Rodericks’s Pilgrimage

1. Rodericks’s Pilgrimage Pilgrimage - he is on a personal quest to ‘redeem’ the cone-gatherers and ‘protect them from the spite of Duror’; a visit to a place of sanctity or spiritual significance -- implies that he views the hut as being in someway symbolic of purity and innocence. Compares himself to Sir Galahad and Christian in a Pilgrim’s Progress - on a crusade for good - cake a symbol of reconciliation & friendship Imaginative - views the wood as being full of ‘magic and terror’ - a place of fantasy and enchantment Innocent, idealistic and principled in his belief that he can right the wrongs of others - willing to stand up and speak up for what he believes is right Seen by others as quixotic and naïve - old fashioned and out of touch Sensitivity & perceptiveness - can instinctively sense the evil in Duror Like Calum - a social misfit yet he holds to the greater truths of life eg. Justice and compassion; physically weak but strong in principle Key idea - the greatest strengths are often found in the weakest • Focus on Roderick’s ‘pilgrimage’ and his reaction to the cone gatherers’ expulsion from the hut. Trace his developing strengths and show to what degree you are sympathetic to his thoughts and feelings.

2. Theme of Evil Idea introduced by Mrs Morton‘there’s evil about’- ironically R interprets this to mean Duror R’s purpose is blunted by evil‘Duror was a barrier he could not pass’; therefore no reconcilliation possible Duror identified as an evil presence - his presence ‘began to infect the whole visible world with a sense of loss and desolation and fear. Every single leaf was polluted …’ Use of darkness and light - the hut ‘irradiating a light illuminating every leaf on all the trees about it’ - represents the goodness emanating from Calum; Duror lurking in the shadows ‘no sunshine struck there, and even the luminance from the hut seemed to fail’ - evil in the shadows hidden from goodness R imagines the evil Duror will do - murder & death R questions his simplistic view of evil and good - see p119 - ultimately he fails in his quest - ‘In his den of yew Roderick grew cramped; and in an even darker, narrower den of disillusionment his mind whimpered’ - like Calum he cannot cope with evil but is transformed by his experience Significance - if R had been successful would Neil have helped rescue him thus preventing the tragedy at the end? • Focus on Roderick’s ‘pilgrimage’ and his encounter with and perceptions of Duror. Explain in detail how Jenkins develops the theme of evil in this episode.

3. The Storm Key turning point in the text - thunder associated with increasing violence and symbolic of Duror’s disintegration - nature is torn apart Storm appears gradually - approaching clouds in the distance then the initial drops of rain Significant - ‘in the expectancy before the storm, the tiny tots from one transfigured branch to another could be clearly heard’ - transfigured - utterly transformed and changed; glorified Thunder is personified throughout; trees are personified in their terror; Neil and Calum compared to helpless woodlice Association of increasing violence of storm with bombs and destruction Association of LRC with the thunder - ‘the door was flung open to the accompaniment of the loudest peal of thunder since the start of the storm’; the ferocity and effect of her voice is similarly accentuated - ‘perhaps dampness made her voice hoarse, it nevertheless was far more appalling to the two men than any thunder’ - her dramatic entrance coincides with the climax of the storm and her reactions in the circumstances are significant both as a test of her principles and as a prelude to Neil’s refusal to help at the end Calum’s visions of his mother in heaven perhaps foreshadows his death • Read again Jenkins’ description of the storm assessing its effectiveness by referring to the literary techniques used.

4. The Beach Hut These words are ironic given her Christian pretensions as described at start of chapter 10 and her visit to Peggy Situation is a test of her principles - she fails it and reverts to the code of her class Reveals her true aristocratic attitudes - ‘the lower orders’ She displays a condescending and disgusted attitude towards Calum - ‘she recoiled from Calum, as if from something obnoxious’ Words are accentuated as being an important revelation as they occur at the climax of the storm - ‘the loudest peal of thunder’ She is shocked by her son’s feelings of pity and resolves to put this right The reader loses any previous sympathy for LRC - we previously recognised her dilemma in being caught between her instinctive principles and the pressures of her social status; now she is seen as vindictive, uncaring and cruel - she has reverted to type • ‘For God’s sake, get out!’ (Chap 11) • Referring to both chapters in some detail, evaluate the power of these words of Lady Runcie-Campbell.