Technology as a driving force in the Rafflesstories
“… and the telephone you’ve been at me about so long.”
Raffleswas never one to jump on new technology, while Bunny always seemed to be more interested in contemporary inventions. (Let’s face it, in the 21st century Raffles would be the one to refuse a smartphone for as long as society would allow it, holding on to his Nokia or Siemens with limited Internet access for dear life.) He is not “pining for electric light”, but will install it if it provides an excuse to clear his name to the police while robbing a bank at the same time.
Nevertheless, 1890s technology does play a big part in the stories – the telegrams, the fateful telephone call in “Trap”, the nightly bicycling in Ham Common, the many train rides and, last but not least, the steamship Uhlan, can all be identified as essential parts of the stories they appear in.
It is not the all-observing-all-absorbing type of technology we have today. Anyone who has tried writing a modern version of Raffles has likely put thought into how that kind of technology would affect Raffles’s and Bunny’s line of work, and found it a challenge to adapt. It was, however, an essential part of society at the time – communication and travel relied on then rather modern inventions like the telephone, the telegraph, and railways. How would it affect the stories if they were moved back a hundred and thirty years instead of forward – would that be as difficult to adapt?
Might it be that the technology present in the 1890s is in fact part of the very essence of the Raffles stories?
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This is only a bit of reflection on my part, but anyone who would like to add to the discussion is welcome to do so!
I just couldn’t imagine Raffles in modern times. They’d be CCTV everywhere. Chest Of Silver would NEVER have worked. Half the banks have closed down and the ones that are left would have CCTV. Him getting off the train wouldn’t work as they’re so unreliable it probably wouldn’t turn up! The post is only once a day so Bunny wouldn’t have gotten the letter until it was to late…
And the work at the Albany would have been cancelled and rescheduled so many times, he’d give up. “‘ain’t got the part 'ave I. Be 'bout a week, guv”. Just saying if the story was set in 2022 he’d suffocate in that chest! Lucky its 1890s.
@ludojudoposts I’m DYING now I’m suddenly craving a modern version of Chest where everything just goes blatantly wrong I think it couldwork making a modern adaptation, only it would take somuch knowledge about… security systems, storage of information, [other things I personally know very little about]. And Raffles would need to up his game as an inventor of burglar’s tools. Perhaps Bunny as a very tech-savvy partner who does all the hacking into security systems etc?
I could also see Raffles as being a proud “classical” burglar in modern times, using old methods in creative ways to work around all the modern technology. Exactly how that would work though…
It is very interesting though, right? The letter posted in Crew, for instance - how would that work today? Like you said, the letter getting to Bunny quickly enough would not be likely, so what would he have done? Texting or similar wouldn’t work - it was the physical evidence of him being on his way to Scotland that was the essential part. What could he do instead? Take a selfie on the train and send it to Bunny? Could work, but doesn’t quite hold the same dramatic effect as rushing out to post a hastily scribbled letter in the middle of the night and getting on the next train back.
Like I said, I think it could work with a bit of creativity, but it also does take away a big part of the whole spirit of the stories, doesn’t it?
Oh this is a fun topic! Adding my thoughts:
In the tv episode The Gold Cup, Raffles told Bunny to purchase a vacuum cleaner. How I’d love to see what that thing looked like (I’m picturing a carpet sweeper thing but maybe there were vacuums with suction already, idk?)
I think that in modern times Raffles would occasionally communicate via fax. Though that’s coming from me as a US-ian where most individuals and businesses don’t use them anymore but they’re still used in public service work, at least, and copy & printing shops. (A couple of places i worked in the 2010s required me to fax things: a hospital and a law office! Idk if other parts of the world fax much nowadays?) I like to think Raffles would know how to utilize all the old and obsolete technology in case he finds them useful. I can totally picture him faxing a message to Bunny from the 24-hour copyshop in Crew (or a public copier/fax machine at the train station..)! :D And watching Bunny’s face all excited as he watches the message print out before him (speaking of old 90s stuff it would also be hilarious if they could use pagers…it’s another thing that’s somewhat off the radar, not like a smartphone that could be tracked and messages read and understood by the likes of MacKenzie )
In their school days they totally made a ☎ using 2 paper cups and a piece of string.
I agree Toni, Raffles would still be a classical style burglar! And that would make him stand out, and there could potentially be copycats of him. Also love the idea of hacker Bunny. They’d wear all sorts of disguises as tradesmen to access buildings and information–and have many online identities, several of which are cricket tumblr fan accounts
Third poster is complete! The full set of four 11x14inch posters will be available on my etsy shop starting Friday Feb 25! samrappillustrations.etsy.com
BARRY HBO S3 is such specific kind of effed up that im just…im just sitting here… No inspiration for fanart tho, only mind blown. Maybe also a bit shooketh..what a fun comedy series!
i dont really care for the harry potter series anymore but i love hogwarts aus for my favorite characters like fuck yeah make miya atsumu play quidditch or let percy jackson and jason grace compete in the triwizard tournament or let kaz brekker break in the chamber of secrets with the rest of the crows
