The Village that Voted the Earth was Flat (1913)
A group of men, including a journalist and an MP, find themselves in a small village called Huckley, where they encounter a local magistrate, Sir Thomas Ingell. After a minor traffic incident, they are summoned to court, where they face a biased and theatrical trial led by Sir Thomas, who revels in his authority. The men are fined, and the experience ignites their desire for revenge against the magistrate's pompousness. The journalist, Woodhouse, and his companions decide to exploit Huckley for their newspaper, _The Bun_. They create sensational stories about the village, including a fictitious account of a banquet held by a made-up society that believes the earth is flat. This story captures public interest and leads to a frenzy of media attention, transforming Huckley into a spectacle. As the village becomes a source of amusement for the public, the inhabitants, initially excited by the attention, begin to feel the weight of ridicule. The local pub thrives on the influx of tourists, but the villagers grow weary of being the butt of jokes. Tensions rise as the villagers, led by the sexton and the publican, express their discontent with the situation. The journalist's success leads to a dinner with Bat Masquerier, a theatrical impresario who sees potential in the village's newfound fame. He orchestrates a grand event, further exaggerating the village's quirks and turning it into a theatrical production. The villagers, intoxicated by the festivities, vote unanimously that the earth is flat, a decision that becomes a national joke. As the media frenzy escalates, the village's reputation spirals out of control. The MP, Pallant, seizes the opportunity to address the House of Commons, where the absurdity of Huckley's situation culminates in a chaotic sing-along of the village's anthem, further solidifying its place in public consciousness. Ultimately, the story critiques the nature of media sensationalism and the consequences of public spectacle. The villagers, once proud of their identity, find themselves trapped in a narrative crafted by outsiders, leading to a loss of dignity and a longing for authenticity amidst the farce. The tale serves as a commentary on the power dynamics between the media, the public, and the individuals caught in the crossfire of fame and ridicule.
By Rudyard Kipling · First published 1913 · Genre: Satire, Political Fiction, Social Commentary · 19,668 words
First lines
Our drive till then had been quite a success. The other men in the car were my friend Woodhouse, young Ollyett, a distant connection of his, and Pallant, the M. P. Woodhouse's business was the treatment and cure of sick journals. He knew by instinct the precise moment in a newspaper's life when the impetus of past good management is exhausted and it fetches up on the dead-centre between slow and expensive collapse and the new start which can be given by gold injections -- and genius. He was wisely ignorant of journalism; but when he stooped on a carcase there was sure to be meat. He had that week added a half-dead, halfpenny evening paper to his collection, which consisted of a prosperous London daily, one provincial ditto, and a limp-bodied weekly of commercial leanings. He had also, that very hour, planted me with a large block of the evening paper's common shares, and was explaining the whole art of editorship to Ollyett, a young man three years from Oxford, with coir-matting-coloured hair and a face harshly modelled by harsh experiences, who, I understood, was assisting in the new venture. Pallant, the long, wrinkled M. P., whose voice is more like a crane's than a peacock's, took no shares, but gave us all advice.
What this Textopian page supports
The Village that Voted the Earth was Flat (1913) is listed on Textopian as a novel by Rudyard Kipling, dated 1913 CE.
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- Work type: Novel
- Author: Rudyard Kipling
- Date: 1913 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Satire, Political Fiction, Social Commentary, Short Story, Fantasy
- Length: 19,668 words
- Structure: 1 section, 289 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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Genres
- Satire — The book critiques societal beliefs and ignorance through humor and irony.
- Political Fiction — It explores themes of governance, democracy, and the absurdity of public opinion.
- Social Commentary — The narrative reflects on social dynamics and the influence of collective thought.
- Short Story — The work is a concise narrative that encapsulates its themes effectively.
Tags
satire · humor · political commentary · Kipling · early 20th century · village life · ignorance · flat Earth · social critique · rural society · cultural commentary · irony