Peter Duck story
From Arthur Ransome Wiki
A Peter Duck story is a story made-up by Titty Walker, as described in Swallowdale.
On Arthur Ransome Wiki, the term Peter Duck story is used to describe the "stories within stories" status of some novels in the Swallows and Amazons series especially Peter Duck and Missee Lee as well as Great Northern? although the latter is not universally accepted as such.
Another term for this device of a story within a story is metafiction.
[edit] Characteristics of a 'Peter Duck story'
- ocean journeys (PD, ML, GN, but also WD)
- prolonged presence of Captain Flint (in all but PD, ML, GN he is absent or busy for large chunks of the story)
- non-use of the name Turner in reference to Captain Flint (PD, ML)
- Wild Cat (PD, ML)
- violence including gun shots (PD, ML, GN), torture (PD), references to beheading (ML)
- references elsewhere to an adventure's made-up status (PD, cited in SD and TOS)
- reference elsewhere to an adventure as though it exists as a published book:
- "Three hoots ... Sailing vessel with the wind aft. Remember Peter Duck?" (italicised like this in source) (Titty, reminding Roger of the correct foghorn signal, WD10)
- "Earrings...like Black Jake had in Peter Duck." (italicised like this in source) (Titty, PP21)
- inscription on title page "based on information provided by the Swallows and Amazons" (ML)
- lack of fresh milk and mention of use of the condensed product though in all the other books except ML, fresh milk would be available close at hand, condensed milk is practical for long voyages or cruises in a small boat (PD, GN)
- use of Swallow and Amazon as ship's boats (PD, ML) – note that Swallow is owned by the Jacksons of Holly Howe (SD6)
- the physical presence of Gibber (PD, ML)
[edit] References
