Discussing Kes.
Kes Essay In this essay I will be writing about the play "Kes", who the main characters are, the author, what that time was like and attitudes to towards one another. Billy the main star became really interested in this kestrels nest and longed for his own kestrel to train, he found it in the farmer's land. It was the only relationship Billy had had since neither family nor school have offered him anything like that. Love, care and affection were unfamiliar to Billy until he met his hawk. He didn't get along with many of his class mates. Billy was asked by his brother Jud to go bet a on a horse and gave him £10. As Billy was going to bet he met up with one of Jud's friends and spoke to him and he said it wasn't worth betting on that horse and so Billy used the money to buy food for his self and his bird. When his brother found out that Billy had not bet for him he looked for Billy the whole day but didn't find him so Jud played a nasty trick on Billy and killed the kestrel. Barry Hines the author is the man behind the play who brought his characters to life. Barry Hines describes his play as general day. 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
Barry Hines's book 'A Kestrel For A Knave' is a powerful adaptation that dramatizes the entire text in a clear and exciting way, it also explores it's themes motivations and social settings.
A Kestrel For A Knave Barry Hines's book `A Kestrel For A Knave' is a powerful adaptation that dramatizes the entire text in a clear and exciting way, it also explores it's themes motivations and social settings. Barry Hines uses these `Themes' to show billy's world and the people around him whether its at home school or out in the open. The main theme that rotates around Billy is education this is because Mr. Hines tries to show the reader how important education is for them and Billy. However education is not the only theme that takes place we regularly see the theme of poverty ` Packet of dried peas and a bottle of vinegar' which was all that was left in his cupboard. Sorrow is regularly used to try and change things so the reader can empathize with Billy's situation and this tends to have a great affect on the reader. Barry hines appears to see education as crucial there are many sections in the novel where billy is at scholl. We see him lessons talking to teacher studying and evem in assembly. However barry does not show education just as learning he shows it as a part if life he does this by showing education has a vital impact on personal development a way to make friends become independent kearn talent gain
In Kestrel For A Knave, Hines presents most of Billy's schooling, and his teachers of any significance that we encounter, in a negative way - Discuss.
Wider Reading In Kestrel For A Knave, Hines presents most of Billy's schooling, and his teachers of any significance that we encounter, in a negative way. The very first teacher we encounter, Mr Gryce, typifies that impression. He is the head teacher of the school and is very strict. The first word Hines uses to describe him is "furious" which gives the reader a notion of what he is like. He walks around with a cane to intimidate the children. During assembly he shouts at a boy for coughing, even though he clearly didn't see who it was. I think that this aspect of his character is not really convincing or realistic at least not by the standards of my own school. This has the effect of making me question Hines' characterisation, but it does at least make his attitude towards Billy's teachers very clear. The main thing I notice about Hines' presentation of Mr Gryce is the way he makes him contradict himself. An example of this occurs when a child reads from the bible, "Never despise one of these little ones," and yet Mr Gryce treats younger people particularly badly. This confirms my impression that we should have no sympathy towards him and suggests that Hines has set out to ridicule him. Gryce even canes Billy for falling asleep during the Lords Prayer. I notice how intimidated the children are by his presence, "When he arrived they formed up as neatly as a hand of cards
Compare the way Mrs Casper, Mr Sugden and Mrs Farthing treat Billy in
In "A Kestrel for a Knave", Barry Hines tells his realistic story of a boy called Billy. Firstly Billy lives with his mother and brother in their small house in Barnsley. His mother smokes cigarettes all day and asks, "You haven't got a gag on you, have you, love?" and "Do me a favour, love, and run up to t'shop for some fags." By asking if he can go to the shop and buy some cigarettes, obviously is showing that she is a selfish mother, and not worrying that he should not smoke. She uses Billy as she has no money to pay for anything, but asks him to put it on an account, where lots of other debts are. When Billy refuses to do so she blocks his way and tells "Billy, get up to that shop and do as you're telled." When he refuses she threatens "I'll bloddy murder you when I get hold of you." She is expressing herself to be physically harsh to Billy, and demonstrates that she is an uncaring mother. For Billy to get away from his mother it is like escaping from a prison, however, instead of getting charged a sentence, he is beaten by his own mother. Furthermore, Mrs Casper has no time for Billy as even when she remotely is questioning what he is doing during the evening and he responds that he will, "Read my book" and when he tells his mum its about "Falconry" and that he is "goin' to get young kestrel" she has no idea what that is, and when Billy explains she changes the
How far can upbringing and school be held responsible for a person's success and failure in life?
