People Notice A Very Specific Book Arrangement Behind Boris Johnson During His Speech, Think The Librarian Did It
In a way, book covers are virtually posters — the visuals are made to represent the events and ideas within. And one school librarian may have recently used them to protest against the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
Boris Johnson addressed the country’s children as they prepared to return to classrooms. However, as Boris Johnson told children at Castle Rock school in Coalville, Leicestershire, that exam results had almost been derailed by “a mutant algorithm”, observant eyes turned to the bookshelves behind him.
Image credits: NicholasPegg
Johnson was telling students that returning to school would make them “experience things with an intensity and clarity … that is seldom repeated in your lives.”
He added: “When you are struggling with complex questions, or something which you are worried about, somebody – very probably a teacher, a brilliant teacher – will say something and a light will go on, the clouds will lift and you will never, ever forget that moment.”
“And that’s why education is the great equalizer, it’s the liberator, it’s the transformer of society, and it’s the single most important way in which we can unite and level up across this whole country and deliver social justice.”
“And that is why we must, in the next week and the succeeding days, we must have every pupil back in school in the way that you’ve come back to school.”
The speech comes after the government performed a U-turn on earlier advice by making face coverings mandatory in schools in some parts of England which are under local lockdown.
The Internet quickly worked out the message
Image credits: NicholasPegg
Image credits: LibCHS_Chryston
Image credits: NicholasPegg
On the day of an announcement that the top civil servant at the Department of Education (DfE), Jonathan Slater, was to leave his job, hot on the heels of Ofqual chief Sally Collier, the titles had a resonance which did not go unnoticed.
A spokesperson for Castle Rock school told The Independent they couldn’t answer any questions on whether the books were specifically chosen to appear behind the Prime Minister.
They were also unable to specify when they were placed there.
Which is exactly what solidarity could sound like in a situation like this.
And you gotta admit, it sounds really specific
Image credits: Samfr
Image credits: Samfr
The Subtle Knife
Image credits: amazon
The Subtle Knife is a young-adult fantasy novel written by Philip Pullman and published in 1997. It’s the second book in the His Dark Materials series and continues the adventures of Lyra Belacqua as she investigates the mysterious Dust phenomenon. Will Parry is introduced as a companion to Lyra, and together they explore the new worlds to which they have both been introduced and search for Will’s father.
Fahrenheit 451
Image credits: amazon
Fahrenheit 451 is a dystopian novel by American writer Ray Bradbury, first published all the way back in 1953. The novel presents a futuristic American society where books are outlawed and “firemen” burn those that are found. The lead character, Guy Montag, is a fireman who becomes disillusioned with his role of censoring literature and destroying knowledge, eventually quitting his job and committing himself to preserving literary and cultural writings rather than destroying them.
Betrayed
Image credits: amazon
Betrayed is the second novel of the House of Night fantasy series, written by American authors P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast. The book was released on October 2, 2007, and it has been translated in more than 20 other languages, including Chinese, Portuguese and Romanian.
The Resistance
Image credits: amazon
The Resistance is a children’s novel by Gemma Malley, published in 2008. It is a sequel to the book The Declaration, which is set in the year 2140 and follows Grange Hall, Peter and Anna who are living freely on the Outside, trying hard to lead normal lives, but unable to leave the terror of the Declaration—and their experiences as surpluses—completely behind them.
Exodus
Image credits: amazon
Exodus is a science fiction novel written for teens and young adults and was published in August 2002. The story is set on an island faced with the problem of a rising sea level, caused by global warming. Mara must think of a way to save herself, the other villagers, and, most importantly, the world.
The Toll
Image credits: amazon
In The Toll, the highly anticipated finale to the New York Times bestselling trilogy, dictators, prophets, and tensions rise, constitutions are tested and old friends are brought back from the dead.
Crisis Point
Image credits: amazon
The Hero Foundation is a shadow of its former self and Lord Eon – the most terrible supervillain ever – is still at large. Worse, he has hatched a plan to tear apart time. Toby and his superhero friends should be able to stop him but Pete has woken from his coma a different person and Lorna has disappeared.
Glass Houses
Image credits: amazon
From the author of the popular Weather Warden series comes the debut of a new series set in Morganville, Texas, where college freshman Claire Danvers has had enough of her nightmarish dorm situation and heads off-campus. However, the imposing old house where she finds a room may not be much better.
The Twits
Image credits: amazon
The Twits is a humorous children’s book written by Roald Dahl and illustrated by Quentin Blake. Mr. Twit hates his wife and Mrs. Twit detests her husband. They like nothing more than playing wicked tricks on one another. Sooner or later, things are bound to go too far.
Image credits: BCredibility
Image credits: mikercameron
Image credits: sjpinches
Image credits: Feisty_Waters
Image credits: TalkDescription
Image credits: tometidier
Image credits: Emily_ZC
Image credits: woolwinding
Image credits: iamundertow
Image credits: tomhume89
Image credits: twynhamlibrary
This is so perfect. It has been ages since such perfect, underhanded, magnificent, snarky, political comment has been made.
Turns out it was deliberate, but not aimed at Johnson. The books have been like that since February. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8671003/Librarian-reveals-DID-rearrange-books-Boris-Johnson-form-covert-message.html
Load More Replies...
But, was it *really* done on purpose though? Just playing the Devil's advocate here. It does seem like the fantasy/thriller/sci-fi section for young adults, perhaps it was just an interestingly appropriate coincidence?? If not, awesome and well done!
