joan lingard - across the barricades characterizations
... station to find out more about the charges against Kevin. Albert stays home looking after the small children in the family. The last time we meet Albert, is in chapter eighteen. He dries Mrs. McCoy and the little baby to Tyrone. They whole family are a bit worried because of the rusty, old car. Will it brake down this time? Uncle Albert appears to be a good natured person and a bit of a comic figure. He is in constant want of money and his car is breaking down all the time. He has a large family to support and seems to cope with life as best he can. Possibly, he can be seen as a counterpart to all the blind violence that frequently occur througout the novel. Mike and Moira Henderson Mike and Moira Henderson are Mr. BlakeŒs neighbours. Mike is a Protestant and Moira is a Catholic. They are married and are the parents of many children. They have had a troubling relationship, but the love between them has conquered the conflicts. Sadie helps Moira with her children, and through talks with Moira I think she gains hope for her own `mixedŒ relationship with Kevin. After all she and Kevin are in the same position as Mike and Moira - belonging to two different religions and social and cultural backgrounds. Mike and Moira managed to bridge this gap - so why shouldnŒt they? It seems as if Mike and Moira have had it easier than Kevin and Sadie, though. The Hendersons live in a calmer neighbourhood where incidents are extremely rare (until Mr Blake is killed), so it must have been much easier, although their relationship has not been without problems. The reactions to their relationship must have been the same as the reactions to Kevin and SadieŒs, only less extreme. Since Moira and Mike have gone through the same problems as Kevin and Sadie, it must be good for Sadie to discuss problems and experiences with Moira. Mike and Moira are `idealŒ characters that are meant to give some hope for a better future for Sadie and Kevin - but also for Northern Ireland and the people who live there. Kevin McCoy When Kevin and Sadie have their first meeting, Kevin is described as more afraid of what people might say about them than Sadie is. Kevin is truly in love with Sadie, but sees the consequences clearer than Sadie in the beginning. Sadie influences him a lot, and he starts to become more and more reckless about not showing the world about their relationship. But as the story proceeds, he realizes what happens when you go against the crowd. He is himself beaten up, his and SadieŒs friend Mr Blake is killed, and his family get in trouble because of him. At one point in the novel he wants to stop seeing Sadie, but they soon fall bask on their habits again. Kevin works at a scrapyard in the beginning of the novel, but loses his job because of false allegations. He is accused of having hidden a rifle and ammunition in the scrapyard. It is the daughter of his own boss - Kate Kelly - who comes up with these untrue accusations. Sadie also loses her job because she is hanging out with a ŒMickŒ. This is also one of the consequences of their relationship. As a person Kevin is described as calm, serious and hardworking. He is kind and will not hurt a fly unless he is badly provoked. He thinks that the violence around the conflict is unreasonable and unnecessary. He doesnŒt want to contribute to an increase of the violence, and therefore he doesnŒt want to have anything to do with the rifle Brian Rafferty shows him. He has no intention of joining the IRA.. But he is also loyal to his old friend Brian Rafferty. As an example you can see that he doesnŒt mention Brian RaffertyŒs rifle to the police when they bring him in - even though he himself is accused of owning it. Still, he does not lack courage and guts. He doesnŒt hesitate to confront Brian at a later time. That is after Brian has spread the word that Kevin was the one who hid the rifle and the ammunition in the scarpyard. Kevin doesnŒt think the paramilitary groups on both sides are of any good to the conflict. So, like SadieŒs brother Tommy refuses to become a member of the Protestant Lodge, Kevin declines any offer to join the IRA. Kevin and Sadie are both certain that people can be friends even if they belong to different religions. But they have some differences of opinion. Kevin holds the conventional Catholilc view that family planning is not natural, and Sadie thinks the opposite. But they become friends after arguing for a while. They both feel that it is too much fighting in the world for them to fight over such "small " things. This argument is one of the most important statements in this novel. Mr Blake Mr Blake appears in the novel at a crucial point where Kevin and Sadie are going to meet in a park. Kevin has been beaten up by Brian Rafferty and his friends the night before. Sadie is late for the meeting. She has just been cvalled on by KevinŒs sister Brede and told that her relationship to Kevin isnŒt such a good idea. Mr Blake spots Kevin in the park and understands that he is in a pretty bad shape. He offers to drive Kevin home, but Kevin wants to wait for Sadie. When she arrives, she recognizes her former Geography teacher, and the three of them go back to Mr BlakeŒs house instead. Mr Blake is a very nice and sympathetic man who treats everybody the same way. He was a Catholic, but he did not care if people were Chatolics or Protestants. He held no prejudice against those who had a different religion from his own. Among his neighbours and friends was a couple where the wife was a Catholic and the husband a Protestant. He was very kind to them, too. Apparently, Mr Blake and the Hendersons are ideal characters. If everyone in Northern Ireland shared their attitude, there would simply be no conflict! When Sadie tells him about the problems she and Kevin have, Mr.Blake cares about them and lets them meet at his house. He is not afraid to do so - although he, as it turns out, had all the reason to. Because of his support to Kevin and Sadie there are two attempts on his life. We donŒt know if it is Protestants (Steve and the lodge) or Catholics (Brian Rafferty and the IRA) who has planted the petrol bomb that finally kills him. Anyhow, it doesnŒt matter. One message in the novel seems to be that both sides use methods that are unacceptable. After the first attack against his car, Sadie and Kevin warn Mr Blake. And they say that they will stop meeting at his house so that he does not have to worry about furthe...