Greene presents the boy, through the use of a narrative viewpoint, as emotionless, far beyond his physical years, and changed by his experiences at such a young age. "slatey eyes touched with annihilating eternity." The word "slatey" connotes the colour grey and the rock - slate which enforces the idea of 'the boy' having no emotion, or showing no emotion, although the former is more likely due to the eyes showing as such, with the eyes being a point in which you can see someone's feelings. However "touched" suggests that there was something there initially, that was changed or tinted, implying that there are emotions that have been pasted over, or suppressed, by whatever it was that "touched" his eyes. Furthermore there is the possibility that "annihilating" holds a biblical reference to the Devil, referred to as "the destroyer" annihilating being a synonym for destroying, there is a connection between the two, this forms the idea that 'the boy' has been "touched" or influenced by the Devil, or evil. - Ed Hobson
Pinkie is presented as a complicated character full of emoitional turmoil and confusion. Phrase such as "the boy" present him as an innocent child as "boy" has connotations of innocence and naivety, this is supported by the fact the Pinkie orders a "Grapefruit squash" in the bar. Contrasting to this the fact he wears a "shabby smart suit" shows he trys to act as a man, with a suit not being the attire of a boy but of a grown man. The fact the suit is shabby and does not fit him well is a clear sign that it is not natural for a boy like Pinkie to be in the poition he is in.
In part 1 chapter 2, Pinkie is presented as dark, sinister yet reserved figure. The initial description of Pinkie having "slatey eyes touched with annihilating eternity" gives the reader an impression of the darkness of this character and the outlook this character has on life. "Slatey eyes" stimulates images of darkness, lack of emotion and lifelessness within Pinkie. In contrast to Pinkies lack of life, the word "eternity" suggests that he will live forever. "Annihilating" could also represent Pinkie's power capabilities, foreshadowing future events in the novel. This description could also be interpreted as Pinkie representing evil and the Devil with the description of the eyes similar to the devil and "annihilating eternity" symbolizing damnation and hell. Greene's presentation of Pinkie in part 1 chapter 2 further adds to the theme of appearance vs reality. Pinkie is described as looking "ancient" and "older" with "slatey" and "agless" eyes and his smile and body movement both being described as "stiffly" all implying that the 17 year old on the surface appeared older than he was. However some of his behaviour in reality suggested his innocence and youthful attributes like when he he playing a shooting game on the pier, and refuses chocolate as a price as he "don't eat chocolates". Whilst at the restaurant with the mob he also orders a ice cream which further suggests his innocence. Lastly, the fact Pinkie is described throughout the chapter as "the Boy" again implies the theme of appearance vs reality due to the contrast of his dark and heavy description of his features yet still has aspects of the innocence of a "boy". - Will Morley
Green presents "the boy" as an abomination who stands out from society due to his inability to comprehend emotions and how he uses this in order to manipulate others, "the words were the wrong ones, he saw at once and altered them". The way that he analyses the effect of that his words have rather than focusing on talking with the girl shows how he isn't actually trying to have a conversation, but how he can manipulate her in order to achieve his own goals. Also by describing how he "saw" that the words were wrong rather than knowing that they were demonstrates his inability to understand what her reaction may be, due to his inability to feel and understand emotions, showing how he is forced to rely her physical reaction in order to see her response to what he has said and is forced to alter this in order to get what he wants. This shows how he stands out from society as everyone else feels emotions and act according to them whereas he manipulates others to get what he wants.
