that is one of the saddest stories. For all concerned!  Dare I ask what happened to the young lady who worked in your store? She was Muslin, but born in America? That was the only objection? Oh my, think of the poor 15 year old living in a new country with a MIL and a disinterested husband!
Callie, did it happen?  Can you remember 50 years ago whether you did make any friends in that church group?

[salan]

I'm here waiting....hope I am in the right spot.
Sally

[pedln]

I don't want to put any spoilers here, but I think we'll see that prejudices and stereotypes exist for both sides.  Even now, we're seeing unfriendliness from Mrs. Ali's nephew.  You can bet that he would never date a white British girl.

[JoanP]

We are all so excited that Helen S. is coming in to visit with us this morning.  I'm sure the tea is hot  and the  nibbles
are ready for her.
Let's try to make the most of the time this busy woman has set aside for us, by giving her ample time to respond to the questions already submitted.  Of course we want to hear from all of you too.  If you wish to briefly comment with follow up questions on what she has said, that would be helpful.  But try to base your questions on the topic she is discussing.  We'll follow the order of the questions posted in the heading here.
Let's see how this works!
Good morning everyone! Sally, you are in the right spot!  I hope Helen doesn't have trouble getting in here.

These are our first two questions we have sent to Helen..

1. Can you tell us what inspired you to write this book? Was it a personal story or experience that had to be told, or was it something else?
2. How do you know so much about what goes on in the mind of a 68 year old man? Perhaps the Major is based on someone you know?

[JudeS]

Joan
Is the discussion at 11A M on the east coast and 8AM on the west?
Is the discussion to run on this site?
Been  very busy and just thought about this at the last minute.
I will leave the computer on this site to see if anything happens in the next few minutes.

[JudeS]

Sorry! your posts explan it all. For some reason they didn't appear on my screen until a minute ago.

[JoanP]

Hey Jude...(I love saying that.)  This is the time, this is the place.  I'm going to write to Helen right now to see if she's having any trouble getting into the site...

[CallieOK]

Joan,  If she comes to the ball on the arm of the Major, is this enough to overcome her "lowly social position, Callie?    We shall see!     (I've read the whole book)

Callie, did it happen?  Can you remember 50 years ago whether you did make any friends in that church group?   We were arguing about one particular individual and I don't think he ever made friends with anyone. 

When my husband and I lived in a Colorado mining town (1964-77), we were the WASP minority on our block.  I "walked the walk" with a dear neighbor when she discovered she was the "token" Spanish-surnamed person on a school committee.  She was so thrilled to be asked to participate and so devastatingly crushed to find out they had no intention of actually letting her do anything.
During another conversation, I asked her if  there was prejudice in the town as a whole.  She said none was openly shown - but there were individuals who were "nice" on the surface but made their opinion known in sly ways.

Oh my - I'd better get my Domestic Duties done so I can be here to welcome our author.
 

[JoanP]

Glad I wrote, HS is at her computer, just having trouble getting in. Hold on.  We can handle this!

[Simonson]

Helloooo!  Am I joining in correctly?  This is Helen Simonson trying to join you to discuss my book. 

[JoanP]

Yes, yes, yes, it is SOOO good to have you with us.  Welcome, Helen!

Shall we get right to our first questions for you?  Please know that we don't expect you to give away anything you don't wish to...

1. Can you tell us what inspired you to write this book? Was it a personal story or experience that had to be told, or was it something else?
2. How do you know so much about what goes on in the mind of a 68 year old man? Perhaps the Major is based on someone you know?

[Simonson]

Hi - Think I'm in the right place so let me start with my inspirations.  I wanted to write something just for me  instead of something 'edgy' that would get me published.  When I wrote just for me, with no censor, my mind went home to Sussex and up popped the Major in his dead wife's flowered housecoat!

[Simonson]

Writing as a 68year old man was very useful - it kept me from becoming too sentimental when trying to write a looove story!  Now, at 47, I can see that people think they are the same person at 29 and at 68, and at 90, so I didn't try to write him as especially 'old'. 

[JoanP]

While we wait for follow up questions from our readers on the Major - and whether or not he seems "old" , I'll post here the next questions submitted last week -

Q. How did you come to know about the Churchills well enough to feature these guns in your story?

Q. Do you remember which came first when you first thought of the story, the Churchills or the Major, who appears to epitomize the shooting culture of E.J Churchill?

[Simonson]

I'm thrilled with the quality and depth of the discussion on this board.  I want to tell you that yesterday I spoke to a group in MD that is primarily a monthly community group of South Asian families and is for all immigrant families to come together and hear speakers on topics of use to families discovering life in America and dealing with all the school, friends and family issues.  These were all professional people and I was delighted at how frankly they were willing to address the issues in my book.  They all seemed to think I had done a reasonably good job at depicting Mrs. Ali and her family and I was very relieved.  I could have spent hours exploring with them the unlimited variations in who people are.  We all seemed to agree on how terrible it is that people get clustered as 'populations' or 'groups' and that their individuality gets lost.  This goes for 'English' people as well. 

[JoanP]

Helen, can you explain a bit what you mean when you say, "my mind went home to Sussex and up popped the Major in his dead wife's flowered housecoat!"

Was this a memory?  Are things that casual in Sussex where you might see a man wearing his wife's clothes?  Why do you think he came to mind when thinking back to Sussex?

[Simonson]

I rented a cottage in Sussex and the farmer next door showed me and my small children his prize shotgun.  It was beautiful (and no, I'm not a fan of guns) and as I complimented him on it he said, rather sadly, 'my brother in Australia has the other one.'  Loss of brother and gun seemed to show equally in his face and I tucked the image away.  When the Major appeared, it seemed clear to me that he too owned a single shotgun from a pair.

[Simonson]

The Major in his wife's housecoat was an act of imagination - and no it would be VERY unusual to see a man cleaning his house in this garment.  I used it for this reason - but truthfully, images often come to my mind fully formed and this was one such case.  I have never seen a housecoat with a clematis pattern, as far as I know, but I saw it as clear as day in my mind.

[JoanP]

Aha!  Barbara, our co leader in this discussion is unable to be with us this week, but she attached much importance in your writing to the next question -. Do you remember which came first when you first thought of the story, the Churchills or the Major, who appears to epitomize the shooting culture of E.J Churchill?

Did you do much research into the Churchills?

[Simonson]

While I miss home, I also miss my family and perhaps I was thinking of my parents when the Major opened the door.  However, I was also eager to use the standard village setting and a cast out of an Agatha Christie mystery on Public Television - and then start taking them apart layer, by layer to show their individuality and also life in contemporary England.  It's not all cream tea and roses these days!

[JoanP]

I have to say here, that I LOVE your writing...the detail, the metaphors so completely original...so many on every page.  Your gift is your imagination!  One that conjured up the old major, who doesn't seem old to you.  I know what you are saying.  I feel the same way. 

[Simonson]

I had to research everything about shotguns and duck shooting as I am as diametrically opposed to blood sports as one could imagine.  The joy of writing the Major was trying to see the world from his very different point of view.  Perhaps our congresspersons and senators should give this a try as they negotiate budgets and debt ceilings! 

[JoanP]

Did you have any personal first-hand knowledge of Indian or Pakistani relations? Are you writing of the pakistani community from any first-hand knowledge?