Johnny Maxwell
Encyclopedia
Johnny Maxwell is a fictional character
in a series of three children's books by Terry Pratchett
. He is a young boy (twelve in the first book, but a teenager in the later ones) living in the (fictional) typical late-20th-century English
town of Blackbury
(also the setting of Pratchett's Truckers
).
Johnny has a difficult home life. Over the course of the three books his parents split up and he and his mother move in with his grandfather. This may be why he starts seeing things no-one else sees, including an alien
surrender party, ghosts and a time travel
ling bag lady
. On the other hand, it is possible that he sees them because they are actually there and he lacks the filters that stop most people noticing how amazing the world is (a favourite theme of Pratchett's).
Apart from this tendency Johnny is almost unnaturally normal. His friend Kirsty often gets exasperated by his tendency to simply accept that strange things happen to him, rather than doing something about it. He has a strong sense of fair play, which leads to him fighting for what's right even when he has no idea what's going on.
Pratchett has said that Johnny is based, very loosely, on an idea of what Richmal Crompton
's Just William
character would be like in a 1990s setting.
s. They are:
. Johnny was played by Andrew Falvery.
In 1996 BBC Radio 4
dramatised Only You Can Save Mankind. Johnny was played by Tim Smith.
A CBBC
serial based on Johnny And The Bomb was broadcast in January 2006. Johnny was played by George MacKay
.
, as Johnny escapes his problems by projecting fantasy
onto reality
, Pratchett has said:
I can't be having with that pernicious rubbish ... To Johnny it's all real, and that's what counts ... He deals with all the problems on their own terms and half the time he's projecting reality onto fantasy.... So: is what happens in the books real? Yes. Does it all happen in Johnny's head? Yes.
- alt.fan.pratchett, 22 February 1997, http://www.lspace.org/books/apf/johnny-and-the-bomb.html.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in a series of three children's books by Terry Pratchett
Terry Pratchett
Sir Terence David John "Terry" Pratchett, OBE is an English novelist, known for his frequently comical work in the fantasy genre. He is best known for his popular and long-running Discworld series of comic fantasy novels...
. He is a young boy (twelve in the first book, but a teenager in the later ones) living in the (fictional) typical late-20th-century English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
town of Blackbury
Blackbury
Blackbury is a fictional English town, created by Terry Pratchett and featured in The Bromeliad and the Johnny Maxwell books.Its exact location is unclear, but it seems to be in South-West England, probably the somewhere in the downlands. A real Blackbury Castle exists in Devon, which might or...
(also the setting of Pratchett's Truckers
The Bromeliad
The Nome Trilogy, also known in the US as The Bromeliad Trilogy, is a trilogy of children's books by Terry Pratchett, consisting of#Truckers #Diggers #Wings...
).
Johnny has a difficult home life. Over the course of the three books his parents split up and he and his mother move in with his grandfather. This may be why he starts seeing things no-one else sees, including an alien
Extraterrestrial life in popular culture
In popular cultures, "extraterrestrials" are life forms — especially intelligent life forms— that are of extraterrestrial origin .-Historical ideas:-Pre-modern:...
surrender party, ghosts and a time travel
Time travel
Time travel is the concept of moving between different points in time in a manner analogous to moving between different points in space. Time travel could hypothetically involve moving backward in time to a moment earlier than the starting point, or forward to the future of that point without the...
ling bag lady
Homelessness
Homelessness describes the condition of people without a regular dwelling. People who are homeless are unable or unwilling to acquire and maintain regular, safe, and adequate housing, or lack "fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence." The legal definition of "homeless" varies from country...
. On the other hand, it is possible that he sees them because they are actually there and he lacks the filters that stop most people noticing how amazing the world is (a favourite theme of Pratchett's).
Apart from this tendency Johnny is almost unnaturally normal. His friend Kirsty often gets exasperated by his tendency to simply accept that strange things happen to him, rather than doing something about it. He has a strong sense of fair play, which leads to him fighting for what's right even when he has no idea what's going on.
Pratchett has said that Johnny is based, very loosely, on an idea of what Richmal Crompton
Richmal Crompton
Richmal Crompton Lamburn was a British writer, most famous for her Just William humorous short stories and books.-Life:...
's Just William
Just William
Just William is the first book of children's short stories about the young school boy William Brown, written by Richmal Crompton, and published in 1922. The book was the first in the series of William Brown books which was the basis for numerous television series, films and radio adaptations...
character would be like in a 1990s setting.
