The Cone-Gatherers

1. The Cone-Gatherers Chapter 14

2. Summary of Chapter • Mr Tulloch talks to the Calum and Neil about what happened in the hut. • Neil reveals that he lied about the cone gatherers being wet all night and the hut was leaking. • Mr Tulloch shows his appreciation for the truth and is not offended due to the discrimination the cone gathers have had.

3. Mr Tulloch comes to discus the situation with the cone gatherers with Lady Runcie Campbell. • The cone gatherers can stay until Saturday. • Duror come as well to speak about the cone gatherers unacceptable actions. • Lady Runcie Campbell unable to control Duror. • Mr Tulloch unimpressed and stands up for the cone gatherers.

4. Key Quotes • “ Seeing his reflection, he grinned in appreciation at the jokes made about his face: its flatness, high cheekbones, narrow eyes and yellowish tan … reference to the Chinese” • Shows Mr Tullochs tolerant side. • He is able to cope with many people being very critical, as he looks Chinese. (The Chinese are the time were the enemy in the Second World War). • His wife tends to crack up at people for slating Mr Tullochs looks; she argues that it is not what the man looks like but its what’s inside. Hence this is a reason why Mr Tulloch gets on well with the cone gatherers as he has also been subdued to some criticism for the he looks.

5. The last thing that Calum says is “Cheerio said the little man.” • Calum is singing like an angel. This person is innocent, he is someone we shouldn’t wish any harm. Roderick looks for Calum and Neil because he wants to apologise – he wants to be an equal. Roderick wants to be absolved of his sins – religious references. He is sad when he discovers that they are leaving. Tulloch tells Roderick not to go near them – he doesn’t want to cause any friction. Roderick shows an interest in the cones etc. This has been put in to show that Roderick has an interest in the cone gatherers. This also shows that even ‘inferior’ people have expertise. In their jobs Neil and Calum are the best – they have superior

6. This is further expressed when Mr Tulloch says: • “Your mother may be angry…and they themselves may not understand the purpose; but you have my blessing” • He can see his intentions are pure and he wants to wave them goodbye, this is key to the development of the story as he sets of to find the cone gatherers. • Also shows the character of Mr Tulloch as he is a very understanding person and is sincere at heart. • It also shows Roderick’s persistent admiration for the cone gatherers as he wants to go say goodbye.

7. “Bosom……..shameful” the implication of the conversation between Lady Runcie Campbell, Duror and Tulloch is that of sexual implications.

8. Lady Runcie Campbell doesn’t see the doll as innocent. When Tulloch asks for the doll for his daughter she sees the doll as obscene. Tulloch knows that Calum would have made a leg for the doll – biblical allusion of the cripple who couldn’t walk. There are innocent allusions of the body with the squirrel, which make Calum out to be totally innocent. She tells her daughter to get into the house to protect her. Tulloch says that Duror is ill. If Lady Runcie Campbell has to admit that Calum and Neil have been treated badly then she has to admit that she treated them badly.

9. It shows Calum innocent personality as he purely sees the doll as a broken toy with no sexual implications that Duror has spread rumours about. • We see Duror dressed very ruggedly and is ill mannered. His shameful appearance shows the image of mind as well. His mind has become very deluded and has taken every opportunity to make the cone gatherers life’s a living hell.

10. Chapter 15 • LRC considers Duror’s accusations against Calum. Erchie Graham arrives to tell her that Roderick has climbed a tree and has got stuck. It is significant that Roderick does this as it is clearly a sign of his admiration for the cone-gatherers. LRC sends Erchie Graham to get C & N to come rescue him.

11. Chapter 15 • Roderick climbs the tree“It is one of the very big trees at the end of the park; a silver fir” (p.163) He’s making a statement about the social barrier – he’s going to climb it.He wants to become a cone gathererWhen in danger only the cone gatherers can rescue him, this he hopes will restore them to favour with his mother“It’s a bag. I think he was meaning to collect the cones. Like those men from Ardmore”.Note how the title highlights the climax.

12. Chapter 16 • Erchie Graham finds the cone-gatherers and reveals Roderick’s predicament. To his surprise, N refuses to go as this request has reignited the confrontation at the beach hut. • N has now found the strength to stand up to LRC. He tells Graham that he will not go unless LRC comes to C&N and asks them herself. • Here N is challenging long established class hierarchies. • On the way back to tell LRC this, Graham meets Duror. He heads straight for the cone-gatherers. At this stage, he has completely lost control and he is consumed by evil. Erchie reports what N has said and mentions his meeting with D to LRC.

13. Chapter 16 (Continued) • LRC realises that the D may do something to the cone-gatherers and before she reaches them, she hears a shot. She realises what has happened and finds C in a tree with his body hanging in a way that echoes the crucifixion. She knees down in front of his body and recognises the error of her ways. Although she pitys C, she finds hope in his death. She hears another gunshot and recognises that D has committed suicide. This means that good has defeated evil through C’s

14. Summary • Comic scenes of Erchie Graham going to ask the cone gatherers for help to bring out the tragedy at the end through contrast. • Neil refuses to help, he wants LRC to come and ask.       • “If she wants our help, let her come and ask for it.”                              • “We could have perished in the storm, for all she cared.            

15. Graham then encounters Duror.  • “Duror was stalking away towards the point.”           • “It was as if the rotting tree itself had moved.”

16. LRC runs to the point – she is concerned that Duror has a gun. • She arrives in time to hear a shot                                                                                   • “She saw Duror before she saw them. He was walking away among the pine tree with such infinite desolation in his every step that it was the memory of him rather than of the little hunchback dangling from the tree, or that of his brother climbing so frenziedly into it which was to torment her sleep for months.”

17. Duror commits suicide:                                                                                     • “Somewhere on her beloved promontory Duror, with his face shattered and bloody, lay dead.”

18. After Calum is killed and Duror dies things begin to fix:                            • Roderick is safely brought down. • “She could not pray, but she could weep; and as she wept pity and purified hope and joy welled up in her heart” Evil is replaced with hope.