The Wireless Set: Howie's Return

The Wireless Set: Howie’s Return

Overview:

  • “The Wireless Set: Howie’s Return” is a short story by acclaimed Scottish author George Mackay Brown
  • It is a vivid embodiment of Mackay Brown’s recurrent themes such as the essence of community, the transition of time, and the relationship between past and present.
  • The main character is an old man named Howie, who visits his old home after 30 years, experiencing a mixture of nostalgia and disconnection.

Themes:

Isolation and Connection:

  • Throughout the story, Howie feels profoundly isolated from his past and the present.
  • His isolation is emphasised by the fact that his old friends and neighbours scarcely recognise him.
  • Underneath this, however, is the subtle theme of connection. Howie’s connection to his home is revived through memories triggered by familiar sights and sounds, such as the wireless set.

Change and Continuity:

  • The story reflects on the theme of change, embodied by Howie’s transformation. He doesn’t fit into the community and even his mother fails to recognise him.
  • However, the theme of continuity is also present, represented by the unchanged nature of the seashore and the wireless set. These are stable elements amidst the flux of life.

Character Analysis:

Howie:

  • Empathy for Howie is formed as he is depicted as a sympathetic character, returning to a home where he feels out of place.
  • He is reflective and stuck in the past, unable to reconcile his memories with the present reality.

Howie’s Mother:

  • Howie’s mother is a tragic figure who lives in her own world, disconnected from reality due to dementia.
  • Her inability to recognise her own son highlights the extent of Howie’s disconnection from the community.

Techniques and Effects:

  • Mackay Brown uses symbolism effectively. The wireless set acts as a bridge across time, linking Howie’s past and present.
  • Through the blend of nostalgia and melancholy, the author captures the bittersweet nature of memory and return.
  • The use of vivid descriptive language immerses the reader into the atmospheres and environments of Howie’s past and present.

Quotes and Analysis:

  • “He switched on the wireless set, a crackle came from it then died.” - The wireless set symbolises Howie’s connections with his past, and its failure to work represents his lost connections.

  • “Howie felt like a man out of his time, a stranger.” - This quote captures Howie’s feelings of alienation and displacement, underlining the central theme of the story.

In your exam, it will be important to discuss the themes in connection with the characters and use quotes to illustrate your points, while reflecting the narrative techniques.