Readers of Rachel Ferguson's 1931 novel The Brontës Went to Woolworths do not always find it easy to determine which incidents are real and which take place only in the imaginations of some of the characters.
Another key case for consideration is how much of the story comes from Rachel Ferguson's own experiences.
This book also raises some questions about the effect on all concerned of the ongoing game played by the imaginative and fun-loving Carne family:
What effect does playing this game have on the players?
What effect does it have on the people who are mentally targetted?
What happens to everyone involved in the game when fantasy meets reality?
The previous article describes some of the dangers and damaging consequences of fantasies that involve imaginary relationships; this one attempts to show why the answers to these questions are not what might be expected.
It is dangerous to spend too much time living in a fantasy world. People who do this compulsively, intensively and continually may become borderline delusional; they may fall apart when their dream world collapses because they haven't got anything else to live for.
The three Carne girls and their mother get off very lightly however.
Perhaps they escape the usual consequences because the fantasies are out in the open and shared rather than, as is more common, indulged in secretly by just one person.
Perhaps they escape because the game they play is mostly treated as a joke and a pastime rather than a matter of life and death. Apart possibly from Sheil, the youngest girl, they know that it is just a game.
The Carnes don't invest all of their resources in the fantasies, and using their imaginations is not a substitute for having lives of their own. They are involved with many people and activities in the real world: Deirdre works as a journalist and is writing a novel, Katrine is training to be an actress, and their mother has an active social life.
The game is far from being all that they have to make their lives enjoyable: for example, they take holidays together and they have great fun celebrating birthdays and Christmas.
It is significant that Katrine loses much of her interest in Judge Toddington, one of the Carnes' main targets, when she meets a vaudeville performer who attracts her.
Soon after first setting eyes on Judge Toddington as he sweeps majestically into court, the Carnes become obsessed with him:
“From that moment...he owned, occupied and paid taxes on our imagination.”
It is often damaging to be made the object of someone's fantasies, but Judge Toddington does not become drained and ill after the Carnes turn their attention to him and incorporate him into their family.
When the Carnes finally get to meet 'Toddy', he is friendly and interested in building a relationship with them.
Perhaps the mental stalking does not affect him badly because it is done in fun and a spirit of genuine interest and liking rather than desperation.
Deirdre has realistic expectations about what might happen if the Carnes actually meet their idol and his wife:
“...our actual acquaintance with the Toddingtons might put a stop to all that. It might be going to alter all the old, familiar things. We even might be going to lose more than we had won.”
A time comes when as a result of Deirdre's efforts the Carnes manage to meet Judge Toddington and his wife in person.
On the whole, things go very well: although minor adjustments have to be made on both sides, the Carnes acquit themselves well and the Toddingtons, who have no children of their own, enjoy the company of their new young friends.
The Carnes actually win more than they lose by facing the reality of the Toddingtons and their lives.
Deirdre says this after meeting Judge Toddington in real life:
“...Toddy, from a negative, had developed into a print, and inevitably during our half-hour together he had spoken out of character, and shown himself to be possessed of his own personality as against the semi-fit that we had allotted him. I had expected this, but the little shocks were no less real...”
Little shocks are not a problem: small amounts of cognitive dissonance can be overcome. The Carnes experience nothing of the crushing disillusionment that is often felt by people with unrealistic ideas who have let their imaginations run away with them when their targets do not meet their requirements or live up to their expectations.
Deidre has a realistic view of the situation:
“Really knowing the Toddingtons was, I should think, rather like marriage: sometimes it was disappointing and at others it exceeded expectation.”
The disappointments are mostly very small: for example, the Toddingtons' house and servants are different from what the Carnes had been imagining them to be.
The Toddingtons become in reality the family friends that they previously were only in fantasy. Both sides benefit from the relationship, and the Toddingtons get on better terms with each other as a result.
Judge Toddington is tickled and intrigued as opposed to offended when he learns about the family saga and that the Carnes have been speculating and making up stories about him. He even joins in the game!
Deirdre and Judge Toddington have a strong mental affinity. They share an interest in the Brontës; they discuss books of many kinds, and they also enjoy talking about his court cases. She more than holds her own when conversing with him, and he is impressed. He enjoys being treated with a lack of the usual deference.
Toddy is very taken with young Sheil and she with him. When Sheil becomes frightened and upset after seeing the Brontë ghosts, Deirdre goes to him for help. He rises to the occasion and lives up to her image of him, and Lady Toddington makes some helpful suggestions too.
Deirdre even gives Lady Toddington some good advice about how best to treat her husband!
Perhaps things go well for both sides because the Judge is a good choice: he is well able to meet the Carnes' requirements and enhance their lives – and vice versa.
People who create scenarios in their imagination often select someone who is the last person to perform the wished-for actions. They add insult to injury by getting angry with targets who do not meet expectations, and the targets get angry when they sense that inordinate, inappropriate and unrealistic demands are being made on them.
None of this applies here. There are however some rather chilling aspects to the game the Carnes play, and this will be covered in future articles.
