In spite of dungeon, fire, and sword: a personal account

This is a slightly revised version of a talk I gave at a seminar on Australian Literature held some time ago at Stirling University, Scotland. Several things prompted me to give such a talk. I had recently been home and whilst there had seen Ron Blair's play The Christian Brothers. I had on my return to London seen Mary McCarthy's play, Once a Catholic and the film The Devil's Playground. Then in Aarhus I had been teaching The Merry-go-round in the Sea. I remembered the passage where Rob is discussing with his mother and aunt: