A study of Neil Fry and how the other characters react with him in Bernard MacLaverty's 'More Than Just the Disease'.

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A study of Neil Fry and how the other characters react with him in Bernard MacLaverty’s ‘More Than Just the Disease’

‘More Than Just the Disease’ tells us of a boy’s struggle to live with psoriasis, but also shows us much more. This short story gives us an insight into how boys of Michael and Neil’s age thought and what their opinions are on certain ‘touchy’ subjects such as, in this case, skin diseases. These points are put across in the style of writing MacLaverty uses and in several other ways.

Although we follow Neil through his experiences on holiday, the reader doesn’t hear his thoughts as in other novels. This makes him appear distant to us. It seems as if he has no feelings or emotions save being attracted to Anne and his paranoia surrounding his chest. ”He blushed because she looked directly into his eyes and she smiled as if she liked him.” This also shows that he is a shy and fairly timid boy. “Buttoning the jacket right up to his neck.” He is ashamed even around his best friend.

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Neil is continually haunted by the words of him mother “Be tidy at all times.” This makes it seem as Neil is suppressed by his mother to do what she says all of the time. His mother has drilled her rules into him. Her phrases are continually running around his head. In his house, the family always eat breakfast at the table “Breakfast wasn’t a meal like in his house.” This again shows that he is a timid boy and has let his mother rule his life. Even ruling his life though, she still wants the best for him. Getting ...

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