The narratives of Bryson can be investigated by looking into language, nationality and also intertextuality. The following paper will expand the perspectives of Bryson regarding the United States and the Great Britain as they emerge from his novel ‘Notes from a Small Island’. Notably, in his book, Bryson makes an excellent depiction of America, as well as, Britain in a hilarious, educative, exaggerated and also in an authentic manner. In the work, it is evident that Bryson both criticizes and also praises the values and related events in both countries that significantly affects their national cultures. It has enumerated the factors of the British sense of humor, good manners and deference, a sense of happiness as practiced by both countries and lastly, consumerism.
Throughout the travelogue, Bryson notes in a humoristic way that he is ‘impressed by the quality of humor you find in most unlikely places, where it would simply not exist in other countries’ (Bryson 126). This means that Bryson has a huge admiration for the British love of jokes. For example, when Bryson wore his raincoat, he realized that he ‘looked uncannily like a large blue condom' (Bryson 127). This is extremely amusing. He writes that humor is heavily spread across England as opposed to America. Notably, he mentions that the British have a way of making jokes about those in authority without challenging them. He at one point admits that his travel to England has made him more confused concerning the existing contrasts between the sense of humor of the British and the American people.
Such humoristic sense as has been depicted by Bryson denotes an important difference between the two countries. Humor is important in the society especially when issues touching on their welfare crops up. For instance, by making jokes about those in leadership, the British can adequately make their grievances known without causing harm or damage to any party. The dog incident, however, is too much as it leads to an antagonistic conduct that was not intended. (Bryson 113-114) Generally, this is a field where a major difference exists between the Americans and the Britons. In America, the situation is different with several of them being serious on most occasions. They minimally entertain such as a sense of humor as the Britons.
Good manners and deference
Good manners, as well as, deference have been regarded as being extremely important in the ways of life of the Britons. Essentially, in the entire world, self-esteem that goes handily with high social deference is associated with the British culture of the twentieth century. Bryson notes that when one meets a stranger, the first words would be that one is terribly apologetic. This will be followed by a request and after that an apologetic smile. Bryson also remarks that the British people are extremely silent in their hotel rooms thereby denoting a sense of decency. (Bryson 118) This sense of good manners might have stemmed from the primary image of the Briton gentlemen arising from the eighteenth century.
The British people can thus be described as elite, noble and civilized all contributing to the good manners of its population. Besides, because Britain is culturally diversified, it cannot only be said to have one ideal that is associated with a gentleman. (Bryson 109, 112) Bryson, as a result, honors the Britons for their exemplary behavior that is a great contrast with his American country. Here, people are not as gentle as in Britain. This would mean that they would not care more when one is lost as the Britons do. Its hospitality has also managed to attract a broad base of communities from the entire world. This fosters the relationship between the locals and these immigrants thereby impacting on several lives.
Contrast between Briton’s and American’s happiness
Bryson describes the British people as being ‘the happiest on earth' because they can be easily pleased and that they have small pleasures. (Bryson 98) To achieve this, they have to them particular moderation values that are complimented by a good sense. On the contrary, this practice of happiness is utterly strange to the American society. This is because their entire reason for living is for cramming the most sensual pleasure that he can into his mouth. (Bryson 98). However, moderation can be described as having been a puritan and such; it tried to shape the character and the culture of the Americans. By this, it means that the Americans on numerous occasions tried to inculcate the best virtues as were practiced by the Britons in their lives. Notably, this led to significant improvements in their daily lives.
Currently, even when one asserts that Puritanism has been completely outdated, it is still practiced in the United States, for instance, Methodism, as well as, Fundamentalism. Essentially, it has remained an enormous practice in the lives of Americans. In its clarification, while the British people deal with a single national of the lifestyle of the elites, the way of life of the Americans is universal. Such encompass the themes of ambitions, violence, love and also sex. (Bryson 87) Bryson, therefore, suggests that the Britons prefer things that bring little pleasures which in essence degrades them because several people, not only in America but other parts of the world opt for those major things that bring immense delight to their lives.
Consumerism
While in Britain, Bryson heavily criticizes its consumerism practice. He notes that ‘as Mrs. Thatcher proved, tolerant of dictatorships’ (Bryson 101) Firstly, he denotes those values that can only be appreciated buy the Britons. Such include ‘Marmite’, as well as, ‘really milk-tea’. (Bryson 152) This means that drinking tea for the English man is a stereotype just as the English weather would contain a special drizzle type that saps through the English skin.
Work Cited
Bryson, Bill. Notes from a Small Island. New York: Morrow, 1995.
