cuarren 7 INVITATIONS TO A CANDY-FLOSS WORLD: THE NEWER MASS ART er mide of um, own frm ine ming wi ‘Seinedfa ttre rinsing owe of he ied oi Peet acey txatce ects otal ety of ple wily he ma hey il en 2 nee Eolpepledidatpeseric eye Sao “Sd A ome aa ‘Remgtyn “eermorete’ poxanra “Yow al wt eno wot it ne Me hoe me al mee HSM Sa idm estes ome weal hen We SUG itvey ts vac cxpned fide wih or pri, are tl te ose brn lve he td thy ve oo SogUS heating newer al aay weg ever ls tom ene pentane a ebpey iy ‘Shncn pes adiogs tease dries A. The Producers 1 heey cen ogg te pope wit he pole wit. Ta ot “When we consider the exraordinary skilfuiness of the modemiterature of entertainment we end remake ro erect of empha. We ssoiatei too much with only afew dozen ‘ames, che tual popular parallels with the couple of dozen fecious (for want of a beer word) contemporary writers ‘whose namet most feguendy recur in the weekly reviews. ‘And we ofien simply asome that theatre ofthese writer, toward their work is wholly commercial and cynical "The greatly snccesfl popular writers, the literary Depar- mont Stores, are formidable and fascinating Sigurt. One cn plette the secretaries and stenographes, the tope-recorders, the ‘ghosts’ on the periphery, the syndicated atl, the ‘no teprodvetion in whole ot in par’ the complex and eficent Aream-words factory ina lage old howe scmewhere inthe svar South, fom which the Inter faary or psce of clever= faery by the Mater goes out to the weeklies, the American snatke, andthe farther Dominions. ‘But such people, however mechanized ther organizations, could not be responsible forthe vat bull ofpopsla iteratare Roughly eighteen thousand books 2 yest are poblihed in Jand, and of thee novel of entertainment form a large part And what ofthe paperbacks which post fom publhing- Fouts few have ever heard of, which make ragged and grody the windows of the stationers, the new magzzineshops, and the station bookstalls? These are the books by writer who, probably working under several names, produce anything fiom four toa dozen tiles year, and ae ofien pad a piece rats, by the thousand words. The marke ses tobe highly ‘campetitive, and those who sacoeed - that is, make a good living without necesarly becoming natioally-known figures ned to have an acute sense of what the public wants. Thus, fone of them says that two of his ulesof thumb are never to pot in any ‘boring dexrption” (I should gues chat it i risumed that any description of more than 2 couple of lines will be boring), and to make sre to get dislogue om the fist page. For those who can supply whats wanted, a andsome living canbe provided; and one which carries with i almost complete anonymity ‘Amovg democratic ations, weiter may Sater hosel dha be vill obain a cheap ate a meagre reptaion ands Inge fren, Foc ths arp he need no beaded; ris enough hat be ed ‘The everinereatg crowd of reader, andthe ental raving fo someting new cance teal ofbooka which nobody mach eazems [Nobody much exeems them, bu ‘etemsisaverbof value; ‘whereas o be liked, as De Tocquevil indicates, ithe test.“Tse nie a compot and wo oot ico be eye Sa Te cme mere te ie ee ee mk oho mony lg ie ee pom oe ang 2 deme opt om me ae lly wo overestimate mor of tem ve read er lind ad ns cas ben dlr oe ‘ell ily het mae! v0 cm Se asa: ware wa, ee re elo ancora) oy Speeestnc caylee et ga aa ee wie pom se gol sa ee an ere bur ae of he echo Ce iy oem dn thy sa he cae ee oftheir ealtoe, They can polish in great ce forge nn es wich Fa a re dapman nha epee Bs ne eergen tee dey ce hn pony Poder San air se pop Joalon J of ance se or ME ya ls ome runes het nap mow an ko we ao ae ay mtb aogier «concn: Fae Bet ane on ten ance Ate aaa ig of ope nese make a a ee ctor boing wae oft So ic be twice Meo, a eee tm cv endl mire on ea Jace fr PRs Ld Sp te Nec sg mime se Nil ey cpu ig tonalite heme Bee renin our hears No doube Miss Vera Lynn hata soand idea of the elements she must ste to acquire her ‘haracterisse elect ~ dhe simplied but forefal emotional pater, the complicated alerations of emphasis the exta- Exdary conteal of vowel-sounds which allows them to ery the feling required. These are what her listeners want, s0 that the songs shall call ap their special kind of imapinary world, Bot ts ako, Tshould gues, Mis Lynn's imaginary world, ‘one she naturally inhabits atthe acwal moment of singing Her ‘blurb'-writers ae probably not fir of the mark when