Missee Lee
Encyclopedia
Missee Lee is the tenth book of Arthur Ransome
's Swallows and Amazons series of children's books, set in 1930s China
. The Swallows and Amazons are on a round the world trip with Captain Flint
aboard the schooner
Wild Cat. After the Wild Cat sinks, they escape in the Swallow and Amazon but are separated in a storm. Both dinghies
eventually end up in the lair of the Three Island pirates where they are held prisoner by the unusual Missee Lee, the leader of the Three Island pirates.
The book, published in 1941, is is considered one of the metafiction
al books in the series, along with Peter Duck
and perhaps Great Northern?
. One aspect of this book which modern readers may find objectionable is that all the Chinese characters are depicted as speaking English
with a very stereotypical accent and grammar.
, the wife of Sun Yat-sen
. Ransome said that he based much of Missee Lee's characteristics on her, though there were others who contributed to the character.
in an unnamed port in the South China Sea
, apparently on a round-the-world voyage aboard the Wild Cat, the small green schooner
which featured in Peter Duck
. They are warned to stay away from the Chinese
coast because of pirates.
On their voyage in a dead calm, their monkey, Gibber, causes a fire which burns the Wild Cat to the waterline. They escape aboard the Swallow and Amazon, which are being used as ship's boats. However, they are separated in the night, when a strong wind blows up. The crew of the Amazon is picked up by a junk
, which turns out to be a pirate vessel. The Swallows make their own way to shore, where they eventually meet the Amazons, who are being held by one of the Taicoons who rule the Three Islands. Captain Flint is kept under much stricter guard by the Taicoon, as he hopes to ransom
him, as he claims to be the Lord Mayor of San Flancisco. (Taicoon Chang and Taicoon Wu are leaders of the Three Island Pirates who want to chop off heads.)
The children are sent to Missee Lee, the leader of the pirates. She turns out to be a frustrated academic from Camblidge
, who had been sent to England for her education, only to have to return to rule the Three Islands when her father died. She starts to give the children Latin
lessons, at which Roger surprisingly excels. Captain Flint is also bought from the Taicoon who has threatened to chop off his head. The pirates are concerned that if the Royal Navy
were to learn their position, a gunboat
might be sent to destroy them, so when Captain Flint is seen with a sextant
, they are saved only by Missee Lee's intervention.
As they consider that they are still in danger of execution and are also becoming fed up with the Latin lessons, they plan an escape. During the Dragon
festival, they set sail aboard Missee Lee's junk, the Shining Moon. With the help of Missee Lee, who has decided to leave her responsibilities on the Three Islands and go back to study at Camblidge, they take a daring and dangerous passage through a gorge to evade capture. However, when Missee Lee hears fighting begin between the various islanders, she decides that she owes it to her people to return and unite them again. The Swallows, Amazons and Captain Flint return to England
aboard the Shining Moon.
Arthur Ransome
Arthur Michell Ransome was an English author and journalist, best known for writing the Swallows and Amazons series of children's books. These tell of school-holiday adventures of children, mostly in the Lake District and the Norfolk Broads. Many of the books involve sailing; other common subjects...
's Swallows and Amazons series of children's books, set in 1930s China
History of the Republic of China
The History of the Republic of China begins after the Qing Dynasty in 1912, when the formation of the Republic of China put an end to over two thousand years of Imperial rule. The Qing Dynasty, also known as the Manchu Dynasty, ruled from 1644 to 1912...
. The Swallows and Amazons are on a round the world trip with Captain Flint
Captain Flint
Captain J. Flint was the fictional captain of a pirate ship, the Walrus, in the novel Treasure Island of the Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson...
aboard the schooner
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
Wild Cat. After the Wild Cat sinks, they escape in the Swallow and Amazon but are separated in a storm. Both dinghies
Dinghy
A dinghy is a type of small boat, often carried or towed for use as a ship's boat by a larger vessel. It is a loanword from either Bengali or Urdu. The term can also refer to small racing yachts or recreational open sailing boats. Utility dinghies are usually rowboats or have an outboard motor,...
eventually end up in the lair of the Three Island pirates where they are held prisoner by the unusual Missee Lee, the leader of the Three Island pirates.
The book, published in 1941, is is considered one of the metafiction
Metafiction
Metafiction, also known as Romantic irony in the context of Romantic works of literature, is a type of fiction that self-consciously addresses the devices of fiction, exposing the fictional illusion...
al books in the series, along with Peter Duck
Peter Duck
Peter Duck is the third book in the Swallows and Amazons series by Arthur Ransome. The Swallows and Amazons sail to Crab Island with Captain Flint and Peter Duck an old sailor to recover buried treasure...
and perhaps Great Northern?
