Transcript Document

The Cone Gatherers
BBC Class Clips
Characterisation of Calum and Neil
• Neil and Calum argue over an injured rabbit. Neil
becomes impatient and angry at Calum's sympathetic
heart, and knows that interfering with the gamekeeper
Duror's snares could land them in trouble. Mr Tulloch
expresses his overview of Neil and Calum's
personalities.
• Consider themes of war and the destruction of
innocence. Link Calum with innocence. Consider the
relationship between the two brothers.
• Why is Neil quickly irritated with his brother?
• We see Neil softening towards Calum. Why does Calum
promise to leave animals alone?
• Consider Duror as the 'threatening force'. Who is he
pointing the gun at?
•
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/the-cone-gatherers-characterisation-of-calum-and-neil/5609.html
• Consider themes of war and the destruction of
innocence. Link Calum with innocence. Consider
the relationship between the two brothers.
• Why is Neil quickly irritated (he feels responsible
and worried for Calum who is naïve to the
brutality of the world). We see Neil softening
towards Calum.
• Why does Calum promise to leave animals
alone? Inner conflict between wanting to be
'manly' and wanting to be caring.
• Consider Duror as the 'threatening force'. Who is
he pointing the gun at?
In the Beach House
• Neil and Calum sit in the beach house, sheltering from
the rain. They inspect some abandoned toys and
discuss how attitudes towards them differ between
the classes. Calum wants to take home and repair a
broken doll but Neil sees this as stealing. Lady Runcie
Campbell arrives and demands that they leave.
• Where is class division highlighted in this scene?
• How do the characters posture and tone to each
other reveal their attitudes to class?
• What is symbolic about the doll being broken?
• Why does Calum like the doll?
•
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/the-cone-gatherers-in-the-beach-house/5610.html
• Ask the students to identify where class division is
highlighted. (Neil's observation about the toy, and
Lady Runcie Campbell wishing to distance herself
from the lower-class boys).
• How do the characters posture and tone to each
other reveal their attitudes to class?
• What is symbolic about the doll being broken? (It is
representative of innocence being destroyed.)
• Ask students to think about why Calum likes the doll
(he is child-like and he is drawn to innocence). He also
wants to mend the toy revealing his longing to help.
However, here again, Calum is an outsider as he does
not fit into the rules of society which sees this as
'stealing'.
Duror's Motivations
• The inspector tells Wallace his theories as to
why the gamekeeper, Duror, dislikes the cone
gatherers (especially Calum). The theory that
Duror projects aspects of himself that he
despises on to Calum is considered. They go to
Mrs Lochie who tells them how Duror began to
resent his wife after she became ill and lost her
looks, as he hates deformity.
• Write a list of all of the different reasons
suggested by the inspector.
•
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/the-cone-gatherers-durors-motivations/5611.html
• Write a list of all of the different reasons
suggested by the inspector (who blames
Duror's diseased mind and his transferral of
his perverse longings on to Calum) and Mrs
Lochie (who blames his hatred of illness and
deformity).
The Deer Drive
• Tulloch relates what he saw on the deer drive to
Wallace and the inspector. He tells them how Calum
was distressed and tried to save the deer Duror had
shot, and how Duror went into a frenzy, stabbing at
the deer over and over. He believes Duror was
mentally attacking something else, such as Calum, his
wife Peggy and what he saw as ugly in the world.
• Contrast different viewpoints of Calum - Duror hates
him while Mr Tulloch sees him as brave and
empathetic.
• What significance does Mr Tulloch attribute to this
event?
•
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/the-cone-gatherers-the-deer-drive/5612.html
Theories Behind Duror's Crimes
• Waiting in Lady Runcie Campbell's grand house, Wallace expresses
his rage and disgust at Duror's murder of Calum. He presents his
theory that Duror was out for any excuse to kill Calum, and found
one when Calum's brother Neil disobeyed an order from the
upper class Lady Runcie Campbell..
• Consider the way in which class is presented, particularly focusing
on Wallace's analysis of Lady Runcie Campbell forcing the cone
gatherers to leave the beach hut. Why did she do this? Also
consider the way in which Duror views class (more conservative
and believes in hierarchy). Does this help explain why he killed
Calum?
