I’ve been reading Wuthering Heights which I last read in the late 80s for my GCSE in a London comprehensive. HOW did we not talk about race in this book? Blah blah unreliable narrator blah
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In Ireland we talked a bit about race - our teacher also noted that Heathcliff was 'found' in Liverpool and a possible Irish connection given the Brontë's background - Terry Eagleton made much of that link in this:
sep 2, 2025, 9:59 am • 2 0 • view
We never talked about any of these things! Ditto Jane Eyre for A level (mid 80s) despite being a very ethnically mixed school. How?
sep 2, 2025, 9:16 am • 3 0 • view
I accidentally read Wide Sargasso Sea first (pillaging mum's shelves) - but don't think we ever did JE at school.
sep 2, 2025, 9:20 am • 2 0 • view
one advantage of oldieness is telling students how I would have taught something differently 20 years ago, and how conversations shift - though sometimes they just look at you like well you're a bit stupid aren't you
sep 2, 2025, 9:21 am • 5 0 • view
tbf in rural Ireland, same time, for Leaving Cert, I remember us talking about Heathcliff's race - it was the 80s so probably we said 'colour'. It wasn't a race conversation as we'd frame it now, but the extra element of his difference was part of the mix.
sep 2, 2025, 8:02 am • 2 0 • view
Doesn’t surprise me that Ireland in that period better at thinking about difference - and think I had a fairly dull teacher that year (all the wonderful others were in fact London Irish, but not this one)
sep 2, 2025, 8:07 am • 2 0 • view
honestly I'd (also) say it was down to our teacher, not the curriculum itself.
sep 2, 2025, 8:59 am • 3 0 • view
I missed reading it at school (skipped that year...) and didn't read until nearly 30. Felt like I was too old for it; perhaps I should try again??
sep 2, 2025, 8:14 am • 1 0 • view
I also feel too old for it - whereas many other 19thc things let you grow with them.
sep 2, 2025, 8:15 am • 2 0 • view
Yesss! (am contemplating a reread of Persuasion, which I last read 20+ years ago - don't know if I can stand the anguish!!)
sep 2, 2025, 8:17 am • 4 0 • view
I too only read WH in adulthood -- might even have been in my 30s -- and thought: guys, grow UP.
sep 2, 2025, 10:02 am • 4 0 • view
I can remember the teenage agonies too clearly, but also I read a lot of YA, so still able to empathise
sep 2, 2025, 10:15 am • 2 0 • view
To be fair, I have just read Bonjour Tristesse for the first time, and really liked it. So not all teenagers...!
sep 2, 2025, 10:35 am • 1 0 • view
YES. (What might she have gone on to write, though.)
sep 2, 2025, 10:04 am • 2 0 • view
youtu.be/BN9Z-BUzqh4
sep 2, 2025, 7:54 am • 0 0 • view