The Truants

"The Truants" by A. E. W. Mason is a novel written in the early 20th century. The story revolves around the lives of two characters, Pamela Mardale and Tony Stretton, exploring themes of personal aspiration, societal expectations, and the effects of isolation on relationships. The narrative also introduces M. Giraud, a schoolmaster, highlighting the complexities of unfulfilled potential and the burdens of friendship. At the start of the novel, we meet Pamela Mardale, a young woman who appears vibrant and engaged with her surroundings but is secretly struggling with her own desires. The opening chapters set up her relationships with Giraud, who becomes her history tutor, and her mother, who has ambitious plans for her future. Meanwhile, the story shifts to Tony Stretton and his wife, Millie, who live under the oppressive shadow of his father, Sir John, in a house filled with the threat of stagnation. As Tony prepares to leave for a new venture, the pressures of their situation and Millie's emotional turmoil bring a poignant gravity to their lives. The themes of longing and the desire for escape are woven throughout the narrative, urging both characters to confront their challenges and navigate their changing realities. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Alfred Edward Woodley Mason was an English author and Liberal Party Member of Parliament. He is best remembered for his 1902 novel of courage and cowardice in wartime, The Four Feathers, and is also known as the creator of Inspector Hanaud, a French detective who was an early template for Agatha Christie's famous Hercule Poirot.