The Cone GatherersChapter One – Theme of Conflict

Ian Yule

Opening chapters

The SQA often sets a question which asks about the opening chapter of a novel and how it goes on to influence the rest of the book.

Chapter One of ‘The Cone Gatherers’ is such a chapter – it introduces us to a theme which will run throughout the novel:

Conflict

Conflict in the SETTING

The beautiful ‘Garden of Eden’ style woodland:

Techniques (1):

Word choice: “it was a good tree” “many cones” “much sunshine” “homely” “rests”

Techniques 2:

Simile “its topmost branches as comfortable as

chairs” Sentence Structure The long sentence which builds up the

idea of perfection is placed at the start of the chapter.

Conflict in the SETTING

Into this perfect setting (microcosm) the evils of World War 2 (macrocosm) begin to creep in:

Techniques (1):

Alliteration: “the sun slip” “a destoyer had steamed seawards with a

sailor singing cheerfully” “aeroplanes had shot down from the sky” Onomatopoeia: “gunshots had cracked far off in the

wood”

A further contrast inside the SETTING

The conflict between rich and poor The Rich “mansion” “the great house”

A further contrast inside the SETTING

The Poor Images “a greasy shed” “hardly bigger than a rabbit hutch” Assonance “the ground round about was filthy with their

refuse and ordure”

The symbol of the division between rich and poor

“private fence of giant silver firs”

Look at all the connotations:

“private fence of giant silver firs” “private” – the poor are to be kept out “fence” – there is a barrier between rich and

poor “giant” – the division is huge “silver” – suggestions of wealth”

Conflict in CHARACTERISATION

Calum McPhie An innocent character in touch with nature “chaffinches fluttered round him” Connotations with

St Francis of Assisi

Calum McPhie

“his sunburnt face was alert and beautiful with trust” “he (Neil) knew what Calum represented, pity so

meek” “on the misshapen hump of his body sat a face so

beautiful and guileless to be a diabolical joke” Note the use of oxymoron to draw our attention to

Calum’s face and the juxtoposition between his beautiful nature on the inside and his hideous shape on the outside

John Duror

The personification of evil in the Garden of Eden-like Ardmore forest

A metaphor is used to describe his growing hatred of the Cone Gatherers:

“the overspreading tree of revulsion in him”

“the overspreading tree of revulsion in him”

Look at the connotations in this expression: “overspreading” – it will touch a number of

things / people around it “overspreading” – it will cast shade /

darkness “tree” – it has roots (“but he (Duror) could not

tell the force which made it grow”) “revulsion” – a powerful word for dislike

The roots

“Since childhood Duror had been repelled by anything living that had imperfection or deformity or lack”

Roots – in particular where evil comes from / what causes humans to do dreadful things – is a major theme in the book

This is drawn out by the title ‘The Cone Gatherers’ – cones are seeds from which trees grow

His obsessive dislike:

“He had waited over an hour to see them pass”

“Duror was alone in his obsession” “but in him was a force more powerful than

common sense or pride. He could not name it, but it dragged him irresistibly down towards that hut”

His fantasy:

“He saw himself returning, kicking open the door, shouting at them in disgust, and then blasting them both to everlasting perdition. He felt an icy hand on his brow as he imagined that hideous but liberating fratricide.”

Note the word choice (verbs):

“He saw himself returning, kicking open the door, shouting at them in disgust, and then blasting them both to everlasting perdition. He felt an icy hand on his brow as he imagined that hideous but liberating fratricide.”

Note the outcome:

“He saw himself returning, kicking open the door, shouting at them in disgust, and then blasting them both to everlasting perdition. He felt an icy hand on his brow as he imagined that hideous but liberating fratricide.”

Duror believes that killing the Cone Gatherers (in particular Calum) will set him free from the growing internal conflict

This fantasy sequence foreshadows the violent end of the novel.

Key incidents

A number of key incidents bring out the theme of conflict

Two are worth reflecting on The conflict over what to do with the rabbit

caught in the trap The scene at the Cone Gatherers’ hut at the

end of the chapter

The rabbit in the trap

“it pounded on the grass making choking noises”

Issues

“both front paws are broken” “it would not be able to run” “it would be at the mercy of its many enemies” It would be a kindness to kill it but Calum is unable to

kill: “I couldn’t, Neil.” This creates internal conflict (“sobbing in his

quandary”) in Calum – he wants a good option but there are none.

Duror has no such quandary – this is yet another contrast with Calum. Calum’s compassion is contrasted with Duror’s lack of it.

“When he did kneel, on one knee, to break the rabbit’s neck with one blow, it was like an act of sacrifice, so swift, so efficient, and somehow so purposeful.”

Note Jenkins’ use of alliteration of the letter ‘s’ to draw our attention to the cold killing of the rabbit.

The closing scene

A contrast is drawn between the quiet homely life of the two brothers

The meal of potatoes Neil reading the paper Calum skilfully carving a squirrel

“To Duror it had been the final defeat that such an ability should be in a half-man, a freak, an imbecile. He had read that the Germans were putting idiots and cripples to death in gas chambers. Outwardly, as everybody expected, he condemned such barbarity; inwardly, thinking of idiocy and crippledness not as abstractions but as embodied in the crouchbacked cone-gatherer, he had profoundly approved.”

Contrast the homely scene with what was going on in Duror’s mind

“He saw himself returning, kicking open the door, shouting at them in disgust, and then blasting them both to everlasting perdition. He felt an icy hand on his brow as he imagined that hideous but liberating fratricide.”

“Surely their deaths … could not be called murder” Duror’s final solution for the cone gatherers is

compared to Hitler’s final solution for the Jews.

The essay:

Explain how Robin Jenkins explores the theme of conflict between good and evil in chapter one of “The Cone Gatherers.”

In your answer you should refer to setting, characterisation, metaphor and key incidents.