Having a Wonderful Time, J.G. Ballard: Summary, Analysis & Themes

J.G. Ballard's work, particularly the short story ‘Having a Wonderful Time’, often goes unappreciated despite its profound insights. This story, part of his 1982 collection Myths of the Near Future, skillfully anticipates elements of twenty-first-century life. Told as a series of postcards from the Canary Islands, it humorously yet critically examines themes of forced leisure and restricted freedom.

Summary of Having a Wonderful Time, J.G. Ballard

Written in 1978, ‘Having a Wonderful Time’ is set in a speculative future of 1985, a symbolic year just past George Orwell’s dystopian 1984. The story follows Diana, who writes postcards to a friend back in England while vacationing in Gran Canaria with her husband, Richard. Initially, her notes humorously recount their travel experience and the usual vacation details. However, the couple soon finds their return to Gatwick delayed due to an alleged computer issue. One day extends to another, turning their two-week holiday into an indefinite stay on the island.

As days stretch on, Diana joins an amateur theatre group and performs in various plays, including The Importance of Being Ernest.

Richard begins to explore the coast, discovering that there are likely over a million stranded tourists, effectively turning the island into a massive ‘human reserve’ filled with holiday complexes.

Eventually, Richard suggests that Western European governments, in collaboration with Spanish authorities, are intentionally converting the Canaries into a permanent holiday camp to prevent unrest among the employed classes back home. Diana dismisses this idea as ridiculous.

Richard eventually attempts to leave, forming a resistance group and setting off on a stolen boat, only to be found dead on a beach in France. Diana, meanwhile, continues to embrace her seemingly endless vacation, engaging in more theatre productions. By the final postcard, one year since they arrived, she reflects that her friend may also be on the island, and none of her postcards have likely reached their intended destination.

Analysis of Themes and Symbolism in Having a Wonderful Time, J.G. Ballard

To understand Ballard’s intentions, it helps to note his recurring exploration of ‘benign totalitarianism’—a concept he discussed often in interviews. In Ballard's view, future authoritarianism might be less like Orwell’s Big Brother and more akin to a smiling, obliging waiter, subtly enforcing control through leisure and distractions. This idea resonates throughout ‘Having a Wonderful Time’.

1. Totalitarianism with a Smile

In the story, Diana and Richard's captivity lacks the harshness of typical totalitarian regimes. Instead, they are detained in a comfortable, leisurely manner, symbolized by Diana’s continued participation in theatrical productions, which mirror her blind acceptance of the ‘holiday’ as permanent.

This form of imprisonment reflects modern anxieties about a loss of freedom hidden under the guise of pleasure and convenience. Diana embodies the blissful unawareness of this control, remaining hopeful for their return flight, akin to the play Waiting for Godot—where characters anticipate an arrival that never comes.

2. Satirical View on Future Society and Employment

Ballard's story was prescient in imagining a society where people are permanently unemployed or occupy meaningless positions. This aligns with David Graeber’s idea of ‘bullshit jobs’, referring to administrative roles with titles like ‘manager’ that appear redundant.

Ballard’s humor underscores the absurdity of such a future, where people are removed from the workforce and kept in a prolonged, purposeless holiday. This predicament mirrors recent experiences of extended lockdowns, where furloughed employees were left to consider if this detached lifestyle could become a reality.

The author hints at the unease surrounding a post-work society, a world of bread and circuses where people, like Diana, find comfort in a life void of meaningful responsibilities.

3. Irony in the Title and the Concept of a 'Wonderful Time'

The title ‘Having a Wonderful Time’ draws from a common vacation phrase, yet as the story unfolds, this phrase becomes ironic. While Diana continues to convince herself of her enjoyment, the reality of her ‘holiday’ as a form of imprisonment becomes apparent. The phrase “wish you were here” echoes with irony, as Diana's postcards likely never reach anyone and remain part of her isolated, futile existence on the island.

Conclusion

J.G. Ballard's ‘Having a Wonderful Time’ combines satire, dark humor, and speculative fiction to examine issues of control, freedom, and the nature of work in modern society. Through Diana and Richard’s endless holiday, Ballard warns of a world where totalitarianism can arrive in benign forms, subtly robbing people of their agency under the guise of leisure. Ultimately, Ballard's story remains relevant as it challenges readers to question what they truly value in a life of supposed freedom and the dangers of embracing complacency in the face of veiled control.