Mastermind - about those Fiction Specialist Rounds.

Let’s start by stating a truth universally acknowledged, namely, that you cannot please all of the people all of the time. So I know that some people are going to disagree with me over this and that’s absolutely fine. As always, please feel free to disagree.

I wanted to make a point about something I think that I’ve seen happening in Mastermind specialist rounds over the last couple of years, particularly in rounds about works of fiction including films or TV shows. It seems to me that such rounds seem to have come to focus more and more on the specific events of the films or shows in question, and less and less on the production side of it. Now, I admit that this is not an opinion I’ve reached based on any kind of scientific analysis, it’s no more than an impression. However, I was reminded of this when one of the rounds last night concerned Lewis Carroll’s “Alice” books – yes, I know, books, not films or TV shows, but the same principle seemed to hold.

It’s hard to make hard and fast pronouncements about a specialist round when you really don’t know much about the subject involved. However, as I mentioned in the review yesterday, I do know a bit about these books. My grandfather had, back in the 40s or 50s, bought a large set of ‘classic’ British novels, and by the time I came along only a few of these were left. I remember – “Jane Eyre” – “David Copperfield” – “The Mill on the Floss” and “Alice in Wonderland”. The one which interested me from a tiny age was “Alice”. I started off being fascinated – and not a little scared – by the Tenniel illustrations, then read the book after learning to read. I wouldn’t say that my love of the surreal is completely due to this book – but on the other hand it surely played its part in fostering it. Then, earlier this year, following an internet sketching group prompt, I copied a large number of the Tenniel illustrations in ink. In the process I learned quite a bit about the background to the books, and Carroll himself. (Skip this bit if you’re not interested. There is no evidence whatsoever that a) Lewis Carroll used drugs while writing it, and b) that he ever had improper feelings for Alice and her sisters)

So, let’s get to the round. 13 questions were asked. 12 of them were specifically about details from the narrative or the text, and all of them were about the content of the books. The only question not specifically about the narrative asked about what is written on the ticket in the illustration of the Mad Hatter’s hat.

Yes -  you might well say – well, isn’t that the point? Shouldn’t a round on the Alice novels actually BE about the Alice novels? – Well, that’s certainly one point of view. But there are other things that might have been asked about the novels which aren’t from quite such a narrow field, for example:-

·       Which of the characters in “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” is based on Lewis Carroll himself?

·       What was the title of the original manuscript of the story which Carroll gave to Alice Liddell?

·       What was the name of the children’s author friend to whom Carroll showed the manuscript in order to help him decide whether to publish it or not?

·       What was the name of the clergyman who accompanied Carroll and the Liddells on the boating trip where the story was originally conceived?

·       Who illustrated the handwritten original manuscript of what became “Alice in Wonderland”?

(Answers are at the bottom of this post)

and so on.

Now, please don’t misunderstand me about this. I am not saying that having such a relatively narrow focus made the round easier, because I’m sure it didn’t. I’m not blaming the question setter either. I’ve known a couple of people who have set questions for the show and I’m aware that they are under fairly strict instructions about the range of questions, the level of difficulty, the length and style etc. What I can’t help wondering is why the decision seems to have been made somewhere along the line to do this with rounds about works of fiction – be they printed, televisual or filmed. Is it, I wonder because it’s felt that this will make it easier for people to play along at home, or more interesting for people playing along at home? Maybe. Off the top of my head I can’t really think of another reason.

Please feel free to disagree with me on this. I personally feel that a Mastermind specialist round should reflect the whole subject, not just the most interesting or accessible aspects of it, as much as is possible in up to 15 questions, anyway. I’ve picked on the Alice round, not to denigrate the setter or the contender who answered on it, but simply because it’s a subject that I know a little bit about. However, I could easily have picked on other rounds in this and the previous series. You know, I don’t know if this is necessarily the most apt analogy, but it’s a bit like doing an autobiographical subject, and only being asked about the subject’s years of fame and success, and nothing at all about the childhood or the background.

I’d be interested to hear your views on the subject.

Answers to the questions:-

1) The Dodo – it’s a pun on Carroll’s attempts to say his real name caused by his stutter – Do-Do-Dodgson

2) Alice’s Adventures Underground

3) George MacDonald

4) Robinson Duckworth

5) Lewis Carroll himself

Oh you don't want to see my pictures do you? Alright - these are copied freehand from Tenniel's originals - just a few