Written in 1929 by a young innovative author, Living is the account of life in a British factory town of that time. We follow both the workers of the factory and the owner’s lives. The factory is an iron foundry, just starting to shift from a hand-crafted tradition to a more automated version. Most of the workers featured are the older generation, having been with the firm most of their lives, and not a few are facing retirement, voluntary or not, without much of a plan for what comes next. The fact that the Depression is bearing down on them is not encouraging.
The innovation comes from Green’s unique style of writing. He used what he called “experiments with the definite article” to replicate what he considered a style which was closer to ordinary speech patterns. Here is an example. Mr. Gates and his daughter Lily are arguing about the amount of household money he gives her.
He did not listen to what she told him but said you got tired of the woman never keeping any money to end of week, and wasn’t he entitled to a hot supper who had worked to fill her mouth. She said it had always been the custom with them to go out to a fish and chips on a Friday night. He said oil they fried the fish in was machine oil. She said particular wasn’t he all at once and what about her who had to clean it up when he spat on floor.
Gracious living. As you might guess, Mrs. Gates is long gone.