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  • Essay / Childhood Memories in The Go-between Book

    In the book “The Go-Between” by LP Hartley, Leo Colston looks back on his childhood. The story begins with Leo going through some of his old belongings, namely his diary. However, he can barely bring himself to look through this journal because of the memories he has and the memories he doesn't want to uncover. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay This, I think, introduces the idea of ​​childhood quite well. This not only says that Leo has good memories of his childhood, which is why he looks through his things, and it also doesn't say that he has bad memories, but that he knows that there are certain things he doesn't remember, but doesn't want to remember, so he shouldn't remember them. The phrase that best sums up this situation is: “The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.” » However, Leo is forced to look through this diary and, at first, he seems to enjoy reading it, because he is impressed. by astrological symbols and tells the daily program of Brandham Hall. However, as his memories slowly combine, he begins to remember the things he wanted to leave forgotten. He remembers the bullies and how they used to deface his newspaper and beat him left, right and center. The story then shifts back to affection, as he remembers his holiday at Brandham Hall and how he doesn't really fit in, but people still try to help him. The main theme and title of the story, however, comes in the form of Marian Maudsley, the daughter of the foster family. Because Marcus Maudsley, Leo's school friend and the reason Leo is at Brandham Hall, falls ill, Leo finds himself forced to entertain himself. Marian Maudsley asks Leo to be the intermediary between her and Ted Burgess, a local farmer. The reason Leo is so eager to help Marian is because he loves her and has no idea of ​​the contents of the letters he is carrying. This is why Marian and Ted can so easily use his services. During his summer vacation, Leo exudes clear depictions of childhood, such as the meaning of "Deadly Nightshade" and his judgment of people because of their zodiac. sign. Also, the importance of the concert, and making people enjoy it and be impressed by it. He is also unaware that his mention of cricket actually has something to do with sexual rivalry, as if it were the rivalry between two teams. "Banter" is also included in the story, as he insults people in French, and this again ties into his depiction of childhood. Overall, from these we can acquire a picture of his childhood without him being aware of it. Looking at his past, it is easy for Leo to criticize his actions, even though, as a young man, he had no idea what he was doing. At the time, he did not understand why the two lovers could not marry due to the difference in social class. At the time, he was not at all suspicious of what the letters might say. The angriest Leo feels about his past is when he looks back when he discovers the contents of the letters he was carrying. The sexual nature of the letters forces Leo to stop being the intermediary between Marian and Ted. The worst comes when Ted commits suicide when Marian's family discovers the contents of the letters. In the epilogue, Leo reflects on his summer and how it affected him in the long run. He remembers how much he suffered psychologically. It's once again a negative look at his childhood, and rightly so, as he once again remembers the things he had.