Jan Mark
Jan Mark is an English author, born on June 22, 1943, in Welwyn, Hertfordshire. Displaying an early passion for literature, she taught herself to read by age three and began writing stories, poems, and plays by age four. After graduating from Canterbury College of Art in 1965, Mark pursued a teaching career in art but found it challenging to devote time to her writing. Her breakthrough came after her marriage in 1969 when she won a contest for unpublished writers with her novel "Thunder and Lightnings," which also earned her the prestigious Carnegie Medal. The novel explores social class disparities through the experiences of two teenage boys, while many of her subsequent works address complex themes of injustice and societal expectations. Notably, her science fiction novels, including "The Ennead," "Divide and Rule," and "Aquarius," delve into the manipulation of individuals by organized religion and societal norms. Although some critiques highlight a perceived bleakness in her narratives, many readers find her work invigorating and thought-provoking. Mark's writing reflects a deep engagement with life’s challenges, offering both a critique of social inequities and an exploration of human resilience.
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Subject Terms
Jan Mark
- Born: June 22, 1943
- Birthplace: Welwyn, Hertfordshire, England
Biography
Janet Marjorie Mark was born on June 22, 1943, in Welwyn, Hertforshire, England. Her parents were Colin Denis and Marjorie Brisland. She taught herself to read by the age of three, and at the age of four was already writing her first stories, poems, and plays. She spent most of her school years reading or writing, and harbored a secret desire to be published before she finished high school. Although she was not able to attain that dream, she persisted in her writing, even putting together a fragmentary novel while she was in college.
Mark completed her degree at the Canterbury College of Art in 1965 and hoped to be able to develop her writing career while working. However, once she graduated, she quickly discovered that a job teaching art in English schools left her with little free time to do any writing. On March 1, 1969, she married Neil Mark, a computer operator, with whom she would have two children, Isobel and Alexander. Their marriage later ended in divorce, but it was during her married years that she finally got her chance to start a real career in writing.
Mark came across an advertisement in The Guardian for a contest offering a substantial prize for the best young adult novel by an unpublished writer. In response, she wrote Thunder and Lightnings and was astonished when she won the contest. That initial win set a high mark for all her subsequent work, particularly when Thunder and Lightnings subsequently won the prestigious Carnegie Medal. The novel deals with two teenage boys of disparate social classes who learn about life by comparing their different life experiences. The story has a rather dark tone, with one of the adult characters explicitly telling the protagonist that fairness does not exist, that it is a lie told to children to mollify them, and that learning that fairness is a fraud is the first step in growing up.
Although Mark’s stories for younger readers often downplay this grim outlook on life, most of her novels for older readers are unsparing in facing the inequities and injustices of life. This is particularly true of three novels that have often been described as science fiction, The Ennead, Divide and Rule, and Aquarius, all of which take place not in contemporary society, but in imaginary societies that allow Mark to explore such emotionally charged subjects as the power of organized religion to manipulate people, or the fate of people who refuse to conform to the expectations of society. She has received some strong negative criticism for what is perceived as a despairing view in these three novels, but many readers have responded that the books do not make them despair, but rather leave them feeling exhilarated.