Shades of Grey 1: The Road to High Saffron
Encyclopedia
Shades of Grey 1: The Road to High Saffron (simply titled Shades of Grey originally) is a dystopian
novel
, the first in the "Shades of Grey" series by novelist Jasper Fforde
. The story takes place in Chromatacia, an alternate version of the United Kingdom
wherein social class is determined by one's ability to perceive colour.
that exists at least five hundred years (although possibly more) after the collapse of our own society's future, identified as 'the Previous'. All life is governed by the laws set by Munsell
, the supposed and revered founder of Chromaticia. The rules range from sensible, such as outlawing murder, to bizarre, such as outlawing the manufacture of spoons
(though old spoons are often kept as personal heirlooms). The social hierarchy of Chromatica is defined by the ability to see colour, which is limited in most people to varying degrees of one shade, or at most two. The perception of colour also affects their health and wellness: certain colours have medical effects on people, and doctors in this world are called "swatchmen", since they show swatches of colour to their patients. Shades of green, especially Lincoln green
, act as a narcotic
, and are often abused as recreational drugs
. People without the ability to see color are called Greys and are lowest in the social order. Surnames and names of towns are usually derived from various shades of colour, such as jade, Carmine
and saffron
.
Protagonist
Eddie Russett is a 'Red' sent to the outer-fringe town of East Carmine to conduct a chair census, as punishment for a practical joke played on the son of a prefect
. There he meets Jane, a Grey with a retroussé nose and a fierce temper, who often causes personal injury to whoever she meets. His father becomes the swatchman of the village and is well liked by the Greys. In the course of the story, Eddie discovers that much of what the government has told the public is not true; in particular, that misfits sent to the deserted town of High Saffron
are not brainwashed, as he had believed, but killed, as a building there is a colour that is poisonous to look at. Eddie falls in love with Jane, who is re-classified as a 'Green' when she takes a colour perception test, making their love illegal, due to the incompatibility of green and red. However, they plan to investigate the mysterious past of Chromatacia in secret, namely the mysterious 'Something That Happened' that led to the creation of their society.
Details within the story reveal that East Carmine is located in Wales (the A470 road is mentioned) and the description of the town close to the lower of a series of five dams reveal it to be Rhayader
at the foot of the Elan Valley
. Nearby Rusty Hill was once Builth Wells
, whereas the town of Vermillion used to be Hereford
. The town of High Saffron is on the coast beyond the dams, which suggests Aberystwyth
.
The color values as described in the book come from the Munsell color system
as described by Albert Henry Munsell
, and the "Ishihara", a test used to determine one's colour vision, is most likely a reference to Shinobu Ishihara
, the inventor of the colour perception test.
on the subject of colour that reads,
, is referenced frequently. For example, when a Chromotacian is scheduled to go to Reboot, they often call it going to, "Emerald City
on the night train." Additionally, flying monkeys are a cultural equivalent of the bogeyman
. Perhaps because of the literal nature of society, flirtation is often misinterpreted or completely disregarded. This is seen when Eddie happens upon footage from Raiders of the Lost Ark
, and doesn't understand why the male and female protagonist are kissing when, mere moments before, they appeared to be having an argument.
Dystopia
A dystopia is the idea of a society in a repressive and controlled state, often under the guise of being utopian, as characterized in books like Brave New World and Nineteen Eighty-Four...
novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
, the first in the "Shades of Grey" series by novelist Jasper Fforde
Jasper Fforde
Jasper Fforde is a British novelist. Fforde's first novel, The Eyre Affair, was published in 2001. Fforde is mainly known for his Thursday Next novels, although he has written several books in the loosely connected Nursery Crime series and begun two more independent series: The Last Dragonslayer...
. The story takes place in Chromatacia, an alternate version of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
wherein social class is determined by one's ability to perceive colour.
