Wartime intelligence experience in the works of Barbara Pym and Muriel Spark

This paper looks at the possibilities of fiction in understanding intelligence, taking two female 20th century writers as case studies, Barbara Pym, and Muriel Spark. It considers how they did or did not draw on their wartime experience in their fiction. It asks why fiction still matters in an era of ever-more accessible archives and public records. It concludes that authorial choice, self-censorship, redacting and editing by others suppressed Barbara Pym's official wartime experience as an Examiner or censor. It suggests that the role was undervalued both at the time and subsequently as a source of intelligence. The paper concludes that Muriel Spark exploited to the full a short exposure to black propaganda, highlighting how three of her works of fiction offer readers insights into ethical questions of deception, manipulation, and surveillance.

Automated summary

This paper explores the potential of fiction in understanding intelligence using Barbara Pym and Muriel Spark as case studies. It examines whether they drew on their wartime experiences in their works and questions the significance of fiction in an age of easily accessible archives and public records. The paper reveals that Barbara Pym's official wartime experience as an Examiner or censor was suppressed through authorial choices and external editing, suggesting that the role was undervalued as a source of intelligence. On the other hand, Muriel Spark fully utilized her brief encounter with black propaganda, offering readers insights into ethical dilemmas of deception, manipulation, and surveillance in her three fictional works.