I started the article wondering that too, but it just seems *too* on-point. Not one that seems out of place or a stretch. It could be a coincidence -- they do happen all the time. It could be confirmation bias. But I don't think so.
Load More Replies...
As a french, I don't want to talk about UK's politics. But I have always been in admiration of british sense of humour. The work of this librarian is a perfect illustration. Well done !
its far easier to censor in our dystopia than Ray Bradbury could have ever imagined. No need for Firemen to burn the books. With a few keystokes all literature deemed "dangerous", "wrongthinking" can be deleted as if they never existed.
Glad someone else also noticed the very prominent presence of Lord of the Rings. How very fitting as well.
The fact that Johnson went to nothing but elite public schools and comes from the aristocracy makes his words ring hollow. "education is the great equalizer, it’s the liberator, it’s the transformer of society, and it’s the single most important way in which we can unite and level up across this whole country and deliver social justice. “And that is why we must, in the next week and the succeeding days, we must have every pupil back in school in the way that you’ve come back to school." Of course this only applies to the lower classes.
I'm guessing that because of this, next trump gives a speech with books in the background (I know I'm stretch here), you may actually him or a trump supporter pick up a book. Of course I'm sure they would have to Google what that book actually is about.
Can you please use provide words that are missing here? You may actually _____ him or a Trump ......if you're going to throw sarcastic shade at least use all your words to make a complete sentence. We don't like to MAKE UP s**t.
Load More Replies...
As RaroaRaroa pointed out, this was not meant for him. It was done by the librarian as a message to her bosses before she quit 6 months ago. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8671003/Librarian-reveals-DID-rearrange-books-Boris-Johnson-form-covert-message.html
looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool
The school librarian who stacked the shelves behind Boris Johnson’s podium with titles including The Twits, Betrayed and The Subtle Knife has admitted that she never intended the message for the prime minister, but for the management of the school from which she resigned in February. The former librarian at Castle Rock school in Coalville, Leicestershire, rose to viral fame earlier this week when Johnson addressed children preparing to return to classrooms from the school’s library. Behind him, the books on display which also including Betrayed, Resistance, Exodus and Fahrenheit 451 – appeared to be sending a subtle message about the prime minister and his government. But the librarian in question, who has asked not to be named, said that she set up the display six months ago in a pointed message to the management of Castle Rock school. “I actually feel a little bit sorry for the prime minister because it wasn’t ever intended for
One more reason to feel proud of belonging to this brave corporation : the librarians.
This is so perfect. It has been ages since such perfect, underhanded, magnificent, snarky, political comment has been made.
Turns out it was deliberate, but not aimed at Johnson. The books have been like that since February. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8671003/Librarian-reveals-DID-rearrange-books-Boris-Johnson-form-covert-message.html
Load More Replies... But, was it *really* done on purpose though? Just playing the Devil's advocate here. It does seem like the fantasy/thriller/sci-fi section for young adults, perhaps it was just an interestingly appropriate coincidence?? If not, awesome and well done!
I started the article wondering that too, but it just seems *too* on-point. Not one that seems out of place or a stretch. It could be a coincidence -- they do happen all the time. It could be confirmation bias. But I don't think so.
Load More Replies... As a french, I don't want to talk about UK's politics. But I have always been in admiration of british sense of humour. The work of this librarian is a perfect illustration. Well done !
its far easier to censor in our dystopia than Ray Bradbury could have ever imagined. No need for Firemen to burn the books. With a few keystokes all literature deemed "dangerous", "wrongthinking" can be deleted as if they never existed.
Glad someone else also noticed the very prominent presence of Lord of the Rings. How very fitting as well.
The fact that Johnson went to nothing but elite public schools and comes from the aristocracy makes his words ring hollow. "education is the great equalizer, it’s the liberator, it’s the transformer of society, and it’s the single most important way in which we can unite and level up across this whole country and deliver social justice. “And that is why we must, in the next week and the succeeding days, we must have every pupil back in school in the way that you’ve come back to school." Of course this only applies to the lower classes.
I'm guessing that because of this, next trump gives a speech with books in the background (I know I'm stretch here), you may actually him or a trump supporter pick up a book. Of course I'm sure they would have to Google what that book actually is about.
Can you please use provide words that are missing here? You may actually _____ him or a Trump ......if you're going to throw sarcastic shade at least use all your words to make a complete sentence. We don't like to MAKE UP s**t.
Load More Replies... As RaroaRaroa pointed out, this was not meant for him. It was done by the librarian as a message to her bosses before she quit 6 months ago. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8671003/Librarian-reveals-DID-rearrange-books-Boris-Johnson-form-covert-message.html
looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool
The school librarian who stacked the shelves behind Boris Johnson’s podium with titles including The Twits, Betrayed and The Subtle Knife has admitted that she never intended the message for the prime minister, but for the management of the school from which she resigned in February. The former librarian at Castle Rock school in Coalville, Leicestershire, rose to viral fame earlier this week when Johnson addressed children preparing to return to classrooms from the school’s library. Behind him, the books on display which also including Betrayed, Resistance, Exodus and Fahrenheit 451 – appeared to be sending a subtle message about the prime minister and his government. But the librarian in question, who has asked not to be named, said that she set up the display six months ago in a pointed message to the management of Castle Rock school. “I actually feel a little bit sorry for the prime minister because it wasn’t ever intended for
One more reason to feel proud of belonging to this brave corporation : the librarians.
221
46