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I hardly watch any series, serials or sitcoms. But, one that I follow is the gritty working class British soap opera (I think the longest standing), Coronation Street, which the CBC obligingly airs six months later than the British schedule. The actors are all excellent, with their Western England accents. All the characters show a resilient cheerfulness, where tragedies never handicap anyone, and a loss is soon forgotten in the pursuit of a possible gain.
One think I've noticed, which I don't think occurs in any other sitcom, is the abundance of wallpapers. From gaudy silvery leaves to delicate poppies, and entangled vines and flowers to modern, monochromatic versions of old-fashioned designs, decorative paper covers the walls of almost all the homes in Corrie Street.
I wonder if wallpaper has been relegated to working class homes in Britain? The fanciful and opulent these days prefer their walls stark and bare, showing off their wealth with "less is more" pretentiousness. Yet, they don't know what they're missing. The abundance of pattern that adorns the homes of these modest people surely influences their charitable spirit and cheerful bearing. An empty and sterile home breeds empty and sterile personalities. Wallpaper converts the poor man’s home (any man’s home) into a rich and warm abode. The intricate repeat pattern splendor of shapes and forms highlights generosity and abundance. How can one remain stingy and dissatisfied when the walls are covered with such glory?