Plot Summary
Chromatacia is a future dystopian societyDystopia
A dystopia is the idea of a society in a repressive and controlled state, often under the guise of being utopian, as characterized in books like Brave New World and Nineteen Eighty-Four...
that exists at least five hundred years (although possibly more) after the collapse of our own society's future, identified as 'the Previous'. All life is governed by the laws set by Munsell
Albert Henry Munsell
Albert Henry Munsell was an American painter, teacher of art, and the inventor of the Munsell color system.He was born in Boston, Massachusetts, attended and served on the faculty of Massachusetts Normal Art School, and died in nearby Brookline.As a painter, he was noted for seascapes and...
, the supposed and revered founder of Chromaticia. The rules range from sensible, such as outlawing murder, to bizarre, such as outlawing the manufacture of spoons
Spoon
A spoon is a utensil consisting of a small shallow bowl, oval or round, at the end of a handle. A type of cutlery , especially as part of a place setting, it is used primarily for serving. Spoons are also used in food preparation to measure, mix, stir and toss ingredients...
(though old spoons are often kept as personal heirlooms). The social hierarchy of Chromatica is defined by the ability to see colour, which is limited in most people to varying degrees of one shade, or at most two. The perception of colour also affects their health and wellness: certain colours have medical effects on people, and doctors in this world are called "swatchmen", since they show swatches of colour to their patients. Shades of green, especially Lincoln green
Lincoln green
Lincoln green is the color of dyed woollen cloth associated with Robin Hood and his merry men in Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire. The dyers of Lincoln, a cloth town in the high Middle Ages, produced the cloth by dyeing it with woad to give it a strong blue, then overdyeing it yellow with weld or...
, act as a narcotic
Narcotic
The term narcotic originally referred medically to any psychoactive compound with any sleep-inducing properties. In the United States of America it has since become associated with opioids, commonly morphine and heroin and their derivatives, such as hydrocodone. The term is, today, imprecisely...
, and are often abused as recreational drugs
Recreational drug use
Recreational drug use is the use of a drug, usually psychoactive, with the intention of creating or enhancing recreational experience. Such use is controversial, however, often being considered to be also drug abuse, and it is often illegal...
. People without the ability to see color are called Greys and are lowest in the social order. Surnames and names of towns are usually derived from various shades of colour, such as jade, Carmine
Carmine
Carmine , also called Crimson Lake, Cochineal, Natural Red #4, C.I. 75470, or E120, is a pigment of a bright-red color obtained from the aluminum salt of carminic acid, which is produced by some scale insects, such as the cochineal beetle and the Polish cochineal, and is used as a general term for...
and saffron
Saffron (color)
Saffron is a color that is a tone of golden yellow resembling the color of the tip of the saffron crocus thread, from which the spice saffron is derived.The first recorded use of saffron as a color name in English was in 1200...
.
Protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
Eddie Russett is a 'Red' sent to the outer-fringe town of East Carmine to conduct a chair census, as punishment for a practical joke played on the son of a prefect
Prefect
Prefect is a magisterial title of varying definition....
. There he meets Jane, a Grey with a retroussé nose and a fierce temper, who often causes personal injury to whoever she meets. His father becomes the swatchman of the village and is well liked by the Greys. In the course of the story, Eddie discovers that much of what the government has told the public is not true; in particular, that misfits sent to the deserted town of High Saffron
Saffron
Saffron is a spice derived from the flower of Crocus sativus, commonly known as the saffron crocus. Crocus is a genus in the family Iridaceae. Each saffron crocus grows to and bears up to four flowers, each with three vivid crimson stigmas, which are each the distal end of a carpel...
are not brainwashed, as he had believed, but killed, as a building there is a colour that is poisonous to look at. Eddie falls in love with Jane, who is re-classified as a 'Green' when she takes a colour perception test, making their love illegal, due to the incompatibility of green and red. However, they plan to investigate the mysterious past of Chromatacia in secret, namely the mysterious 'Something That Happened' that led to the creation of their society.
