a kestrel for a knave

A Kestrel for a Knave

By Barry Hines


Reasons for studying a novel. You can learn a great deal about life from reading novels. After all, you only experience a fraction of what society has to offer in your own lifetime. Novels give us an insight into other aspects of life. Novelists create characters different from ourselves, then show us how these characters interact with one another and their communities.


Through reading a book, we can enlarge our understanding of other patterns of behaviour.

In this novel, the focus is on deprivation suffered by people whose lives have little or no purpose.


Approaching a text. You are not expected to memorise facts. You will be asked to discuss issues to show your independent understanding of incidents and conflicts in the novel. You must base your opinions on what you read in the text. One issue in the text is a criticism of the school system, this is something you are familiar with, but you must remember to use the evidence in the text to back up your arguments.


The title. The quotation from ‘The Boke of St Albans’ tells us about the proper hunting bird for each rank in a court. The final listing is ‘a Kestrel for a Knave’. A knave has two meanings, the first is a serving boy at court, the second is dishonest person. When reading remember that Billy is connected to the meaning of a thief and someone who holds a low position in society.


Billy

Jud Mother School

Mr Gryce

Mr Sugden

Mr Farthing

Mr Crossley

Kes

Character study


The setting. The social setting of this novel is Britain in the late fifties/early sixties. During this period many people wrote about social emptiness. Barry Hines is concerned about council estates and schools that had been built too large for any real interpersonal relationships to develop. There are three main settings that you will need to focus on, you should look for comparisons and contrasts and to consider the effect they have on Billy.

Home School Countryside


Structure. This novel starts on a winter’s morning, then it reveals events from the previous summer, before returning to the present day with its variety of incidents leading to the dramatic conclusion late that night.


Structure. The structure follows an ordinary school day in Billy’s life, what is important is the way in which the kestrel is mentioned throughout the text. We learn how Kes is found and trained and her important role in Billy’s life. Our final image is of Kes as the avenger, stooping to her prey at Billy’s command.


Plot. ‘A Kestrel for a Knave’ has no formal chapters but you will need to keep track of the events as they unfold, and see how incidents are linked. You will soon see there is often cause and effect relationship between incidents. Understanding the plot is more than just knowing what happens. You need to be able to discuss the connections, an example of this is when Jud asks Billy to put his bet on for him at the start of the day.


Themes. These are the ideas that the text deals with. As you read, the themes will reveal themselves. Some of the themes that are dealt with are,

Family relationships,Poverty,Education,Weaknesses and hidden strengths.


Style. This is how the writer communicates his ideas to us. You need to be sensitive to the use of imagery, direct speech, interior monologues (thoughts). In this novel, a third person omniscient (all knowing) narrator tells the story. The focus is mainly on the protagonist (central character). The narrator reveals Billy’s thoughts through memory sequences. Images of sight, sound, touch and smell are used extensively to communicate Billy’s response to his surroundings.

A Kestrel for a Knave The Kestrel. The way in which

Billy captures and trains the bird is significant as it shows his confidence, dedicated interest and intelligence. Through the hawk he begins to learn about himself. Mr Farthing recognises Billy’s potential and he makes the connection between Billy and the wild bird specific when Billy relates his experience to the rest of the class.

A Kestrel for a KnaveThe death of the kestrel. At the end of the

novel Billy breaks out of his imaginary sequence. We see him returning to the harsh reality of having to live without freedom, powerless in the harshness of his world. In burying his hawk he buries any chance of escaping the limitations of his life. He returns to an empty house, and he brings us back to the destructive emptiness of the start of the novel.


The Family. Firstly we must consider the role of the family in establishing fundamental education. It is in the family that a child learns the difference between right or wrong; how to live in harmony with others; where to get acceptance, support, understanding and love.

This novel opens on a family scene, which immediately shows a dysfunctional family.


Types of abuse that Billy suffers.

Physical – both Jud and Mrs Casper attack Billy.

Verbal – threats are a normal part of his daily interaction.

Emotional – no warmth is shown to Billy, even after the loss of his hawk.


Mr Gryce. He is a typical cruel headmaster, who is in control of a large school. Most of the boys are unwilling learners. He has a bullying nature, he often slaps heads and regularly canes the boys for breaking his rules. Barry Hines is showing us that when a man has absolute power there is a danger that his bullying behaviour goes unchecked.


Mr Crossley. He concentrates on the most meticulous details of school administration and he overlooks the needs of his pupils. He allows Billy’s classmates to poke fun at him and is sarcastic to Billy as well.

Mr Sugden. He is a caricature of the sports teacher. He is more concerned about his own appearance. He enjoys basking in his own glory and adores flattery. He abuses his power and betrays the role of educator as he does not possess an understanding of fair play.


Mr Farthing. He is a typically good teacher. He takes note of the boys in his class, he always asks them to share their own experiences. He does not allow interruptions or mockery. He sees the true potential that Billy possesses.

A Kestrel for a Knave The Pit. Billy’s employment prospects

are narrow, he will probably follow Jud ‘down t’pit’. Deep coal mining has long been associated with exploitation of the work force. Coal mining created communities dependent on the pit, with a culture of their own. Sons followed fathers down the pit as a matter of course, and the closure of the pit posed a huge economic threat to the community. The production of coal has gradually declined since 1957, many coal mining areas still suffer from severe deprivation and unemployment.


This scheme of work will prepare you for your exam. You will have a question on this text. This presentation will enable you to examine the text in close detail, and it is your responsibility to take frequent notes and page references for specific quotations for revision purposes.

I have chosen this text as it is a personal favourite of mine and one I also studied while at school many years ago. I hope that you enjoy it much as I still do.

We will read the entire text, and discuss issues as they arise in the text. We will conclude by watching the incredible film adaptation of this text, but you must remember that it is text we are studying and not the film.

a kestrel for a knave

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