they speak of the ringing sincerity of er famous voice she sing, 28 somcone has said in the way a factory-giel hears herself singing inher head. Perr “There iss ruc behind the easy exaggeration ofthis pase’ I wat one prs tthe uit confience of as Ol Mater Riley fi Lt me gravely ase thos ey ose a the ei com nel ofthis zeal eres thatthe caneence room board th tte cupors. Teas of lps luge shook the gubeed ‘increas thcy decided how ofen Od Mother ley war fll owas or into te water renumably most writers of fntay for people of any class share the fntasy worlds of thei readers. They become the ‘writers rather than the readers because they cn body those ntsc into stories and characters, nd becasse they have a floency in lznguage. Not the attade to language of the creative writer, eying to mould woedsinto a shape which wil bear the peculiar quty of his experince; but 3 Hocacy, a ‘git of the gab’, and. fality with thousands of stock phrases ‘which wil sx che figues moving on che highly coaveation- lized tage of tec reader imaginations. They panto words snd intensify the daydceams oftheir readers, often with cone fiderabletechical sill. Their eelaton to their readers, we have seen, irmore direct than tht ofthe restive write. They Ao not erst am bjecein-itl dey ats picrare-makers for ‘whats behind the readers’ daydreams bot what cannot have leealhabision and a name because of imaginative inabiiy1 remember a gic in the provinces who had written neatly 3 ‘dozen books before she was twenty-one. She had begun at Steen, and afer that, ‘they jut poured out, you know’ ‘Another authoress bad produced bundeeds of papr-backed angserchlers. Sbe lived quietly wich ber husband in an {EN London suburb, When she was asked how she xt about het wing she relied, ‘Tjost go broody at che typewriter ‘She added that het ambicon wa to waite ‘a serio, spinal werk tat wil tone witha ibn "Theres 3 temptation among, some social cities ose in all this popolar lneraure, expecially in its more advanced con- emporry forms, some tort of plot by “the authori’ a Gover way of Keeping the working-dases quietly doped. Bot pany of those who are doing ther very competent best ~ “Gctely’ and soon ~ in thisfeld are themuelves of working das origin, products of the scholanhip system, quick-wied Shi cuntgede boys who have ‘got on” because they have that ‘if ofthe gab and know heir people atone only knows foe among whom one grew up. Hrchere isa plot isa r- Tnarkably conning one: "They" have tempted without dif Coty some ofthe brighter minds inthe working-class to lad iT Mind of weakening oftheir own class ~ partly for money, arly for the best of inadequstely examined reaons. The SJoung men always inst their memoir, cat they “cally elon eo the people ~ share cee loghter and teats ~ are edinty Eke them ~ always imagine that they are simply ‘yrting leter home "The unconscious irony of tis is hard co bea, especially ‘when one thiaks of the huge commercial organizations for ‘hich iis meant to serve a= genuine justification, More, the Tone has wsually something of winning quality, in a kind of ‘agemet behind the clichés und one remembers the unsens= eet and unflattering manner of thse from the working ‘hues who pre-eminendy spoke for and to he aspirations of svorking-cas people By years ago. a he rs tl Hy ey odeb tas antares Have arged thatthe poe wherhy poplar joan fathead eter in tire to pte i old thet ‘este eo win them at wltver ot ea both of come BIR prose ad ofthe chon which the rede nd ‘fe ae dave. The competion ken enough tense Ue popole pape ragueins, and paperbacks can aly ease pe. A orl vive with ie age bit {Bots attr and publisher the srg to rain oo in for wh the fie hal-donen of he kind never relened. Ge nagune wil sachs shorted for months oe are mi dicoves yet another novel angle on the olé ‘pei: bc i dre il be are by he know that Fy ae ny op th yr ser gl Shara wl adopt and themselves go One thr So che Sheceing dance conn andthe po are nrodced tee af stanger sober we ge ow a good dea more thee Pros we dese’ Rar the proce std upon ile Thus, sean to me evident hat mot of one pope junal hve become good del worse daring thea Bern ‘rewenty yea dan hey were daring th iy yeas ees tha tey hve dseguded ox inplicly enderined worth: tte aids mars belly and ety tia eens Yeas ofthe eveny-odd year! fe han hey din fe ey years No dou six yeas of war chy bed sce tenth proces, When the wae end, all pope ours thew