Details within the story reveal that East Carmine is located in Wales (the A470 road is mentioned) and the description of the town close to the lower of a series of five dams reveal it to be Rhayader
Rhayader
Rhayader is a market town and community in Powys, Mid Wales. It has a population of 2,075, and is the first town on the banks of the River Wye, from its source on the Plynlimon range of the Cambrian Mountains....
at the foot of the Elan Valley
Elan Valley
The Elan Valley is a river valley situated to the west of Rhayader, in Powys, Wales, sometimes known as the "Welsh Lake District". It covers of lake and countryside....
. Nearby Rusty Hill was once Builth Wells
Builth Wells
Builth Wells is a town in the county of Powys, within the historic boundaries of Brecknockshire, mid Wales, lying at the confluence of the River Wye and the River Irfon, in the Welsh of the Wye Valley. It has a population of 2,352....
, whereas the town of Vermillion used to be Hereford
Hereford
Hereford is a cathedral city, civil parish and county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, southwest of Worcester, and northwest of Gloucester...
. The town of High Saffron is on the coast beyond the dams, which suggests Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth is a historic market town, administrative centre and holiday resort within Ceredigion, Wales. Often colloquially known as Aber, it is located at the confluence of the rivers Ystwyth and Rheidol....
.
The color values as described in the book come from the Munsell color system
Munsell color system
In colorimetry, the Munsell color system is a color space that specifies colors based on three color dimensions: hue, value , and chroma . It was created by Professor Albert H...
as described by Albert Henry Munsell
Albert Henry Munsell
Albert Henry Munsell was an American painter, teacher of art, and the inventor of the Munsell color system.He was born in Boston, Massachusetts, attended and served on the faculty of Massachusetts Normal Art School, and died in nearby Brookline.As a painter, he was noted for seascapes and...
, and the "Ishihara", a test used to determine one's colour vision, is most likely a reference to Shinobu Ishihara
Shinobu Ishihara
was a Japanese ophthalmologist who created the Ishihara color test to detect colour blindness.-Early life and career:Shinobu graduated from medicine in 1905 on a military scholarship and immediately joined the army as a doctor, serving mainly as a surgeon...
, the inventor of the colour perception test.
Inspiration
The beginning of the book contains a quote from philosopher Alfred North WhiteheadAlfred North Whitehead
Alfred North Whitehead, OM FRS was an English mathematician who became a philosopher. He wrote on algebra, logic, foundations of mathematics, philosophy of science, physics, metaphysics, and education...
on the subject of colour that reads,
Allusions to Popular Culture
The society of Chromatacia holds an emphasis on literalism, and therefore rejects works of fiction from the past civilizations (aside from the encouraged "very racy novels"). Because of this, several obsolete and poorly understood allusions are made throughout the novel. One novel, The Wonderful Wizard of OzThe Wonderful Wizard of Oz
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a children's novel written by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by W. W. Denslow. Originally published by the George M. Hill Company in Chicago on May 17, 1900, it has since been reprinted numerous times, most often under the name The Wizard of Oz, which is the name of...
, is referenced frequently. For example, when a Chromotacian is scheduled to go to Reboot, they often call it going to, "Emerald City
Emerald City
The Emerald City is the fictional capital city of the Land of Oz in L. Frank Baum's Oz books, first described in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz...
on the night train." Additionally, flying monkeys are a cultural equivalent of the bogeyman
Bogeyman
A bogeyman is an amorphous imaginary being used by adults to frighten children into compliant behaviour...
. Perhaps because of the literal nature of society, flirtation is often misinterpreted or completely disregarded. This is seen when Eddie happens upon footage from Raiders of the Lost Ark
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Raiders of the Lost Ark is a 1981 American action-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg, produced by George Lucas, and starring Harrison Ford. It is the first film in the Indiana Jones franchise...
, and doesn't understand why the male and female protagonist are kissing when, mere moments before, they appeared to be having an argument.