What Not: A Prophetic Comedy by Rose Macaulay
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"What Not: A Prophetic Comedy" by Rose Macaulay is a satirical novel written in the early 20th century. The story is set in the aftermath of the Great War, focusing on a fictional future in which a governmental entity called the Ministry of Brains has been established to promote intelligence and manage social progress. The narrative introduces the main character, Ivy Delmer, a typist navigating a whimsical yet disconcerting society governed by
quirky regulations around intellectual capabilities." "The opening of the novel establishes the chaotic context after the Great War, showcasing the seemingly mundane life of London commuters as they travel to work amidst reflections on the war's impacts and the uncertain future. Ivy Delmer is portrayed as a young, naive typist at the Ministry of Brains, who embodies both innocence and a burgeoning curiosity about the world. As the narrative unfolds, we meet other characters, including her sophisticated colleague Miss Kitty Grammont and the ambitious Vernon Prideaux, hinting at the tensions between intellect, societal expectations, and individual desire in this new era. The chapter sets a tone of dark humor and social critique, foreshadowing the exploration of themes surrounding intelligence, societal roles, and the absurdities of bureaucratic governance that characterize the book." (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Macaulay, Rose, 1881-1958 |
|---|---|
| Title | What Not: A Prophetic Comedy |
| Credits |
Produced by Suzanne Shell, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries) |
| Reading Level | Reading ease score: 70.4 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read. |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PR: Language and Literatures: English literature |
| Subject | Science fiction |
| Subject | Satire |
| Subject | England -- Fiction |
| Subject | Bureaucracy -- Fiction |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 35198 |
| Release Date | Feb 7, 2011 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 392 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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