Book of the Month: Tom Brown’s School Days

 

Tom Brown’s School Days is probably the best-known novel about life at an English public school (in this case Rugby). It was written by Thomas Hughes and first published in 1857.

No doubt most people know the story of Tom Brown from the many film and television adaptations over the years (see clips from some of those here).

The basic plot of the novel (which is available to download free-of-charge on various Internet sites, including here) is that on his arrival at Rugby, the eleven-year-old Tom Brown is looked after by a more experienced classmate, Harry “Scud” East. Tom’s nemesis at Rugby is the bully Flashman. The intensity of the bullying increases and after refusing to hand over a sweepstake ticket for the favourite in a horse race, Tom is deliberately burned in front of a fire. Tom and East defeat Flashman with the help of Diggs, a kind, comical, older boy. In their triumph they become unruly.

‘Floggings’ are so common in the story they come and go, although the author does not dwell on them.

Here’s an example: The headmaster (the Doctor) has said at prayers that the town is out of bounds and no boy is to go there … 

 

Wherefore East and Tom, for no earthly pleasure except that of doing what they are told not to do, start away, after second lesson, and making a short circuit through the fields, strike a back lane which leads into the town, go down it, and run plump upon one of the masters as they emerge into the High Street.

The master in question, though a very clever, is not a righteous man. He has already caught several of his own pupils, and gives them lines to learn, while he sends East and Tom, who are not his pupils, up to the Doctor, who, on learning that they had been at prayers in the morning, flogs them soundly.

The flogging did them no good at the time, for the injustice of their captor was rankling in their minds; but it was just the end of the half, and on the next evening but one Thomas knocks at their door, and says the Doctor wants to see them. They look at one another in silent dismay.

What can it be now? Which of their countless wrong-doings can he have heard of officially? However, it's no use delaying, so up they go to the study. There they find the Doctor, not angry, but very graver. “He has sent for them to speak to very seriously before they go home. They have each been flogged several times in the half-year for direct and wilful breaches of rules. This cannot go on. They are doing no good to themselves or others, and now they are getting up in the School, and have influence. They seem to think that rules are made capriciously, and for the pleasure of the masters; but this is not so. They are made for the good of the whole School, and must and shall be obeyed. Those who thoughtlessly or wilfully break them will not be allowed to stay at the School. He should be sorry if they had to leave, as the School might do them both much good, and wishes them to think very seriously in the holidays over what he has said. Good-night.”

As extracted from the 1905 Thomas Nelson and Sons edition

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