Great Northern?
Great Northern? is the twelfth and final completed book of Arthur Ransome's Swallows and Amazons series of children's books. It was published in 1947. In this book, the three families of major characters in the series, the Swallows , the Amazons and the Ds , are all reunited in a book for the...
. One aspect of this book which modern readers may find objectionable is that all the Chinese characters are depicted as speaking English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
with a very stereotypical accent and grammar.
Sources
Ransome made a visit to China in 1926 and 1927 where he learned about Chinese life and culture. He also met, amongst others Soong Ching-lingSoong Ching-ling
Soong Ching-ling , also known as Madame Sun Yat-sen, was one of the three Soong sisters—who, along with their husbands, were amongst China's most significant political figures of the early 20th century. She was the Vice Chairman of the People's Republic of China...
, the wife of Sun Yat-sen
Sun Yat-sen
Sun Yat-sen was a Chinese doctor, revolutionary and political leader. As the foremost pioneer of Nationalist China, Sun is frequently referred to as the "Father of the Nation" , a view agreed upon by both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China...
. Ransome said that he based much of Missee Lee's characteristics on her, though there were others who contributed to the character.
Plot summary
The book opens with the Swallows, Amazons and Captain FlintCaptain Flint
Captain J. Flint was the fictional captain of a pirate ship, the Walrus, in the novel Treasure Island of the Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson...
in an unnamed port in the South China Sea
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around...
, apparently on a round-the-world voyage aboard the Wild Cat, the small green schooner
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
which featured in Peter Duck
Peter Duck
Peter Duck is the third book in the Swallows and Amazons series by Arthur Ransome. The Swallows and Amazons sail to Crab Island with Captain Flint and Peter Duck an old sailor to recover buried treasure...
. They are warned to stay away from the Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
coast because of pirates.
On their voyage in a dead calm, their monkey, Gibber, causes a fire which burns the Wild Cat to the waterline. They escape aboard the Swallow and Amazon, which are being used as ship's boats. However, they are separated in the night, when a strong wind blows up. The crew of the Amazon is picked up by a junk
Junk (ship)
A junk is an ancient Chinese sailing vessel design still in use today. Junks were developed during the Han Dynasty and were used as sea-going vessels as early as the 2nd century AD. They evolved in the later dynasties, and were used throughout Asia for extensive ocean voyages...
, which turns out to be a pirate vessel. The Swallows make their own way to shore, where they eventually meet the Amazons, who are being held by one of the Taicoons who rule the Three Islands. Captain Flint is kept under much stricter guard by the Taicoon, as he hopes to ransom
Ransom
Ransom is the practice of holding a prisoner or item to extort money or property to secure their release, or it can refer to the sum of money involved.In an early German law, a similar concept was called bad influence...
him, as he claims to be the Lord Mayor of San Flancisco. (Taicoon Chang and Taicoon Wu are leaders of the Three Island Pirates who want to chop off heads.)
The children are sent to Missee Lee, the leader of the pirates. She turns out to be a frustrated academic from Camblidge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, who had been sent to England for her education, only to have to return to rule the Three Islands when her father died. She starts to give the children Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
lessons, at which Roger surprisingly excels. Captain Flint is also bought from the Taicoon who has threatened to chop off his head. The pirates are concerned that if the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
were to learn their position, a gunboat
Gunboat
A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies.-History:...
might be sent to destroy them, so when Captain Flint is seen with a sextant
Sextant
A sextant is an instrument used to measure the angle between any two visible objects. Its primary use is to determine the angle between a celestial object and the horizon which is known as the altitude. Making this measurement is known as sighting the object, shooting the object, or taking a sight...
, they are saved only by Missee Lee's intervention.
As they consider that they are still in danger of execution and are also becoming fed up with the Latin lessons, they plan an escape. During the Dragon
Dragon
A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...
festival, they set sail aboard Missee Lee's junk, the Shining Moon. With the help of Missee Lee, who has decided to leave her responsibilities on the Three Islands and go back to study at Camblidge, they take a daring and dangerous passage through a gorge to evade capture. However, when Missee Lee hears fighting begin between the various islanders, she decides that she owes it to her people to return and unite them again. The Swallows, Amazons and Captain Flint return to England
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...
aboard the Shining Moon.
External links
- Missee Lee on Arthur Ransome Wiki
- Miss Lee on Arthur Ransome Wiki