to, arson the acl wie would ed. The more bio one ba wed ther pts ell and made te {Eposions or puts nteneghe-frthe dicbsion Sf mos te whe of te Brith redig-pbbe among + few big powers The period of Nuon service gives on fpportny to conan the gene prose you men,Dored but enable, except in rare case, to take Up any cone nected or developing activities of thet ow, provide a temp. ing field for sales now and for che formation of habits which wll decide thee fare reading. ‘Many ways of llsrating this change suggest themselves, ‘One mighr, for instance, ey oot a comparative analysis of the whole syle and manner of the one-hundred-jearrold [News of the World and one of the more modera Sunday papers. The News ofthe World is itl the only pubiation 1 know which has managed to renin a pre-eminent potion with all clases (¢ is read by one in two ofall adals inthe country) by persisting in being subsantally what i bas been, “There ae a few changes, chef in styles of photography and rang, but onthe whole the old recipe sill holds, and by now has acquired a sore of supporting “period” steraction fox many people. Or one could compare the two styles in sexy papers the raw-sery and che bex-ofboth-worlds sexy. In the ater, more common today, che sex-dope is provided, but alway with a quick preliminary glance over the left shoulder st" morality’~ They should not have printed chi tory (given in fl, with photographs). We know all decent cizeas will objec ar we do tothe habits of some newspapers: The Sundey has decided thin the iments ofthe great body of respec table citizens, it must expose this ev in our midt. Te fit ofthreilasrated and unexporgated accounts ofthis abomin- able vice racket begins next week. Order your copy nov.” "The pseudo-mora Janus glance tends to be usd in papers not specilly appealing to the working-clasee, But the babit inevitably spreads, expecially in some of the more modern ‘popular Sunday papers, nd in those which seem insecure, and to tend tobe more responsive to new styles and manner. ‘one might mention the changes of policy in some cof the ilusrated wecklies during the lat Few years, though these are not sfcenly particular favourites ofthe working clases to chim special attention. Changes of manner sera t0 have ozcurred Requenly, with now a deers in the social , The Rese How may one sommatize the probable effects ofthe more ‘widely tead publicasons, the popular daly and Sundaypaper, andthe cheap magazines? Are there key to be any Pervasive results from a consant and lagely wnelevel dic, ofthis kindof reading? ‘Thece may be, fst a dsconnecting effet in eading-mattce ‘whichis almost entirely sensational and Fantasy peodvcing. no ‘matter how tiv its ensations may often be, reading et off Som any serious suggestion ofrexponsbilty and commitment (On the evidence ofthe developments dicused above, ens tion and fantary are increasing their hold, but in thin and Aebiltated forms. Compare the old broad-thetson executions or even the Polite News; thse new things are smarter, le immediately shocking, but a bottom no lest indefatgably ‘wedded to the same appeals. Senstionalism has leaaed ro Wear a white collar, and is fl of persuasive and smooth socal “ploys's thas all ‘gone tothe head’ andi as much without a belly-Lugh asi is without bowels of eompasion, There ate ecurent cris agains our ‘sersoden papers’; they steibte ‘more life to these papecs than they have. “Soden? sugges some weight, some body; bu dese have na body enough to be sodden in anything. Everything bas gone viatous thi popastry lerature, with nothing inside the pastry, the ‘aseles exploitation ofa hollow brighmess. Nothing can be Alive stsight, not even the weather forecast; “Ie will rain’ has to be "You'll need a mac, today, chum’. yen the sensationalism i ofien only apparent. Thus a headline such a3 that given eacir (and i is eypcal of many), “Thousands of ‘men fight for one woman’, proves to be simply anote about the swarming of bes. Ths kind of ching is" What the Bur Saw" with no cards in the machine; but the saleralk wonder For oor sense of wonde tot arose by enorme, enon things ~thowgh that is what dled verily eequies to provoke ittoa 1c of esa experzace of wonder Examine a group of modem pinups: at st they look ‘oaremely suggestive and insome ways they are, And yet they ce tangely est the sexbas ben machined oof then a TESTS gone cepa ange in ose They iba "as sol operand tar th