Jeeves in the Springtime ~ P. G. Wodehouse

[BarbStAubrey]

Jeeves in the Springtime An early P.G.Wodehouse Short Story "'tis the season when a young man's fancy turns to thoughts of love," and mauve shirts, ties, old school chums, roses, cooks, waitresses. Bertie Wooster, his man Jeeves in London between the Wars. Web-Book Jeeves In The Springtime Stephen Fry on PG Wodehouse Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse General Discussion for Humor, Wit & Satire in Short Stories

Questions to Consider

• What about the story for any reason will you remember?
• Who do you think will win the love of Mabel - Jeeves or Bingo?
• If Miss Watson were to write a letter to Mabel what advise would she have for Mabel?
• Why do you think the author has Bertie Wooster telling this story rather than Jeeves?
• Is this story about Jeeves or Bertie Wooster or Bingo Little?
• What was the best line in the story and how would you work it into a conversation?
• What humorous or witty on-line Short Story, with or without satire would you like to suggest we read?
  

Discussion Leader: BarbStAubrey

[PatH]

The story never tells us where Bertie gets his money does it.

No, it doesn't, and I've forgotten, it's been so long, but I think he has some money of his own, but is always on the lookout for getting more.

[Babi]

 Maybe it once was, BARBARA.  I'm sure you've noticed, as cities expand, how once rural communities are taken in to become city neighborhoods.

  On the subject of Bingo's uncle, I found it difficult to imagine some one of the upper class marrying his cook, no matter how many romantic stories he read.
But then you reminded me that his money came from 'Little's Liniment', which suggested that while rich, he was probably not high society. His origins may have been not much higher than the cooks, which makes his proposal much more reasonable to me.  The cook, now, I suspect of more mercenary than romantic motives.  Uncle does not sound at all attractive.  I was concerned that Jeeves would be badly disappointed, but no...., this whole scheme was engineered to slip out of his commitment to the cook!  Tut, tut, Jeeves!

[PatH]

I wonder if the cook continued to spend so much time making wonderful meals after she married?

[Babi]

If she didn't, she faced either an apoplectic husband or an ex-husband. 
Those meals were his only reason for proposing! I can readily guess her motives for accepting.  Not cynical; just realistic.

[BarbStAubrey]

Hadn't thought of it from that angle Babi but I think you are on to something - when I've read that these stories are a satire of the class system poking fun at the upper class it never dawned on me the satire could also be poking at the working class -

The status quo would keep everyone in their place - but Wodehouse uses the Harlequin novel, associated with the less literate, as not only accepted by the uncle, who has made his fortune and who is clearly of the upper class with an education and taste for the finer things in life therefore, had not been a fan of the kind of book similar to daytime soap operas - but here these books give him the moral fortitude to make a huge right turn in making an acceptable marriage proposals within the class system...amazing

But more, as you suggest, is the cook pushing her luck so that she now becomes a member of the upper class with all the perks and that within 1920 traditions, Wodehouse is poking using satire on the working class's because they have the tumidity to hold the upper class hostage with their skills desired for the comfort of the upper class...?

Bingo is clearly smitten with his Mabel but then is Mortimer Little capable of being smitten or is the welfare of his body directing his top choices in life...

I am thinking what is missing here is any sign of a love interest - and that is why I think we hold suspect Miss Watson's intentions - Remembering how Princess Margaret was not able to marry the love of her life and seeing the Royals during our lifetime continue the tradition where a marriage partner was chosen with love a secondary reason for the marriage - I'm thinking this was probably emblematic of all the upper class - it is only in the past few years - really since the death of Diana, that we see any signs that maybe love will be higher on the list as the reason for marriage among the Royals who are only the visible example of the Upper Class.

So many that today we know as the Upper Class are among the group because the have accumulated a fortune where as I understand it - the Upper Class is really those who have Pedigree. There are so many novel from the Nineteenth Century based in the character's values and station in life dependent on money - marriage seemed to be as much a musical chairs for prestige and money than about love with pedigree holding the trump card - I am thinking that this new fangled mixing of the classes that started after WWI is what Wodehouse could be ridiculing or at least, like the writers of the Archie Bunker Show, giving his readers the opportunity to question what is acceptable.

What to me is curious - and a change of subject - is; why does Wodehouse call this book Jeeves in the Springtime when the story is clearly told by Bertie - is it because of the twist at the end - I am scratching my head over this and if you have any idea please help clear the mystery.

[PatH]

What to me is curious - and a change of subject - is; why does Wodehouse call this book Jeeves in the Springtime when the story is clearly told by Bertie - is it because of the twist at the end - I am scratching my head over this and if you have any idea please help clear the mystery.

You already said why, Barbara, it is the twist at the end:

"In the Spring a livelier iris changes on the burnish'd dove;
In the Spring a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love."

and Jeeves is in love.  Though almost nobody gets married in Wodehouse.  They fall violently but temporarily in love, like Bingo, or they are trying to escape the clutches of some designing woman.

[BarbStAubrey]

aha -  yes, thanks - sometimes as the saying goes we cannot see the Forest for the Trees.

The more I think of Babi's observation the more I am wondering if the whole concept of a Cook marrying "upstairs" is so outrageous that it was a farce that would have been read with gales of laughter. As an American not being as class conscious and today seeing the world through so called 'Democratic' eyes it takes a bit of work to get the joke. Is this like the old polish jokes and other jokes that feature the impossible that everyone accepts so that the plot is one big whoha...?

I think we do see class differences between levels of wealth but not pedigree and so where it can happen - there are lots of movies and TV shows showing the possibility - Audrey Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart easily comes to mind -  mostly we see the improbable match based on a money grabbing scheme.

[Babi]

"marriage seemed to be as much a musical chairs for prestige and money than about love with pedigree holding the trump card."

True, Barb. And how many times have we read of an impoverished noble family
restoring their fortunes by marrying off the titled heir to a wealthy heiress of a
lower class family. Both families are thrilled; the bride and groom possibly
less so.

[BarbStAubrey]

Well who would have thought - I never expected to actually learn something by reading this story and for me I have an understanding of class distinction that I only skirted during earlier reads. I still get a kick out of the language and associations Bertie makes with the behavior of all the other characters.

OK for anyone who is lurking and of course from both of you Babi and Pat do you have any suggestions for future reads. 

Next month for sure we will go ahead with Marj's suggestion and actually do The Ransom of Red Chief by O'Henry.

[BarbStAubrey]

Today is the last day for any final thoughts on Bertie Wooster and Jeeves -

The suggestions for future reads is taking place in the ongoing discussion Humor, Wit and Satire Short Stories.

Thanks folks for peeking in - till next month April 15...

[PatH]

I'm happy to have been reminded of the Jeeves stories I read so happily, and have dug out a book of them from downstairs to read more.  And I've learned six different ways to tie a necktie, all of them looking alike when finished.  I'm just sorry we didn't meet the predatory Roberta Wickham or Bertie's formidable Aunt Agatha.

[BooksAdmin]

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