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/the-cone-gathererstheories-behind-durors-crimes/5613.html
Duror <3 LRC
• A montage of Duror's attraction towards Lady Runcie Campbell,
whom he sees as perfect (in contrast to so much else around him
that is ugly), is accompanied by a voiceover from the inspector,
discussing his state of mind. Back to the drama, Lady Runcie
Campbell then describes being disturbed by how Duror talked to
her, and how she found Calum dead up a tree after Duror killed
him.
• Ask the class to make a list of all the ways Duror is surrounded by
imperfection. Ask them what he finds solace in. Ask them to think
about how Duror would feel if his only salvation (Lady Runcie
Campbell) was threatened – does this help us to understand his
actions?
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/the-conegatherers/5614.html
Roderick's Opinion
• Detective Wallace and the inspector quiz Roderick about his perceptions
of the cone gatherers, Neil and Calum. Roderick expresses his admiration
for the two brothers, his friendship with them and his dislike of Duror's
and his mother's poor treatment of them. His mother, Lady Runcie
Campbell, can't understand his compassionate point of view towards
lower-class men, especially Calum. Wallace, however, can relate to
Roderick's view.
• Ask the class to consider the ways in which Roderick differs to his
mother, especially in his view of the cone gatherers. Examine the ways in
which he sympathises with the cone gatherers and how he views Duror's
behaviour towards them. Ask the class if they agree with Wallace's
assessment of Roderick's behaviour. By the end of the clip, the class
should have a characterisation of Roderick and his view of the cone
gatherers.
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/the-cone-gatherers-rodericksopinion/5615.html
Issues of Class
•
Wallace and the inspector talk to Lady Runcie Campbell in her grand house. She reveals her
husband's patronising attitude towards people from the lower classes and his belief that upper
classes are objectively superior. By contrast, her son Roderick has a comparitively liberal attitude,
which his parents find 'quaint'. She accuses Wallace of being a conscientious objector, but he
reveals he is too injured to fight in the war.
•
Examine the language Lady Runcie Campbell uses towards those of other classes. What
connotations are suggested? ('inferiors', 'quaint'). What pressures are placed on Roderick by his
parents and does this help us sympathise with him? (His masculinity is questioned due to his
belief in equality.) What pressures does Lady Runcie Campbell face? Note the pressures she
describes and whether the class feel sympathy towards her: she is managing an estate in a time
of war and in difficult circumstances with allegations of sexual misconduct. She may also never
have experienced full independence as she talks of her husband's ideas as her own (explain the
historical context of the novel when women were only just experiencing equality in the
workplace).
•
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/the-cone-gatherers-issues-of-class/5616.html
Calum's Death
• Lady Runcie Campbell talks to the inspector about her experience of
discovering Calum's body. She sees Calum's death as a sacrifice bringing
potential for a new and better beginning.
• Consider the way in which Lady Runcie Campbell regards Calum.
Introduce the class to the idea of symbolism. Ask them to consider the
symbolic reason for blood covering her hands. Does this suggest she is
partly to blame for Calum's death? She also describes a sense of pity and
happiness - why does she feel these contrasting emotions? Point the
class towards the religious symbolism suggested in the death of Calum
whose innocence and sacrifice can be compared to Christ's. Once he
gave up his life for others, our sins were forgiven bringing new joy. Lady
Runcie Campbell is also seen as kneeling. What does this position
suggest? Has she changed in her view towards others?
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/the-cone-gatherers-calumsdeath/5617.html
Conclusion
• Wallace reiterates the idea that Duror killed Calum to try
to cleanse his own twisted hatred of the world, as he saw
Calum as embodying ugliness, which Duror couldn't stand.
When this didn't work, Duror turns his gun on himself. The
two detectives then leave to return to Glasgow.
• Duror's motivation for killing himself and conclusion: List
the reasons given as to why Duror killed himself and
whether the novel's climax leaves a positive or negative
message. Ask students to consider the relevance of this
text to their own lives. Consider topics such as prejudice,
injustice, disability, discrimination, responsibility and
respect for others.
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/the-conegatherers-conclusion/5618.html