A Kestrel for a Knave
A Kestrel for a Knave For this assignment, I shall be looking at Barry Hines' novel 'A Kestrel for a Knave'. The story focuses on a day in the life of Billy Casper, a fifteen-year-old schoolboy growing up in an environment lacking in many ways. In this assignment I am to look at examples of deprivation in the various areas of Billy Casper's life. Barry Hines writes about a young boy growing up in the 1960's. Despite the fact that the Welfare State had been in place for over twenty years, Hines' novel sheds much light on the kind of life some children still had to live, in order to survive in societies that should have been well developed. The text writes in extensive detail about how a boy like Billy had to live, and I felt quite sympathetic towards Billy - for him having to endure so much abuse in one day. Considering the Welfare State had been firmly in place for two decades, reading this novel opened my eyes to how some families had to live. Barry Hines was a teacher and he would have had first hand experience of what life was like for some children of the era. Maybe, through such a novel, Hines hoped to raise awareness by outlining the poor standards in which people were living. I shall now therefore like to explore ways in which Billy's life lacked. Firstly I am going to write about how Billy's life lacked within the home. I found that Billy was heavily denied of
Invisible - creative writing
INVISIBLE As Billy scraped his ragged plimsolls across the empty yard, he noticed the janitor sweeping up leaves. He heard a noisy engine, and looked around to see a coach drawing up outside the school. This was the day his class was due to visit Chester Zoo, but Billy was the only one left out. When Mr Farthing had announced this trip the week before Billy knew at once that the two pounds needed was out of his reach. The evening that he had told his mum about it, she just ignored him and raced out to the club. He knew it was a waste of time asking jud, for all he would receive was a punch on the jaw. This was going to be an unpleasant day for him. When he entered the class, Fisher and Tibbutt sniggerd and made gestures at him. Billy knew they were laughing because he couldn't afford the trip. He was the laughing stock of the class for the entire period. Funny stares and spiteful comments were all he got and his pain increased when the registration ended, and everyone else headed off to board the bus. Mr farthing gave him one final look as if to apoligise for not taking him, but Billy ignored him. Through the gates Billy could see their smiles on their faces, even the teachers looked happy about getting a day off of school. Tears almost started to flow but a sudden shout from Mrs Brown brought him back to reality. She was to be his teacher for the day even
A Kestral for a Hawk - How does the writer arouse the reader's sympathy for Billy.
How does the writer arouse The reader's sympathy for Billy The story 'A Kestrel for a Hawk 'is based around a boy called Billy Casper. The book shows us all how life was in the olden times. Billy is a strong, independent character who is continuously being treated considered unjustly. Billy is sure of one thing - he will never work down in the mines. He lives with his brother Jud, who works down in the mines and his mother. Apparently, his dad is not on the scene so we are presuming that his father is either divorced or just left home for a while. One of the ways that the author makes the readers feel sorry for Billy is by describing his home life. Billy's family is very poor and if we compare all the things that we have in our life today, he does not have many things. His home does not have curtains and he has to share a bed with his older brother Jud. There is no central heating in their house and Billy has to light the fire every morning because his brother and his mother are not concerned. When Billy delivers the newspaper to one of the houses, he is stunned as he peered into the house. He distinguished everyday life objects like radiators, radios, carpets etc. but compared to what he had it was like 'heaven' to him .I felt a lot of pity when he opened the shelf for food because there was, "...a packet of dried peas and half a bottle of vinegar on the
Short story assessement - "The Bread winner" by Leslie Halward.
