What does the visit to Hang Wood show the reader about Hooper and Kingshaw?

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Hang Wood:

What does the visit to Hang Wood show the reader about Hooper and Kingshaw?

These three chapters form an important central point in the novel. The two boys face one another, away from the adult world, in a place where they have to rely on themselves and one another for survival.

The writer establishes the danger they are in by indicating that the wood runs into a much larger forest. If they have wandered into this forest, they may not be found for some time.

The psychological warfare between the two boys takes on an interesting twist inside Hang Wood, because Kingshaw discovers areas of strength within himself that he had not previously been aware of, as well as areas of weakness in Hooper. Is it a normal boy’s inability to understand another’s inner torment?

Hooper seems to have the upper hand when Kingshaw first realises that he has followed him into the wood. Kingshaw senses his own weakness that comes from always having had to be polite to the people in whose houses he and his mother have had to stay. His sense of happiness and relaxation at being alone in the wood has been destroyed.

Kingshaw comes close to Hooper and suddenly realises that, behind his ‘robot’, non-emotional shell, he is human, after all. The reader feels hopeful that some sort of resolution between the boys may be possible. Kingshaw's growing sense of strength is heightened at any small point such as his discovery that Hooper has never been to a zoo.

There are many shifting power relations between Hooper and Kingshaw that take place inside Hang Wood. But Kingshaw does not give in to people; he only takes, from the beginning, the assurance that he will be beaten.

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During these chapters, Hooper starts to pretend that he is a hunter, and Kingshaw is furious that he is once again taking over. He is angry with himself for acknowledging Hooper at all.

Later on in the chapter, the boys begin to feel that they are lost, and even a note of fear creeps into Hooper's harsh voice.

“They’ll never find us!”

Even though this was the case for a vast majority of the chapter, for a moment, Kingshaw has the upper hand, because he, in a way, feels more confident in the wood than he did ...

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