To Sir, With Love (novel)

To Sir, With Love is a 1959 autobiographical novel by ER Braithwaite published.

Content

The Guyanese native, educated in the U.S. and England Rick Braithwaite has served from 1940 to 1945 in the Royal Air Force. After his withdrawal, he tries in vain longer time to find a job that meets his qualifications as a communication engineer, but from advanced reasons - rejected again and again - in fact, because of his skin color. Finally, he applies for a teaching job and is actually believed his service must be on a " social problem ", the East End of London compete.

His first impression of the Greenslade Secondary School is frightening and scary: an undisciplined horde of young people from the lower classes with bad manners, bad language and little respect for authority. The philosophy of the headmaster Mr Florian brought first his skepticism: Have the students in the school receive what they lack at home: affection, confidence and leadership, an education without coercion and corporal punishment - " disciplined freedom". But Braithwaite takes on the challenge.

At first he meets with his students (he has the graduating class of his colleagues failed Hackman taken ) on indifference: While you do the tasks assigned to them, but without interest and enthusiasm. It is followed by a phase in which his authority is put to the test: Students disturbing the lesson by banging with their adjustable top and vulgar behavior and talk. In his efforts to discipline students Braithwaite comes one day an idea that actually proves to be effective: By treating students as adults and this is also expected from the students to each other ( so the boys have the girls with "Miss " address Braithwaite itself can be "Sir" call ), he causes them to behave in adult total. The atmosphere in the classroom and the relationship between teachers and students is improving more and more (only one student named Denham needs to be defeated by Braithwaite first in a boxing match before it recognizes the authority of the teacher ); Finally, even common museum and theater visits are possible, which nobody had in college.

The increasing acceptance by the students still face occasional private humiliations. So Braithwaite is an apartment for which he is interested, refuses because of his skin color, and his colleague Weston excites him again and again with ironic twists. When he visited with his colleague Gillian Blanchard, into which he has fallen in an expensive restaurant, they are deliberately ill-treated; also Gillian's parents are excited about the black boyfriend of her daughter initially little. Braithwaite, however, it is possible to gain charm and intelligence sympathy. At the end of the school year, when his students leave school, they offer him a package with the inscription " To Sir, With Love".

Background

The book goes on experiences of the author's back during his time as a teacher in the East End of London 1950-57. However, the novel-like plant with detailed physical descriptions and exciting dialogues and certain discrepancies on the CV of the author lead to the conclusion that it is not a 1:1 reproduction of reality, but a moderate fictionalization. So the narrator of the book of 1939, already to study in England, after he has obtained a first university degree in the U.S. and worked for two years in Venezuela; The author, however, studied until 1940 in New York, then served until 1945 in the Royal Air Force and completed his studies in 1949 at the University of Cambridge from.

Racism issue

One of the central themes of the book is the development of Braithwaite's personal strategy for dealing with racism. Before he came to the UK, he looked at the British way of life (like most inhabitants of the former British colonies ) as the embodiment of justice, tolerance, freedom, democracy and human rights. It is for him, therefore, a sobering and shocking experience to launched in the UK on intolerance, prejudice and discrimination. Unlike in the U.S. racist position but is never expressed or added, but hidden under a mask of politeness open. According to Braithwaite's long fruitless job search, his disappointment and disillusionment gradually transformed into hatred: he sniffs everywhere antipathy, bestowed on whites no more courtesy and even considered white children with hostility. Only through individual meetings with unprejudiced and helpful whites, he succeeds way back again to a positive attitude towards them. He learns not to fight back, but to react calmly and thereby superior morally to prove:

" Beating up people never solves anything. [ ... ] I do mind, but I'm learning how to mind and still live. At first it was terrible, but Gradually I'm learning what it Means to live with dignity inside my black skin. "

Reception

Braithwaite's first book is still his most successful; both in England and in the United States, it experienced several dozen editions. The New York Times praised it as " moving and inspiring " book " quickly devours slowly considering and do not forget " the reader. Critics complained, however, that Braithwaite treat the problem of racism on a purely individual basis; his personal strategy to win by fighting his hatred and forgiveness, moral superiority, wearing nothing to change the social relations. Also, perceived as vain and smug self-presentation Braithwaite was criticized.

A German translation of To Sir, With Love appeared in 1960 under the title With Love: adventure novel about young people in the forum -Verlag (Vienna / Hannover / Basel). Seven years later, an abridged version in Reader 's Digest books selection vol 47 (1/ 1967). However, lasting popularity could not obtain the book in German-speaking countries.

Filming

To Sir, With Love was filmed in 1967 by James Clavell with Sidney Poitier in the lead role. The German version was originally titled Young thorns; the DVD title is Challenged.