/10/2001 "The Breadwinner by Leslie Halward Siobhan Lawless A short story I have just read recently is called "The Breadwinner". This short story was written by Leslie Halward. The character who aroused my emotions the most was Billy. I felt sympathy towards him because he is the only person working. Then he comes in, gets a beaten and sent to bed with no food. I also feel respect towards Billy as he stood up to his dad. The second character who aroused my emotions was Billy's mother. I also felt sympathy and respect towards her as she stood up to her husband and has to put up with him. Billy's dad was the person who aroused different emotions I disliked him because he bullied Billy and his wife. Towards Billy I felt sympathy because he is working all week then comes home and gets a beating from his dad. I also feel admiration towards Billy because I admire him for standing up to his dad. A quotation which helps me feel sympathetic towards Billy is: "he beat him unmercifully about the body and legs" I felt really sorry for Billy at this point because he had been working all week and came in to a beating and no food. The word "unmercifully" shows me that his father beat him repeatedly and not just once. A quotation which helps me feel admiration is: "the boy sank to the floor but did not cry" The word "sank" shows me that the beating his father gave him was
How does Barry Hines create sympathy for Billy Casper in 'A Kestrel for a knave'?
How does Barry Hines create sympathy for Billy Casper in 'A Kestrel for a knave'? Kes is a novel written by Barry Hines set in Sheffield, south Yorkshire, in the 1960's. The story describes two different places that really contrast each other. The first place is where Billy lives all the houses are council houses, the whole area is run down and deprived of luxuries such as central heating. The contrasting place is called Firs Hill where all the houses are big, clean and very posh with lots of luxuries like hot running water. I suppose we already feel sorry for Billy because of the disadvantaged area he lives in. Kes raises a lot of 1960's issues for example, Billy has no father, his mother goes out most nights and always returns home with a new man, making us feel sorry for Billy as he's no one to look up to. Another issue is that of the education system which lets Billy down badly. He attends a boy's secondary modern where he suffers draconian punishment such as thrashes from a cane or lashes from a belt. Billy will have to leave school when he is 15; his only choice of employment will be to work down the mine (pit) with his brother Jud who's a bully. Billy hates the thought of having to work down the mine, which creates sympathy as he's forced into a no hope situation. The first incident I have chosen is Sugden P.E lesson (pg. 87-108) I have chosen this because when
Investigate the ways in which Barry Hines explores Billy's life in 'A Kestrel for A Knave'.
Investigate the ways in which Barry Hines explores Billy's life in 'A Kestrel for A Knave' Billy was a troubled teenager bought up in the 1960's in Yorkshire on an estate surrounded by poverty. Like many children who lived on that estate they were poor and had no real luxuries in life. It wasn't a case of existing but a case of survival in a tough, joyless world. Billy's mother couldn't care for Billy in the way most mother's do, this was because she was living in poverty but also because she was feckless and too self absorbed in what's going on in her life to think about her family as well. 'There were a packet of dried peas and a half bottle of vinegar on the shelves. The bread bin was empty.' Billy received no affection from either his mother 'O shut up now then! You've cried long enough about it.' Even when Billy tried to shoe emotion towards his mother she didn't respond 'Billy rushed around the table to his mother and tried to bury his face in her. She held off, embarrassed' Or his brother 'swung his fist under the blanket and thumped him in the kidneys', which reflected, in his attitude to life and school. Billy's mother was very irresponsible and had no respect for his education 'haven't you gone to school yet' This attitude from his mother later reflects in Billy's attitude to school, which is disturbing, as Billy is very intelligent but feels as though school is
Nature of the Beast By Janni Howker.
