The Green Isle of the Great Deep facts for kids
First edition
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| Author | Neil M. Gunn |
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| Country | Scotland |
| Language | English |
| Published | 1944 (Faber & Faber) |
| Media type | Print (Paperback) |
| Pages | 256 pp (first edition, hardback) |
| ISBN | 1-904598-68-4 (Polygon 2006 Edition) |
| Preceded by | Young Art and Old Hector |
| Followed by | The Serpent |
The Green Isle of the Great Deep is a book written in 1944 by Neil M. Gunn. It's a type of story called a dystopian novel. This means it shows a future world where things are often bad or unfair.
The book features two main characters, Young Art and Old Hector, who were also in Gunn's earlier book, Young Art and Old Hector. In this story, Gunn uses their adventure to explore big ideas about freedom, control, and what makes a society fair or unfair.
Contents
Exploring the Story's Journey
Young Art and Old Hector are sitting in their kitchen. They hear about terrible things happening far away in Europe. Soon after, they go on a fishing trip to a special place called the Hazel Pool. This pool was important in their last adventure too.
Hector tells Art old stories about the "Green Isle of the Great Deep." This is a magical place from Celtic mythology, sometimes called the Celtic Otherworld. He also tells a legend about special nuts of knowledge falling into a pool and being eaten by a wise salmon.
- Suddenly, both Art and Hector get into trouble in the deep waters of the Hazel Pool.
- It seems like they both drown.
Awakening in a New World
When they wake up, they are in a strange, new version of the Scottish Highlands. This place is called the Green Isle. It is very beautiful and full of plants and fruit. However, there's a strict rule: no one is allowed to touch the fruit. People who eat it get sick.
- Art, being curious, eats some of the forbidden fruit.
- This makes him a fugitive, meaning he's on the run from the rules.
- Art's actions start to cause big changes.
- The strict leaders who live at a place called the Seat on the Rock begin to lose their power.
- Old Hector demands to speak with "God" in this new world.
Another important character is Mary. She has a special liquid that allows her and her husband, Robert, to eat the fruit without getting sick.
Main Ideas in the Book
Neil Gunn wrote this book during a time when Nazism was powerful in Europe. He used the story to think about how a powerful leader could control people. He also thought about how God could allow such terrible things to happen.
The story can also make you think about the history of the Scottish Highlands. In the past, powerful landlords had a lot of control over the land. This meant they also had a lot of control over the lives of the people who lived there.
Wisdom and Leadership
In the conversations between Hector and "God," two main ideas are explored:
- Knowledge vs. Wisdom: The book suggests that having lots of facts (knowledge) without also having good judgment and understanding (wisdom) can lead to cruelty. It's like knowing how to do something, but not knowing if it's the right thing to do.
- Good Governance: The story also talks about the need for good leaders. It suggests that leaders need to be careful and thoughtful in how they rule.
Neil Gunn was a Scottish nationalist. He believed that smaller nations could protect people's freedom and unique ways of expressing themselves. He thought they could stand up against big, unfair systems of power.