The Gang
Johnny has a sort of a gang consisting of the kids who hang around with each other because they don't fit into any of the school cliqueClique
A clique is an exclusive group of people who share common interests, views, purposes, patterns of behavior, or ethnicity. A clique as a reference group can be either normative or comparative. Membership in a clique is typically exclusive, and qualifications for membership may be social or...
s. They are:
- Stephen 'Wobbler' Johnson. Johnny's best friend and the second main character in the book. He is overweight and heavily into computers, an expert at piracyCopyright infringement of softwareCopyright infringement of software=The copyright infringement of software refers to several practices which involve the unauthorized copying of computer software. Copyright infringement of this kind varies globally...
. He wants to be a nerdNerdNerd is a derogatory slang term for an intelligent but socially awkward and obsessive person who spends time on unpopular or obscure pursuits, to the exclusion of more mainstream activities. Nerds are considered to be awkward, shy, and unattractive...
, but they wouldn't let him join. It is his considered opinion that Johnny is mental. His real name is Stephen Johnson in the books, although the television adaptation of Johnny and the Bomb gives it as Walter. In Johnny and the BombJohnny and the BombJohnny and the Bomb is a 1996 novel by Terry Pratchett. It is the third novel to feature Johnny Maxwell and his friends, and deals with the rules and consequences of time travel...
Wobbler got stuck in 1941 and grew up to be a billionaireBillionaireA billionaire, in countries that use the short scale number naming system, is a person who has a net worth of at least one billion units of a given currency, usually the United States dollar, Euro, or Pound sterling. Forbes magazine updates a complete list of U.S. dollar billionaires around the...
calling himself Sir John (Sir Walter in the TV version) but, due to the time travelTime travelTime travel is the concept of moving between different points in time in a manner analogous to moving between different points in space. Time travel could hypothetically involve moving backward in time to a moment earlier than the starting point, or forward to the future of that point without the...
and multiple timelineAlternate history (fiction)Alternate history or alternative history is a genre of fiction consisting of stories that are set in worlds in which history has diverged from the actual history of the world. It can be variously seen as a sub-genre of literary fiction, science fiction, and historical fiction; different alternate...
s involved, where and if this happened is questionable. Certainly a Wobbler returned successfully from 1941.
- Simon 'Bigmac' WrigleySimon 'Bigmac' WrigleySimon 'Bigmac' Wrigley is a major character in the fictional Johnny Maxwell trilogy by Terry Pratchett.Wrigley's upbringing is mysterious. He seems to have been raised by his brutal brother and his dog, Clint, in The Joshua N'Clements Block. Social Services have investigated his case often...
. An asthmaAsthmaAsthma is the common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath...
tic skinheadSkinheadA skinhead is a member of a subculture that originated among working class youths in the United Kingdom in the 1960s, and then spread to other parts of the world. Named for their close-cropped or shaven heads, the first skinheads were greatly influenced by West Indian rude boys and British mods,...
who is deeply embarrassed by his instinctive grasp of mathematicsMathematicsMathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
. He lives with his brother in a rundown tower blockTower blockA tower block, high-rise, apartment tower, office tower, apartment block, or block of flats, is a tall building or structure used as a residential and/or office building...
on the edge of Blackbury. He is not exactly a criminal but has a confused grasp of car ownership. - Yo-lessYo-lessYo-less is a fictional character in the popular Johnny Maxwell trilogy by Terry Pratchett.-Background and Family:From a Godly West Indian family , Yo-less is the fourth member of Johnny's gang...
. A West Indian boy so nicknamed by Johnny because he doesn't say "Yo!". Interested in Star TrekStar TrekStar Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
, train spotting, Morris dancingMorris danceMorris dance is a form of English folk dance usually accompanied by music. It is based on rhythmic stepping and the execution of choreographed figures by a group of dancers. Implements such as sticks, swords, handkerchiefs and bells may also be wielded by the dancers...
and brass bandBrass bandA brass band is a musical ensemble generally consisting entirely of brass instruments, most often with a percussion section. Ensembles that include brass and woodwind instruments can in certain traditions also be termed brass bands , but are usually more correctly termed military bands, concert...
music. His reaction to those who are surprised a black kid has such "uncool" hobbies varies from amusement to irritation. When faced with genuine racismRacismRacism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
he has a brittle anger that manifests itself in cold, almost emotionlessly delivered, sarcasm.