Critical Essay: Nature of the Beast, By Janni Howker Patrick Dempsey It is no easy matter to form an opinion on this book. It has many good points but also has a few points that are not so positive. I will start with the good points, one of which is the characters and the way that Janni Howker portrays them. Billy, whose eyes the story is seen through, is a particularly strong and colourful character, and by the end of the first few chapters one feels as if one knows Billy and can sympathise with all the problems he has. Billy, at a young age, is almost forced into being a lot more responsible and mature than he might be in 'normal' circumstances. For example, on more than one occasion he undresses his drunken father and puts him to bed; he does this completely of his own accord, which is unusual for a person of his age. As well as that Billy looks after his Father in other ways; 'I made you a pot of tea Dad' and, 'I've made you some breakfast Dad'. That is one of the ways in which the author creates sympathy for Billy. Billy is an imaginative person, he has ambition and plans for the future; he says when referring to the hunt that he wants to undertake to try find the beast; 'Only been a day dream until now'. The relationship Billy has with his family i.e. Ned and Chunder, is very strong although it may not appear that way to an outsider, such as the social worker who
the kez
1EG "KES" The Play The play 'Kes' portrays the life of a fifteen years old, Billy Casper, who lives with is mother, Mrs. Casper, and his step-brother Jud. The play occurs during and after Billy's last days at school. It shows the way Billy was feeling toward his hawk, and the way he was affected by it. The play takes different stages to build up the plot, Billy notices the hawk in the farms near by his house, getting impressed by the way it lives, catches its food, feeds its youngs. Billy starts to have thoughts about having a hawk as a pet or as an animal that he would care after, and keep for himself. The story takes place in the surroundings of Billy's life: his house; newsagent, as he works there for Mr. Porter; Mac's house, as the play provides the sense that he is the only friend he has, apart from the argument and fights they have had in the school; the public library as Billy has nicked a book about falconry that had helped him to deal with his hawk and provided him the knowledge he needed to take good care of his hawk; the school that Billy attends, as the play takes some parts in the school and as he faces some trouble there; and some local shops that he passes by. Billy is not welcomed by the people he lives with as it shows in his behavior with them, his attitude towards them, and their behavior and the way they treat him. His mother at the beginning of
Barry Hines in writing a Kestrel for a Knave wants his readers to think about the way that society lets some people be rejects..
Barry Hines in writing a Kestrel for a Knave wants his readers to think about the way that society lets some people be rejects. A kestrel for a knave is about a poor troubled Yorkshire lad by the name of Billy Casper. What he imagines to be out of reach and unbelievable are things we take for granted. He imagines love from his parents and just normal, every day things like fish and chips for supper and someone being nice to him. For Billy, that is a dream that will never become reality. Treated as a failure at school and unhappy at home, Billy discovers a new passion in life when he finds Kes, a kestrel hawk. Billy identifies with her silent strength and she inspires in him the trust and love that nothing else can. I don't think that Kes gives Billy the power to revolutionize and turn around his social life, because she doesn't. But Kes is extremely close to Billy's heart. Kes gives Billy a sense of satisfaction and achievement. Kes gives Billy the will to live another day while other is Billy's position would have given up on life long ago. Kes is effectively Billy's best friend and whom he spends most of his spare time with and would have continues to do so after he left school if event wouldn't have gone the way they had done. Billy is portrayed as someone who has given up on everything as he knows he wont get a second chance, and that he's future is going down
Report on the subject of Billy Casper being on probation.
Report on the subject of Billy Casper being on probation On the 24th of October a meeting was held to consider whether Billy Casper had made sufficient progress to be taken of probation. The meeting took place at St. Catherine School at 4pm; Billy's subject teachers were present alongside Billy's mother. Throughout the meeting a mixture of positive and negative opinions were brought up disputing Billy's case. The meeting began with a brief introduction of all the people present. The meeting then moved on to the subject of Billy's progress at school. Mr. Farthing firstly commented on the subject, he pointed out how Billy's behaviour and attitude has improved over the last few weeks. He commented on how Billy has been showing a positive attitude towards his lessons and constantly improving at a steady rate. He also mentioned that Billy made an excellent speech in class on the subject of his kestrel. Mr. Sugden strongly disagreed with Mr Farthing's comments, saying Billy is stupid and that he doesn't put any effort into his lessons. He said Billy never turns up to his lessons with his kit and all he does is swing on the goal posts. Mrs. Casper angrily reacted to Mr. Sugden, claiming she doesn't believe her money should be wasted on kit when it can go towards a better cause. Mr. Gryce then pointed out how Billy drifted asleep in the lords prayer so, therefore had to give him the