Compass and Torch Characters

BOY
1. Optimistic
  1. "the boy, though is not looking that way" [4]
    1. Ignoring the end and the problems
      1. Determined to know and accept dad anyways
        May be not aware of the problems
    2. He is focused on what he has to do then worrying about the future and past
      1. He is hopeful
2. Stereotypical
  1. "Jim's kindness and affirmation. But Jim is not his Dad." [35]
    1. He knows what a dad should be like
      1. Jim is 'not' his dad because he is not manly
        Wants dad to be 'strong' and have 'correct judgement
        That is why watching dad so closely to check if he is actually the right Dad.
    2. May also show his disappointment, as if concealing himself
      1. he wanted him to be dad, but he is 'not'
        shows he is understanding and knows that dad could be gentle as well
3. Still unaware
  1. "Watching what dad is. Drinking it in - the essence of Dadness." [8]
    1. He is still not aware of what the relationship should be like
      1. Wants to know what Dad is like and how their relationship should be
        May be preparing himself for the way he would talk and walk with him
    2. he is trying to find out connections.
      1. Has the desire to reunite
    3. Suspicious whether he is the right Dad
      1. Trying to find bad qualities that maybe his mom would have told him about.
4. Desperate
  1. "Its OK, the boy decided, that his dad han't looked at the torch and hasn't studied or handled like Jim" [50]
    1. He is encouraging and forgiving
      1. Tries to ignore bad qualities
        Desperate about Dad, doesn't want to lose him at all
5. Pressure
  1. "this moment which he had looked forward to, longer for, as his moment of joy, was a moment of unhappiness for her." [113]
    1. he has sympathy for mom but desperate for dad
      1. both feelings on after another shows confusion of mind
        making him feel terrible as he has to be disloyal to one of them
        Shows how his mother's feelings I always influencing him
DAD
1. Good Father
  1. "the man judged correctly" [14] "parks the car gently, gets out smartly" [39]
    1. Pessimistic figure for mum as divorced parents
    2. Positive qualities as father - boys point of view
    3. Comparison with Jim's kindness and affirmation
2. Shown weak
  1. "the way his dad said, 'Hi, there!' in that brittle, jovial way to Jim." [105]
    1. He has low self-esteem in front of Jim, lost importance
    2. "brittle" weak and incapable, foreshadows failure of relationship at the end
    3. "Jovial" hiding broke heart with cheer
      1. He is ready to have his pain for happiness of family
      2. No sympathy for reuniting, fear breaking their heart
      3. If weak then mom won't allow with boy, does not want to lose chance
3. Desire to reunite
  1. "the man looks up - for the first time - at the path they will take" [89]
    1. desire to reunite, trying to find way
    2. 'first time' he fears to see the path, so reluctant to look
    3. 'will' uncertainty, does not know how to develop relation, holds him back
4. Positive effort
  1. "'Come on"' says the man, all briskness now, and holds the door back for the boy to get out of the car." [55]
    1. 'briskness' (quickness) shows he is boosting himself
      1. trying not to disappoint him
        May be wants to get over with this
    2. helps to get out of car
      1. starts to fulfil duty of father
      2. wanting to rake him out of shelter and safety of 'car'(mom)
      3. He wants to direct him the path as a father into the future, opening 'door' for him
5. Strong from inside
  1. because he take son 'pain' and decides to leave the boy as he is incapable
    1. "he has lost his child" [168] he has been unable to fulfil his expectation and unable to be a goof father
    2. "could only half-listen to his child's earnest voice" [169] feels he is unable to understand him
    3. "gently takes torch away" [171] taking away source and hope of light for finding way, without torch darkness so no way for future relationship
MOM
1. Dominating
  1. "You wouldn't expect him to start now, would you?" [25]
  2. always questions; the structure leaves dad without answer
    1. discourage and embarrass him; so he cancels plans
      1. She is influencing other's decision
  3. Use of 'you' makes it appear more like authority than question
2. Caring and careful
  1. "Her voice was low and light" [ 21] "Suddenly a kind of snarl" [25]
    1. should have said with authority
      1. 'light and low' still care and emotions in her
        does not want to hurt him perhaps
    2. 'snarl' picturise her growling with bare teeth
      1. wants to get her inner anger on him
        She does not want her emotions to make herself weak
        maybe 'suddenly' her memories of pain stops her from showing that care in 'low and light' voice
3. Guilty and ashamed
  1. "he saw her start with alarm and shame"
    1. 'start' implies she suddenly stopped with fright of boy coming
      1. shows secrecy of hiding things from boy
        so that boy is not against his father; wants him to go and reunite
    2. 'alarm' she knows she has to be cautious about what she is doing
      1. But sill can't control
        shows how devastated she is and how much pain she is concealing
    3. 'shame' she is guilty of crossing limits
      1. she knows she is wrong
        she stops as boy would think her to be rude and evil; fears losing son
4. Pessimistic
  1. "No Hope of him trying to RELATE to his him" [101]
    1. 'full stop' determined that she will not change the relationship
      1. maybe past pain made her stubborn and negative
        her stubbornness but temptation to reunite from inside leaves her disorientated
5. Disorientated
  1. "The light seeping through her fuzzy hair" [30]
    1. She is fading; losing her control
    2. 'fuzzy hair' she is chaotic and disorientated
      1. leads to the ideas of compass which is used to orientate yourself, but she is disorientated, so does not know which way to take the relationship
JIM
1. Competitive figure
  1. "Jim's kindness and affirmation" [ 35]
    1. different approach of getting place as dad
    2. 'kindness' lack of experience as dad, not bold
    3. better at dealing with kids
2. unconfirmed place
  1. "But Jim is not his dad" [ 36]
    1. No from boy; compares with dad's strength
    2. Maybe yes, disappointed he is not his father, trying to consolidate himself
    3. No clue from mother; don't really talk
    4. use of Jim; not place of dad yet
3. Dignity
  1. "the way dad said in that brittle, jovial way to Jim and the way Jim dropped his eyes" [105]
    1. dad is subordinate
      1. he feels Jim has more importance now
    2. 'dropped his eyes' to show his annoyance
      1. may Jim has low self-esteem
4. Understandable
  1. "as is understood all there was to understand about dad, and didn't want to embarrass him" [105]
    1. 'dropped his eyes' before this; feels dad has more importance
      1. So does so speak much, avoid being at fault
    2. doesn't say much, not to embarrass dad
      1. he understands dad situation
        hence he is trying to be nice but at the same time trying to keep his place
5. Bitter
  1. "shifting at the kitchen table with an unhappy kind of rustle" [23]
    1. 'rustle' low whispers; filling mom's ears
      1. 'unhappy' about dad joining; breaking the family
        'unhappy' about the way mom treats dad

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Compass and Torch Characters

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