Throughout this poem the child goes on about her love for the book ‘Dear Mr. Lee’ by U A Fanthorpe, and how the system has let her down. However this poem is not just one sided; we also get views of two other people; those of Mr. Smart and the examiner. The girl is the one who actually voices the others’ opinions; she is writing the letter after all. The girl speaks of how she not only dislikes the way that students are forced to study these books, but also the actual study methods that the education facilities effectuate. She feels that completing all these detailed analyses completely spoils the ‘magic’ of the story and breaks down the feeling of intimacy between the book and reader.
“I didn’t want to write a character-sketch of your mother under headings, it seemed wrong somehow when you’d made her so lovely”
The child feels that these questions ruin the book, and she feels that the book should be read for pleasure, and not just to study, “I didn’t much like those questions about social welfare in the rural community and the seasons as perceived by an adolescent, I didn’t think you’d want your book read that way…” She is criticising the examination methods explaining that, at this point in time they do not work for her at least.
Mr. Smart is also critical, but unlike the pupil, not of the education system he upholds. He disagrees with the child’s sentiment towards the book ‘Cider with Rosie’. In the letter, the child is always saying how “Mr Smart says…” when the girl has one idea in her head, he always tells her things, which completely conflict with her prior beliefs. “…But Mr Smart says Spain isn’t like that all Timeshare villas and Torremolinos”
He implicitly undermines her faith, destroying her self-esteem. This is a terrible relationship, certainly not one that any child should have with their teacher. They should be stimulated and encouraged, not put down. However it has failed to dent the child’s love of this particular novel, “I still love Cider, it hasn’t made any difference.” And the poem argues that while literature must be taught in schools, it should be taught in a way which children can enjoy it.
In ‘Reports’ Fanthorpe also comments on the relationship between the teacher and student.
Fanthorpe implies that some teachers try to make the reports that they give to the students as vague and impersonal as possible. Essentially the reports they give could apply to any student. “Even pronouns are dangerous” This refers to how teachers do not even address the students by ‘he’ or ‘she’, but just use phrases like “must try harder”. They cannot write anything that will allow any discussion or cause any reaction from the parents or head teacher. “Parent, child, head, Unholy trinity, will read Your scripture backwards.” This could make he teacher a target for blame for the child’s behaviour, “Unmanageable oaf cuts both ways. Finds the subject difficult, Acquitting you, converts Oaf into idiot, usher in to master.” By choosing his words carefully the teacher thus absolves himself from any responsibility.
Although the poem is about the relationship between teacher and pupil, it can be seen to relate to school as a metaphor for life.
“Born at Sound beginning, We move from Satisfactory To Fair, then Find The subject difficult, Learning at last we Could have done better.”
It is saying that we spend all our life endeavouring to live as best we can, when ultimately, as in school we will end up disappointed. “With rest in peace”.
U.A. Fanthorpe indulges in word-play at various points, as in the apparent truism “Satisfactory/should satisfy them”. It is not really a cliché, since it does not mean that something which is satisfactory should satisfy but that parents should be satisfied to read that their child has been judged satisfactory, so the parents should be satisfied with the report, because the report writer is satisfied with their child. But at no point do we learn what it is that has satisfied the teacher, nor what might be a standard for being “satisfactory”.
As we read ‘Reports’ we find the tone of the poem is negative because it indicates how some teachers judge students. The poem does link to my thesis and we find out that the teacher is a bitter man, which may’ve become lazy from years of teaching, and is trying to pass on his distress to a new and hopeful teacher. However ‘Dear Mr. Lee’ has a positive tone in spite of criticism of the teachings and examining of English. It’s showing that students can still enjoy a subject even if the teacher uses discouraging methods of teaching the student. Therefore both poems present school from different perspectives showing what some teachers and students think of the education system.
Fanthorpe opinion seems to be that children may still succeed despite some teaching scheme.
