characters of koc

Mr Jo Hoops
1. quotes:
  1. he LACKS CONFIDENCE and is NOT CONFIDENT, WEAK, - p.11 “He knew himself to be an ineffectual man, without any strength or imposing qualities”
  2. LACKS EMOTION: p.186 “he did not care very much about her”. refers to his dead father as "old man".
  3. LONELY, and CANT COMMUNCATE WITH HIS SON: ’ Feeling as if he is a ‘stranger’ in Edmund’s bedroom, and that they ‘should be close together’ highlights Mr. Hooper’s loneliness.
  4. FAILURE AND HIS LIFE IS FULL WITH CONSTANT DISAPPOINTMENTS: . He feels that he has ‘failed […] from the very beginning’
  5. LONELY: Mr. Hooper is a ‘lonely man,’ and he is not afraid to admit it. He hopes that with the arrival of Mrs. Kingshaw and Charles that he will ‘no longer feel alone.’
  6. SEXUALLY FRUSTRATED: when he thinks about Mrs Kingshaw he feels ‘excited’ that a relationship with her would give him ‘pleasure’ and ‘satisfaction.’ he often walked down side streets looking ‘for the pictures of breasts and mouths […] outside the erotic cinemas.’ At the circus, he focuses on the ‘bodies of the girls that rippled and shone, in watery satin.’
  7. EVIDENCE OF HIS FAILED COLD MARRIAGE: ‘elaborate courtesy of the double bed’. In other words, he no longer shared intimate moments with his wife. He describes their relationship as suffering from a ‘cold gap.’ They simply shared the same bed.
  8. DOESNT UNDERSTAND PEOPLE: He mistakenly believes that he can ‘understand’ Kingshaw, and that they are ‘quite good friends.’ Yet he, like the other characters, is just as ignorant of Kingshaw’s suffering.
  9. POSSESSIVENESS: "until it belongs to me"
2. Mr. Hooper lives in a gloomy house called ‘Warings,’ that he has inherited from his deceased father. Interestingly, his tall, thin figure echoes the gloomy feeling of Warings. After the death of his wife ( he had an unhappy marriage) , he advertises for an ‘informal housekeeper’ to help with the domestic chores, and to provide company for himself and his son, Edmund.
  1. doesnt have good relationships with anyone in the book
Kingshaw
1. Charles Kingshaw is ten years old, and is the only child of Mrs. Kingshaw. His father has died in the war, and he has lived in a succession of houses and hotels since his father has died. Once he arrives at warings he feel sthe need to prove himself to Hooper. Previously, he has been at a boarding school, where he remained unnoticed because he was a quiet and average pupil. Charles is a very important character because Large parts of the story are told through his eyes.
  1. he is WEAK character who has locked himself in his imagination. his imagination makes everything worse (ex: he imagined that the crow will kill him). He is very SENSITIVE he has IRRATIONAL FEARS (dark, insects,...). Kingshaw creates too many ROLEMODELS for himself (picking qualities that he wishes he had) this shows he isnt comfortable in himslef. The Lack of affection from his mother / lack of understanding seems to provoke DESPAIR making him feel he has no one to turn to especially because the only family he has left is against him
    1. When away from people and places that oppress him, Kingshaw is relaxed and able to enjoy life. (for example the stream / Leydell castle and hang wood (he ‘liked the sense of being completely hidden.)
      1. to Kingshaw the stream in hangwood is seen as a sanctuary, where he relaxes and is at ease, this is the same place he goes to drown himeself knowing that there he willl be at peace.
      2. Most of the novel is told through the eyes of Charles, and we are encouraged to feel sympathy for him and the persecution that he suffers. Kings haw shows an amazing capacity for kindness.
        quotes:
        ISOLATED - p.189 “wanting only to get out, to get away from them all”
        OVERREACTING - p.208 “everybody will fall and there is nothing I can do” p.160-161 The film he sees on the television
        LACKS CONFIDENCE (EXPLANATION FOR WHY HE NEVER TRIED TO FIGHT HOOPER: “He did not give in to people, he only went, from the beginning, with the assurance that he would be beaten.” He ‘flushed brick red,’ and ‘stepped back,’ as Hooper questioned him about why they have come to Warings (belives Hooper is stronger than him.
        DEPRESSED: p.187 “He wanted to cry with frustration”
        EASILY FRIGHTENED: Before he had read Hooper’s note, he ‘stuffed it fearfully into his trouser pocket.’ after being locked in the red room he is ‘violently sick.’
        LOW SELF-ESTEEM :he soon begins to feel that ‘Hooper had won. He decides that he ‘must be like Fielding,’
        EVIDENCE THAT HOOPER DRIVES HIM MAD: Kingshaw cannot face the ‘relentless persecution,’ which he suffers at the hands of Hooper. breaks down again into ‘sobs of terror’ when he is locked in the shed
        COMPASSIONATE: he comforts Hooper in a ‘rush of embarrassed kindness.’ Kingshaw turns down his chance to seek revenge on Hooper, and decides that being vindictive is of no benefit to him.
2. people he admires and why
eddie Hooper
1. common ground with kingshaw
  1. both lost one parent, both lonley, roughly same age and no friends
2. quotes: "He could not have imagined the charm it afforded him, having Kingshaw here, thinking of things to do to him.”
  1. MANIPULATIVE: “He shrank from the expression in the boy’s eyes”