rel phys gly ETE em ut hy tae an sel sd score preoa Stow kindof eins’ Ereying bs ben sipped Ao itso ange of wal seins can one inane 2 Wty boda aw-arclly dordael ba an tern tart the sin, hom te sme sd oy, Bead of p= ‘Cinco on te eppertp on ee of he ety pckaged rie atthe longed s Deg ane ad be rey oa ou snl. Ae such gs ely ace sexi ‘Simaaty among yong pope? Gnd bard to imaine Sch conmeion Weer thon and roils. They may encourage masuracon ine symbolic way dey may poms ba kindof vale excl repent Tete uly on ges eg spokenan’ of wi the popular Pes 0 pond Mach Pea sore of dadow-boxing and sh pcg Termes mare Sxng ude ight Now ad gin ie isa genin tock but uly on something small and sf. Mat cin te enc se eer men of se, bogs Ane Sales sch ‘cnvetonl peoples othe stake on rea peopeasenan Arie, ope by inpiation Be ceipontial de man’ ty ely pve ea crate ton bes few sae fants Tre ae ao excepto, bik in gence tee paps neers wih ble hocking” ‘ns nth "sag a Thr bjcion singin and fapmenesion” etson somenbat ale oe Sch hese bo mya rege an hog we renew sae pote tc everyone res ny. 8s The objeion tan be Ime i ch panower and more spas Afr all here igh resouly fae ten an impeovenet ine gence She gn oy ee Be ys at dl bu bees done Tot fo cae od cern SEricpmens dogger secnsnimpeovement a kenpce. But when we lok tte incense, proporonty in the hold which the simplified sad rgmmnury pebeons lave come o exerie dang the same perio, ind a thot fale tobe one whit beer han che publeaion of als cena got becomes very Jbl wheter en cn tht ee has brn any gene improvement in he ua af reading Ie secs a, hough avery lrg sb poplar beng hd down at an paling low vin he ‘eading By pow te mae pleats provide won fe tha most ny indvdoal aes egies bat tha sco ingto thiourea ms pbleadons The oc which sek sll profits and gic rows cbnin ther buge cliente by producing. foc empl shire more cheaply an anjone che; bt thy reir de siner of ais fo thse me popular: fw ke hose ye, we ay we buy fom her 3 shin ede ways good. The mse popular Pres mut ‘etic fuel whe sppeds and sutude which re mo pl din ho mich estan maces hee ae nok the compenstiony of shiebuying. We come tgeber in osc a ane he soc a cover ‘we do noe always recognize them a indulgences nett Thos few people have ore than one sped in rex ‘heres a more dn aegeat soppy of matral deed bert op pe an pe ut or mot while reading Equal theca highlighting of for ance Garaceedecipton fn pope fcion males ruler les likely tobe wing to tlente he qlicaons he appt sncersinty ef ooine, benny the of bld nd snle Stole, which ay chascevsnlys of sbdey vl Thi soot reget dat heya ting to eae ou the ston of Stee in Henry James THe baendry he orday’ comps too he no imple people Sore idl ir wi sly vd’ date ‘palatine epithe Sa sd oging duly ach oan; te ck fay texte or vn fp to wing MWVITATIONS 70 A CANDY-FLOSS WoRLD 235, Be this to die chance ike balding » howe fom ache ‘Unfors ite not posible to quote an cal example fiom a modem popslar pblstion, bot they may be very ay Toon They wl tly prove to be in some wayt See sklflly writen chan mos of the ois inthe dey Imagine, and ofen co have mere life, or mare of calow Tt efi, Some ofthe ojeton ro them wool py ako tothe sos inthe oldsyle publctons. But the newer swing hae ofien cheap gunechewing pet gibaes and a reaming which mark rat one ne mid twenty lar wring, To me, is worst fate edhe Brash com lence with which i pres and ssune a universally olan olock och ave jo dered, Thi oaphly tBemanner of writing: “her wer only two fom Langton Mila the Key Hala Kamp = eles yoo count Mabe Ach. But we doy, onal. ‘Apa fom poor od Mabel spy fc, t's ber wishes ~ {hap goer bein ome book ad pera ike mad “Anysy one and I knew we were i fc a ming tine the remit wet eyescnte plc.» thre dance-bal, wo n-baching rade oe of milk Bar te ob “hn, ecg pra eel! On eh hank oot aahood! Marlon Bezdo and Hmph, Boge in oe So we were al et forse goed tie - when lng coe it Deroy Temple. Ginger hair led aba, anda soso of et sete the prety sothing wit look. So we knew twa going 0 bes ght oh nh Wat er ee That fined be lig Ls we a of she ‘naff for good wk with Mabe and a ook Pardoome Oh wbathapenedto Mion Beando-andHomph= Bog? Wel xcs east now. ‘The quotation fiom East Lyme which fellows i in certain ways le alive than much of thie modem writings it relice too easy ona sort of oratory. But the particule comparison Temanourto makeisberwcen what can only cll-attherisk