How far can upbringing and school be held responsible for a person's success and failure in life? I attend a private outstanding school situated in the countryside with sports fields, tennis courts, swimming pool and many other privileged things. By being given the opportunity to try different sports, subjects and hobbies it gives me a wider experimental range of things I can find I am good at and a wider knowledge of subjects and skills for later on in life, which may contribute to whether or not, I am successful in life. The teachers go that extra mile to make sure work is on time, we understand everything, we are happy. They try their hardest to make each individual perform to the best level they personally can and teach me valuable lessons, which are the key to success. The classes in my school are smaller meaning that the teachers can speak more personally to the class giving each pupil individual attention when needed. The friendly atmosphere, the inviting décor, and interesting way of teaching makes me want to go to school and learn, if I didn't have these I may not be so eager. Each night I return to a good family. I have healthy food which provides me with a healthy up bringing and environment and may contribute to how long I live, whether I will be prone to heart disease etc. My family support me with my schoolwork, help me with my problems and protect me from
How does Barry Hines create sympathy for Billy Casper? In a kestral for a knave
How does Barry Hines create sympathy for Billy Casper? In 'A Kestrel for a knave?' KES is set in the early 1960's in Sheffield, South Yorkshire and in the first few pages we get the impression that Billy and his family live on a deprived estate. There are many signs of this throughout the novel and one of the first things we read about is that Billy and his brother not only share a bedroom but also share the bed itself. 'He stayed in his own half of the bed, groaning and turning......' The bedroom window didn't even have any curtains at it. There was obviously no central heating as Billy was very cold when he got up and had to prepare and light a coal fire. Unlike most homes today there was not much food in the house what food there was, was kept in a pantry rather than a fridge; fridges were not commonplace objects in the homes of ordinary people in the 60's. the floor covering is another clue to depravation; it was not covered in carpet but lino. The family had not got much regard for their home. One example of this is the mother cleaning her shoes on the edge of the tablecloth. So as a conclusion to the historical setting we can tell that Billy lives in a time where life wasn't as easy and things we take for granted like central heating, electricity and hot water weren't so widely available. Only the rich people had the luxuries like hot water and Billy certainly
How do the various adults treat Billy Casper in "Kestrel for a Knave"?
. How do the various adults treat Billy Casper in "Kestrel for a Knave"? 2. How dose the society in which Billy lives in have an effect on him? . Billy Casper is a 14 year old boy who lives in a rough area of South Yorkshire in 1968. In the book most of the adults treat him with no respect and look down on him, but a few take pity on him and begin to understand him. In the book even his family treat him bad. His brother Jud treats him like dirt and thinks he has the right to boss Billy around. He says things like, "O'shut it", "Do it yourself" and "I'd have bloody killed him if I'd got hold of his this afternoon". Jud never dose anything for Billy but expects Billy to do things for him. He dose not treat Billy like a brother and doesn't seem to like him. His mother, (Miss Casper as she is known in the book) treats him just as bad if not worse. She says things like "O' stop pestering me" and "We will see if you're going or not you cheeky, young bugger". She doesn't seem to have any time for him and when she wants to get her some cigarettes because he will be late for school she gets angry. "Have you had any tea Billy", "NO", "Well get some" this shows that he is left to fend for himself and if he doesn't make any tea for himself know one else will. When Jud kills Billy Kestrel all his mother has to say is, "That was a rotten trick Jud" she doesn't stand up for Billy or
A Kestrel for a Knave – An alternative ending.
