Jack in My Boy Jack

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Personality

Role

  • Mildly rebellious 'a gesture of defiance’ - John’s selection of a different brand of cigarettes to his father confirms his inner refusal to follow in his father’s footsteps
  • Doesn't like extensive control placed upon him by Kipling - ‘can’t bear being ‘geed up’ and encouraged’ - significant admittance, being forcefully steered by Kipling
  • ‘The whole house is dark’ - sees Batemans as an oppressive house, wants to leave
  • The protagonist of the novel
  • Aged only 15 at the beginning of the novel - September 1913.
  • Shows the idea of innocence betrayed - death ‘for nothing, for nothing, for nothing’
  • ‘was killed by a shell…during an attack on Puits Bis 14’
  • 'it is an honourable task…isn’t it?”- dying for one’s country?'

Development (Growth & change)

Other information              

  • Initially naive and youthful, shown through young language e.g. 'daddo'
  • Unable to fight in the army (fulfilling father's ambition) as a consequence of chronic myopia - short sightedness
  • Accepted by the army in October 1914 as Kipling pulled strings to get him in - had previously been turned down by the Army 3 times
  • Shown to mature through physical changes. 'you look ten years older' as he has 'grown a moustache'.
  • A responsible officer, despite McHugh's attitude towards him he perseveres, 'I'm going to fetch Bowe a dry pair of socks, and when I come back I'd like to see your feet'
  • Bowe describes Jack as 'Very gentle. Very kind'. 'The lieutenant was good to me'.
  • page 32 - key in showing Jack's final appearance before he goes to war
  • p74 - Bowe's description of Jack's death
  • p53 - flashback to 1904 - man of the empire and gender roles highlighted from a young age
  • p18 - see Jack's distaste for the dark nature of Batemans and his desire to get away

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