“ 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 bully him and they enjoy doing this. For example when Billy tells Mr Sugden, His P.e Teacher, that he has no kit, Mr Sugden makes him wear shorts that are far too big for him. We are told:
“Billy, like a brave little clown, was busy trying to make them, and Sugden was looking was looking at him as though it was his fault for being too small for them.”
Mr Gryce is also an unfair and unreasonable teacher. He doesn’t listen to what pupils have to say and he thinks that he knows best. For example when Billy has been sent to his office for sleeping during assembly a boy comes in with a message for Mr Gryce. With out even asking the boy for an explanation he immediately assumes he has been sent for bad behaviour and he gives him the belt. He says:
“Please Sir”
“Don’t interrupt boy, when I’m speaking.”
This shows that he doesn’t listen to what his pupils have to say.
Billy is also physically deprived. Nobody supplies him with clean clothes and decent meals. An example of this would be that he is very skinny due to the lack of decent food. His mother doesn’t have time to cook him one so she tells him to go get it himself. She says:
“Here, theres two bob for you. Go and buy yourself some pop an’ some crisps or summat”
This shows that she expects Billy to get his own food or go the day with the amount of money she gives him. Another example that shows Billy is physically deprived is the fact that he doesn’t own a P.e kit. When he is told to get changed he says:
“I’ve no kit, Sir.”
This makes his teacher think even less of him so it is much easier for them to bully him. The Fact that Billy has no kit suggests that his mum doesn’t bother about buying the clothes he needs.
One of the ways Billy combats this deprivation is through he relationship he builds with a hawk. Billy cares for and respects the hawk more than anything else and in return the bird respects him as well. For example he says:
“Do you know, Sir, I feel as though shes doin’ me a favour just letting me stand here.”
This shows that they both respect and care for each other. The hawk symbolises hope for Billy. It brings out Billy’s potential and shows that if he is interested in something he can learn about it. For example when he is demonstrating to his class how he trains his hawk, Mr Farthing asks him how to spell a lot of the words most of the class hadn’t heard of before. He says:
“After she’s done this, you can take her leash off an’ attach a creance in its place.
“Creance?”
“C-R-E-A-N-C-E”
This shows that when Billy is interested in something he can learn about it and it suggests that he does have an ability to learn. His potential has never been nurtured by anyone.
Another way Billy combats his deprivation is through the small amount of praise he receives from his teacher, Mr Farthing. Mr Farthing treats all his pupils with respect and doesn’t pick on them because they are in one of the lowest section. For example he praises Billy and calls him an “Expert” when he sees him flying his hawk. Billy receives very little praise from his mother or Jud so when Mr Farthing praises him it makes Billy feel special for one of the first times. Mr Farthing is also a very fair teacher. For example when Billy is fighting with another boy from his school Mr Farthing splits it up and listens to both sides of the boys story. This suggests that he doesn’t just assume that one of them is good and that one is bad.
Billy himself is a survivor throughout the novel. He is a determined and gymnastic boy who has potential but nobody realises it because they think of him as a troublemaker. For example when he is doing P.e and is set in goals for football he swings about and hangs on the crossbar. This shows that he is gymnastic but his teacher shouts at him instead of telling him how good he is. Another example of how Billy is a survivor is how patient and determined to train the hawk he is. He even steals a book on falconry because he is refused one at the library. Billy is also good with other animals for example, Mr Farthing asks if he has had any other pets before and he replies:
“Stacks. I had a young fox cub once, reared it an’ let it go. It wa’ a little blinder.”
This suggests that if Billy is motivated then he could go on to do something to do with wildlife as a career.
The message Hines puts across throughout the novel is that boys like Billy who are deprived can’t change the fact that they have a very bleak future. At the end of the novel when Billy buries the hawk, it suggests that he is burying his hope and his chance of breaking through deprivation.
Barry Hines’ depiction of a young boys fight for survival in a world, which seems to care little about him, is often touching. Overall, however, it leaves us in doubt that deprivation destroys self-respect, determination and ultimately the most important thing that everybody needs to survive – hope.