  2. CONTROLLING , “The boy’s room, high up (…) overlooked the copse. He had chosen it.” p.24 “white paper was pinned on the wall, with curious lines, and little coloured dots, in blocks, together” p.8 “nobody must come in here” + p.10 “it was his”. He claims that he has the power to ‘make anyone do anything’ to Kingshaw at school
  3. CRUEL - p.18 “I didn’t want you to come here” p.7 “all he looks like is one of his dead old moths”, " I DIDN"T WANT YOU TO COME HERE" and "SOMETHING WILL HAPPEN TO YOU." we feel repulsed by Hooper’s pride as he feels a ‘spurt of triumph’ that he ‘did that [forced Kingshaw into suicide].’
  4. POSSESSIVE: ‘nobody must come to Warings.’
  5. ISOLATION and TWISTED: His choice of a ‘narrow, dark bedroom’. he enjoys "drawing battle" give us an insight into the mind of a detached and isolated boy who is happy with only his own company.
  6. CUNNING: after locking Kingshaw in the red room, he offers him the toy in the cereal as he ‘smiled a sweet smile.' he blames Kingshaw for everything saying to his dad that Kingshaw doesnt want to play with him he ‘locks himself up,’ he lied that he had been ‘playing bandits’ with Kingshaw, when in fact he had locked Kingshaw in the shed.
  7. MEAN: cry-baby, cry-baby.’
3. He lies to Kingshaw to make himself seem strong even when he knows he is weak ( about the school) he is afraid of thunder
4. Edmund Hooper is an only child and has lived with his father since his mother’s death. He is ten years old. His evil and violent ( potentially due to the lack of a motherly figure) side isn't revealed until Kingshaw arrives. Hooper is lonely which is not surprising because of his nasty attitude. he is a strategic and possessive boy (doesn't wish to share his house). Once Hooper picks up on Kingshaw’s insecurity and fear, he uses it as a weapon to torment him.
  1. Hooper has no conscience, and enjoys the relentless bullying of Kingshaw. He is cold and calculating, manipulative and secretive. His lack of remorse at the end of the novel raises the possibility that evil does exist in children.
Mrs Kingshaw
1. quotes: “Things must not go wrong, this is my chance and I shall not waste it. I mean us all to be very happy.”
  1. SUPERFICIAL - p.59 “the bracelet slipped up and down her arm” p.134 “There was a green powder in the wrinkles along her eyelids. He hated it.” She ‘threw herself into planning the cocktail party,’ whilst choosing to ignore Charles’s suffering at the hands of Edmund.
  2. IGNORANT: p.185 “for she had decided to ignore it”
  3. PROOF OF ATTEMPTS TO SEDUCE MR HOOPER:
  4. TRIES TO WIN MR HOOPER: she arrives in a suit. Her main concerns are that it might be ‘too smart,’ and that she is keen that Charles creates a good impression by helping with the suitcases.
  5. SELFISH: When Mr. Hooper raises concerns about leaving the boys whilst they go to London, she is quick to point out that it will be an ‘adventure for them.’ Again, she puts herself first. Clearly, it is not an adventure as Charles runs away.
2. Mrs. Kingshaw is a widow who has struggled to manage financially since her husband died. She and her son, Charles Kingshaw, have been used to a middle class existence, and she is keen that she is able to continue to live like this. Mrs. Kingshaw is a proud lady, and she tries to remain respectable by taking great care over her appearance, and by taking work as a housekeeper in order to support herself and her son. They have lived in various houses and in hotels, and so Mrs. Kingshaw is attracted to the stability that Warings should offer. She also sees the opportunity to create a family with mr Hooper to fill the gaps in their lives and so she takes it. In doing this she does everything she can to win over the Hoopers including ignoring her son and his unhappiness.
3. Proud  Concerned with superficial things ,Selfish, Cold, Distant (doesnt listen to her son)  Insensitive (decides to marry Mr Hooper despite her son's condition) , Anxious to please Mr. Hooper ( constantly reminds her son that '[ they] are too be very grateful to mr hooper"
Anthony fielding
1. Anthony Fielding lives on a farm with his parents. He has a normal relationship with his parents, and appears to be able to make friends easily. Fielding only appears in three chapters, but he is an important character as he demonstrates that childhood happiness does exist. He also acts as a contrast to show just how sensitive Kingshaw is, and how little control Hooper has over other children.
  1. he is confidence and tries to reassure Kingshaw that Hooper cannot hurt him when he tries to frighten him. He tells Kingshaw to be forceful and tell Hooper to ‘stuff it.’ Fielding offers practical advice and tells Kingshaw that he will be his friend, and that he is welcome to come to the farm anytime.
    1. When Fielding agrees to go into the room with Hooper, it means that Hooper has no hold over Fielding, no excuse to bully him for being frightened. In his relationship with Hooper, Fielding shows that he is able to make friends with different people quite easily.
      1. he is an example that well balanced and secure children can emerge from loving families.

Next up

characters of koc

Description

Resource summary

Similar

	Created by simi.ayinde over 10 years ago