In a Kestrel for a Knave by Barry Hines, Hines effectively conveys the bleak and depressing theme of deprivation. The central character Billy suffers physical, emotional and educational deprivation.

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A Kestrel for a Knave

Critical Essay

In a Kestrel for a Knave by Barry Hines, Hines effectively conveys the bleak and depressing theme of deprivation. The central character Billy suffers physical, emotional and educational deprivation. Billy himself finds ways to combat this deprivation with the relationship he builds with a bird and the small amount of praise he receives from one of his teachers, Mr Farthing. However Hines’ most damning indictment on the deprivation suffered by boys like Billy comes through the depressing and pessimistic ending.

The novel is centred around the deprivation of the main character Billy Casper. Billy has few prospects but is still determined not to end up like his brother Jud. He is very interested in nature and the wild hawk he finds and trains gives him a direction and throughout the novel Hines gives us the impression that things will get better for Billy, but all the hope we have for Billy is buried in the end when the hawk is killed.

Billy suffers many forms of deprivation. The worst of them and the most concerning is emotional. His mother and brother take no interest in him or pay any attention to the things that are important to him. For example when he tries to tell his mum about Kestrels and training them she quickly changes the subject. She says:

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“ I say, what time is it?”

This shows that she has no interest in him and also that she has no time for him. Billy’s brother, Jud also neglects him and puts him down a lot of the time. For example he calls him names when he is attempting to read his book on falconry. He says:

“ What’s tha want that for when tha can’t read?”

This suggests that rather than encourage Billy to take an interest in something he decides to put him down.

Another type of deprivation that Billy suffers is educational. Most of Billy’s teachers ...

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