British Modernism: Text and Image: Anna's Recollection of a Biscuit Advertisement (Huntley & Palmers Co)

Anna is lying in bed and thinking of an advertisement featuring “Biscuits Like Mother Makes, as Fresh in the Tropics as in the Motherland.” She proceeds to give a very detailed description of how this advertisement looked. Her recollection was very precise, direct and accomplished the goal it was set out to do. The visual imagery created from this scene was very effective. The children and how they were dressed, the surrounding environment, the colors of the clothes and nature in general, every feature, even down to the little boy looking over his shoulder…she did not fail to cover every minute detail. The reader cannot see the actual tangible picture, but through her description, the reader is able to achieve the parallel and linear connection she is attempting to form. Anna then makes sure to point out the wall and the darkness it represents. The representation is then further taken to stand for England itself and how she saw the country. She does not see herself as native or part of the country, in fact the wall (England) is the barrier that precludes her from really embracing her true identity. The picture gives this one perception of infinite possibilities where the sky is the limit; however it carries this double meaning where your limits are only as far as the motherland allows and your identity is really not your own.

One major biscuit company in Britain was known as The Huntley & Palmers Co. They started in 1822 as a small bakery in London Street, Reading. By 1900 it was the largest biscuit manufacturer in the world, employing over 5,000. Reading became known as the “biscuit town.” By 1903 it was producing over 400 different varieties. This would suggest that the taste of the British people was in a constant state of change and the company made sure to keep up with the demand. They even went international (you will see this displayed from the Chinese advertisement). By the 1930’s they were advertising on the radios and they even had pocket calendars, diaries and envelopes (see below for images). They were very aggressive advertisers. It was no wonder that Anna recalled this image. They were everywhere. They legacy is still around today but under a different name. They are no longer a Reading company. In 2004 the brand was re-launched after being sold by Danone to a new company.

Voyage in the Dark, Jean Rhys, pgs. 148-149

http://www.huntleyandpalmers.org.uk/ixbin/hixclient.exe?a=file&p=huntley&f=huntley.htm

Picture 1 - Pocket Calendar in French