A former student has paid a personal and poignant tribute to the late literary critic John Carey, recalling his formidable presence as a young tutor at the University of Oxford in the late 1950s.
A Formidable Young Tutor at Christ Church
The writer, who studied under Carey at Christ Church in 1958-59, describes the then 24-year-old academic as being "both painstaking and pugnacious". This unique combination left a lasting impression, with one particular tutorial standing out vividly in memory. "I shall never forget his sharp tutorial on Milton’s punctuation," the former pupil writes, highlighting Carey's intense and meticulous approach to literary criticism even in his mid-twenties.
Puzzlement Over Class-Consciousness Sensitivity
However, the tribute also expresses a degree of puzzlement regarding Carey's well-documented sensitivity to the class-consciousness that permeated Oxford during that era. As noted by biographer DJ Taylor, Carey came from a quintessentially middle-class background. The former student suggests that with such a family origin, coupled with his "formidable mind and achievements", Carey should theoretically have been immune to the snobbery of what are described as "snobbish pipsqueaks".
This reflection adds a layer of complexity to the understanding of Carey's character and his sometimes combative relationship with the establishment, suggesting an internal conflict perhaps rooted deeper than his social standing alone.
A Contrasting Experience of Oxford's Social Hierarchy
The letter provides a striking counterpoint by sharing the author's own experience with Oxford's ingrained social biases. In 1961, when visiting the university's career service, the writer was given advice starkly influenced by class perception. "I was advised that if I were to become a school master then, with an accent like mine, I should try Bradford," they recount.
This anecdote serves to underscore just how potent and overt the class barriers were at the time, offering context for why even a brilliant academic like John Carey might have felt their sting, regardless of his intellectual prowess.
The tribute ultimately paints a picture of a brilliant, sharp, and slightly combative young don whose personal journey through the hallowed, yet often exclusionary, halls of Oxford continues to fascinate and inspire reflection long after his tutorials ended.
