Home

Background

Author

Iain Crichton Smith was a Scottish writer and poet who lived from 1928 to 1998. He was known for his works in both English and Gaelic.

Cultural Context:

• "Home" is a short story by Iain Crichton Smith, set in Glasgow, Scotland.
• The story touches upon themes related to social change, nostalgia, prejudice, and the loss of community spirit in a rapidly evolving urban environment.

Summary

• The story begins with Jackson and his wife returning to the tenements in Glasgow where they lived thirty-five years ago. Jackson has a misplaced, nostalgic view of the area, but his wife is uncomfortable and asks him to lock the car due to her fear of crime.

• As they explore the tenements, Jackson remembers a couple who used to live there, the Jamiesons. The husband was a domestic abuser, and the community's silence and the wife's invented reasons for her injuries covered up his crimes.

• Jackson reflects on the changes in the town since they left, noting that the area has deteriorated, small shops have been replaced by supermarkets, housing estates have been built, and cinemas have closed.

• Jackson, eager to share his success, struggles to find anyone interested in his achievements. This reflects a sense of disconnection from his old community.

• Conflict arises when Jackson recalls an incident where he felt treated unfairly, leading to a comparison with the Apartheid regime in South Africa, suggesting that prejudice has become embedded in his outlook.

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Short Stories

• During an argument with his wife, she questions why they have returned to this place, as she has no sentimental connection to the tenements, while Jackson searches for a connection that no longer exists.

• A group of threatening youths approaches Jackson's car, causing concern that they might vandalise it. Although the car is not damaged, the youths threaten Jackson and his wife, prompting them to leave the area.

• As they depart, Jackson realises that they no longer have a place in their old neighbourhood. His sentimental view of the tenements is shattered, and he even wishes that the threatening youths would face the harsh "justice" system of South Africa.

• Jackson and his wife retreat to a luxurious hotel where they feel more comfortable, surrounded by similar people. This shift in setting reflects the idea that "home" is not necessarily a physical place but a state of mind, linked to luxury and an elevated sense of superiority.