The book was based in a grimy, depressed area, Barnsley although it is local to us and has evolved over time as with rest of the world today. His home was also a shabby place very old; Billy and his brother had to share a bedroom/bed together. Billy’s school life is not much better than his home life; his school is run down, horrible and dirty. Billy and Jud sharing the same bed represent the working class lifestyle they lead as it is in poor, cramped conditions. There home is also a representation of this kind of lifestyle. The dinner breaks at school for Billy were also a very lonely time as the other children played, Billy felt lost as he didn’t want to be there, he wanted to see his kestrel.
Barry Hines describes his characters well; the children in the play are bossy and have bad attitudes. The childhood experience in Britain is fully described; bullying, disrespect, being overlooked. The characters seem to have no time for each other or much respect. Billy is a poor child who is intelligent yet not given much real consideration so does not take the opportunities available to him. Billy does not really respect others and finds that loyalty and respect with his kestrel.
The book is written in a dialect which is well-known in Yorkshire areas. It is recognised throughout the U.K but not always understood and many people find it difficult to understand, when the film was screened in America subtitles were shown in certain scenes. The language is typical of a working class family who are maybe not educated enough to better their language. They have picked up on the slang that is used by everyone else. The language Barry Hines used was strong when describing how Billy felt about his relationships at school, home and with Kes. Training Kes was an experience that allowed Billy to escape from everyday hardships that he came across. Training the bird meant that Billy had respect and loyalty which is what he wanted from other relationships especially with his mother. Working in the pit terrified Billy because it would mean being just like his brother and he did not want to be like that.
This assignment was interesting and enjoyable to discover how the characters felt; attitudes towards one another and the time when it was set. It is interesting the way Barry Hines describes the scenes in such detail. I would say the main points in the book were, Billy manages to obtain his hawk and puts skill and affection into his relationship with the kestrel, this is the only love Billy shows. Bullying was an essential part in the book, where McDowall sees Billy across the playground and shouts terrible language to Billy which caused a fight. Billy hates the thought of going to work and growing up, his school life has fell apart as he doesn’t think he can do well so consequently he gives up and instead he spends time with his hawk. This brings my essay to an end, as it was an enjoyable and exciting assignment.