A Kestrel for a Knave - An alternative ending. He stopped feeling, and straightened up quickly, holding the hawk in his hand. Fresh tears descended the ragged cliff side of his face, mingled with the dirt on his cheeks, welled up at the bottom of his chin, and dropped as shiny brown globules onto the limp corpse of Kes. Through his blurred and bloodshot eyes Billy begun to examine the hawk; pulling out and stretching its unresisting wings, realigning its twisted and broken neck, and finally staring into its glassy eyes, which were now just small, cold umber marbles, devoid of any life. Blinded by the now steady stream of salty water pouring down his face, Billy, hawk clutched close to his chest, turned on his heel and ran, slipping on the wet gravel as he did so. As he arrived back in the kitchen, his mother and Jud both stared at his dishevelled form. Billy stared imploringly back at his mother, and then gave his brother a glare of unmitigated and utter hatred. 'He killed it.' Yet more tears arrived in the corners of his eyes. 'Oh gi't a rest now Billy.' His mother replied quietly 'There's nowt you can do about it now.' 'That bastard killed it,' Billy shouted pointing at Jud. 'Shut tha mouth Billy. It were thi own bloody fault anyroad.' Jud was beginning to lose his temper. 'Just look what he's done mam.' Billy had started to regain some strength through the
Compare the ways in which Mrs Casper, Mr Sugden and Mr Farthing treat Billy.
Compare the ways in which Mrs Casper, Mr Sugden and Mr Farthing treat Billy. In this essay I will attempt to compare the ways in which the three main characters in this story treat Billy, Mrs Casper, Mr Sugden and Mr Farthing. The book is set in the sixties in a mining village in Yorkshire. First of all I will discuss Billy, he is a young and naive boy, he is about to leave school which is a place he hates. He doesn't get on with most of the teachers and rebels against their rules. He hates and is hated, his family and friends are harsh to him, and already think he is going to end a failure, and in trouble. He doesn't want to work down the mines and wants to work with animals which he knows about. His only companion is his kestrel hawk which he raised from the nest and trained well. There are many similarities between himself and the hawk. For example it is a bird of prey, it doesn't get any pleasure in killing, but it has to kill to live, Billy doesn't get any pleasure in stealing but has to steal otherwise he would not be fed. Also there are a lot of similarities between the author of the book, Barry Hines, and Billy himself. Barry Hines was born in the mining village of south Hoyland common, near Barnsley, south Yorkshire. There is a similarity there as Billy was born in a mining village at the same period of time from a poor working family background. Therefore it could
A Kestrel For A Knave.
A Kestrel For A Knave Billy doesn't exactly live in the land of luxury. He wakes to a grim bedroom and an unpleasant brother on the other side of the single bed, Billy and Jud share: "There were no curtains up. The window was a hard-edged block the colour of the night sky..." Already we see that his bedroom is so basic, that there are no curtains. In Billy's house there is no heating and so to get a bit of heat he has a fire, no central heating. The home is where a person should feel at ease and relaxed, but Billy can't enjoy this luxury because when he is at home his brother miss - treats him and his mother ignores him. As Billy's home isn't pleasant he spends a lot of his time out side. Billy needs to have two worlds because the real world in which he lives treats him extremely badly. Billy does not seem to have a good future ahead of him. His life looks very bleak. To get a bit of money Billy does a paper round. He gets on his bike every morning and delivers papers from his local newsagents; except this morning, his brother, Jud, took Billy's bike. So this causes Billy to be late for his job. As Billy collects his papers he steals some chocolate, showing he is hungry. Billy stales quite a lot, but only food and drink, I think he does it because he is always hungry and doesn't get enough food at home. After the paper round Billy goes off to school. Billy school life