- Kirsty. Also known as Sigourney, Kimberly, Klytemnestra and Kasandra. Unlike the rest of the gang, Kirsty is a highly organised person who knows exactly where she's going in life. She is highly intelligent but has very poor people skills, something she views as a character flaw in everyone else. She is trying to get Johnny's life organised since he is clearly incapable of doing it himself, but hasn't realised that he doesn't especially want his life organised. He finds her very easy to talk to since she never listens. Unlike her most obvious DiscworldDiscworldDiscworld is a comic fantasy book series by English author Sir Terry Pratchett, set on the Discworld, a flat world balanced on the backs of four elephants which, in turn, stand on the back of a giant turtle, Great A'Tuin. The books frequently parody, or at least take inspiration from, J. R. R....
counterparts, Susan Sto HelitSusan Sto HelitSusan Sto Helit , once referred to as Susan Death, is a fictional character in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series of fantasy novels. She is the "granddaughter" of Death, the Disc's Grim Reaper, and, as such, has "inherited" a number of his abilities...
and Granny WeatherwaxGranny WeatherwaxEsmerelda "Esme" Weatherwax is a fictional character from Terry Pratchett's Discworld series. She is a witch and member of the Lancre coven. She is the self-appointed guardian of her small country, and frequently defends it against supernatural powers...
, Kirsty has a tendency to romanticise things hidden beneath her practicality and finds Johnny's down-to-Earth attitude to things almost as annoying as his lack of direction.
The novels
The Johnny Maxwell books are:- Only You Can Save MankindOnly You Can Save MankindOnly You Can Save Mankind is the first novel in the Johnny Maxwell trilogy of children's books and fifth young adult novel by Terry Pratchett, author of the Discworld sequence of books. The following novels in the Johnny Maxwell Trilogy are Johnny and the Dead and Johnny and the Bomb...
- Johnny and the DeadJohnny and the DeadJohnny and the Dead is the second novel by Terry Pratchett to feature the character Johnny Maxwell. The other novels in the Johnny Maxwell Trilogy are Only You Can Save Mankind and Johnny and the Bomb...
- Johnny and the BombJohnny and the BombJohnny and the Bomb is a 1996 novel by Terry Pratchett. It is the third novel to feature Johnny Maxwell and his friends, and deals with the rules and consequences of time travel...
Other media
In 1995 a serial based on Johnny and the Dead was made for Children's ITVCITV
CITV is a British television channel from ITV Digital Channels Ltd, a division of ITV plc. It broadcasts content from the CITV archive, as well as commissions and acquisitions. CITV itself is the programming block on the main ITV Network .The CITV channel broadcasts from 06:00 to 18:00...
. Johnny was played by Andrew Falvery.
In 1996 BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
dramatised Only You Can Save Mankind. Johnny was played by Tim Smith.
A CBBC
CBBC
CBBC is one of two brand names used for the BBC's children's television strands. Between 1985 and 2002, CBBC was the name given to all the BBC's programmes on TV for children aged under 14...
serial based on Johnny And The Bomb was broadcast in January 2006. Johnny was played by George MacKay
George MacKay (actor)
-Biography:MacKay was born in London, England. At the age of five, he produced, directed and created his very own production of the play Peter and the Wolf with his friends playing the characters...
.
"I just see things other people don't see"
Regarding whether the things that happen to Johnny really do happen or are all a matter of perceptionPerception
Perception is the process of attaining awareness or understanding of the environment by organizing and interpreting sensory information. All perception involves signals in the nervous system, which in turn result from physical stimulation of the sense organs...
, as Johnny escapes his problems by projecting fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
onto reality
Reality
In philosophy, reality is the state of things as they actually exist, rather than as they may appear or might be imagined. In a wider definition, reality includes everything that is and has been, whether or not it is observable or comprehensible...
, Pratchett has said:
I can't be having with that pernicious rubbish ... To Johnny it's all real, and that's what counts ... He deals with all the problems on their own terms and half the time he's projecting reality onto fantasy.... So: is what happens in the books real? Yes. Does it all happen in Johnny's head? Yes.
- alt.fan.pratchett, 22 February 1997, http://www.lspace.org/books/apf/johnny-and-the-bomb.html.