1. Blankpage

    Blankpage New Member

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    When should this be set....

    Discussion in 'Research' started by Blankpage, Dec 19, 2007.

    Hi,

    So I'm sketching out a novel that has been bouncing around my head for a while now, but I'm having real trouble pinning it to a time period, and I feel its pretty crucial to whether the story works or not.

    Broadly, its the later half of the 20th century, but could feasably be any time from 1950s - present. I'm feeling late 60s/70s/early 80s, but I'm really not sure.

    Central to the plot is a meeting of clases and cultures.... I want there to be a feeling of change in the air; harsh, cold, gritty modernity meeting stuffy tradition that have changed little over the centuries, bringing both energy and hope, and conflict and alienation.


    The story is set around a group of students at a redbrick/Russell group university, Oxford/Bristol/Durham etc;

    1.A Brideshead Revisted type sheltered, stilting boy from a minor aristocratic family
    2. A Hooray Henry, 'Rah', wealthy boy with City banker aspirations, skiing and flash Austin Martins
    3. A middle class marriage stock, plain, inexperienced, 'nerdy' girl
    4. An outgoing, flirtatious pashmina wearing upper class girl, 2nd cousin to 1, but bored of the company she encounters

    5. A lower middle class girl come good. Domestic abuse at home, she worked hard at school, was a nerdy outcast at first and is now blossoming at uni.

    6. 5's boyfriend, a clever rebel from a poor lower/middle background, attending polytechnic OR in low paid job OR on the dole. Highly cynical. Kicks out against trends and mainstream culture. Given the right period; punk inclinations, drug taking, into photography, outsider art.


    Factually, I want a period where university access is starting to open up, and a student from a state school with a troubled home life would be encouraged and supported in her application, but where lack of money and a criminal/bad behaviour record is still a major issue.

    A time where you can simultaneously have sheltered, war time era-esque kids, jetsetting opulent types, and rebels.

    5 and 1 get together, and the story is told retrospectively through their eyes as a quietly married suburban couple, 15/20/25 years on. They are still the removed, reticent, sheltered characters they were when younger.

    I want there to be a feeling that the old world is fading, and a sea change is coming, but hasnt come yet, and at the end of the day, doesnt touch everyone.

    Any help at all would be appreciated!
     
  2. Tori

    Tori New Member

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    I'm not really sure why but from what you've discribed this sounds like it should be set in the late 70s early 80s.
     
  3. Shreyass

    Shreyass New Member

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    I agree, sounds like 70's moving into 80's, maybe more emphasis on the 80's, whats the time span of the story? (Also sounds like you've thought this through a lot, if you've started working on it, post some up).
     

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