In part 1 chapter 2 Greene presents Pinkie as a dark and sinister character. This is shown through the quote 'the violins wailed in his gut'. The word 'wailed' brings to mind thoughts of pain, sadness and sorrow; this is very strange within this particular quote as it is the violin (the music) that is said to wail within Pinkie. Music is commonly associated with feelings and emotions and so the idea that the violin wails to Pinkie suggests that he feels no emotion and is repulsed by the idea of music, which commonly connects people and is used as an expression of love. This is quite shocking to the reader as it highlights that Pinkie is not a normal seventeen year old boy and is actually a very twisted and dark character that does not seem to relate to anyone or anything. This is a very alien idea to most readers as one of the most common human desires is to connect with others through relationships and intimacy to feel a sense of comfort. In contrast to this, Greene presents Pinkie as wanting the exact opposite of these common desires– Jack Wright
In part 1 chapter 2 of Brighton Rock, Greene begins to explore the relationship that Pinkie has with the rest of the mob; Cubbit, Dallow and Spicer. In doing so, we, as a reader are presented with a view of Pinkie from the perspective of his peers, thus enhancing our own perceptions of his character. The quote "Dallow said with admiration" shows us how Pinkie is respected by his fellow mob members, this is perhaps unexpected by the reader due to the childish reference of "The Boy" that Greene uses throughout the book. One reason that this is surprising is because respect and admiration is often only achieved through experience or an action that one carries out that gains the respect of their peers. This then gives the reader the view that Pinkie is a hardened criminal and been in 'the business' for quite some time, thus making the reader more wary of what he as a character is capable of. - Tom Brooks
In part one, chapter two Pinkie is presented as 'The Boy' which can come as quite a shock to the reader, as Pinkie's character has very dark ideas, and a view on life which you would not think capable of just a boy 'his young, ancient poker face...' The oxymoron of the words 'young' and 'ancient' emphasis this as it shows he is young in looks however his eyes, have seen a lot. Eyes are often called windows to the soul, Pinkie's eyes are described again as 'slatey eyes touched with annihilating eternity' The word slatey gives the impression of lifelessness and hardness like a rock, and the word eternity has religious connotations, which suggest the idea of Pinkie being a representation of evil, as he does awful things with out it bothering him. So in the first section of the book you get the impression Pinkie is going to be a very dark, cold character, almost incapable of change. Eleanor Lambert
Greene presents “the boy” as a soulless and disturbed character in part 1 Chapter 2. This depiction of Pinkie is supported through the quotation “The violins wailed in his guts… his body stiffly controlled”. The music the violins are producing is a metaphorical interpretation for the emotion Pinkie possess, although this emotion is being suppressed and controlled by him. The idea of Pinkie suppressing his feelings is supported by verb “wailing”. This connotes the image of desperation and astray. Additionally it is reflective of Pinkie’s youth, as children often wail when they are not given attention or love, much alike Pinkie’s upbringing. Due to this taboo upbringing, it would’ve scarred Pinkie causing him to have the unordinary characteristics of a current 17 year old. Pinkie is controlling all these emotions, explanatory for his ruthless actions throughout Brighton Rock.
Throughout part one chapter two of the novel, The Boy is presented as being a sinister yet vulnerable character. For example, Greene uses Pinkie's uncontrollable characteristics to highlight this, " His fingers pulled absent-mindedly at the doll's hair, detaching the brown wool." This shows that The Boy is trying to retain control but his subconscious has taken over which makes him full of violence and alludes to him being dangerous and vicious. The fact that Pinkie is playing with a toy doll highlights not only how he is just seventeen but also his inner child and could be representing how his life as a 'child' was full of trouble and abuse. The harsh action of pulling the doll's hair out opposes his child-like vulnerable qualities insinuating to the reader The Boy is cruel and has an underlying evil. Moreover, the doll is compared to as the 'Mother of God' by Pinkie and the violent action of ripping such an important figures hair out suggests that The Boy has little respect for females and could even imply that he is repulsed by the female kind. This therefore presents the character of Pinkie as having a multitude of personalities which is both innocent yet extremely cruel and violent.
Greene presents the boy as an outsider who is a complete psychopath with no value of life or other individuals. This is shown when it says "Ill go I'm not scared… sometimes i think id be better alone" this fearlessness for a character of such a young age and value for solitude and longing for isolation helps Greene portary the boy as an isolated and fearless character. Aswell as this this longing for isolation allows the reader to engage with the boy more, to see that he may have been longing for isolation from such an early age due to his upbringing or in Pinkies case the lack of an upbringing or childhood. This complete alienation of Pinkie from the other warm characters in the book like Ida is reflected when the Boy says "I take account of what i do myself". This not only shows his complete independence but his desire to control everything, he controls every aspect of his life aswell as the gang. This is further shown when Pinkie says "You're late i said a quarter to two sharp" this anger in something what the others to deem so petty helps to show how controlling he is and the difference between him and the other characters in the book. The reason he is presented as such an outsider is because he was forced to grow up to quickly this is shown when it says "slatey eyes touched with annihilating eternity." Although Pinkie is still young his mental age and maturity is far beyond his physical age and appearance. The word annihilating helps to show the struggle that he has been through in life from such a young age, this contrasts heavily with the word touched which is more soft and personal. This oxymoron helps to cement how pinkie has aged differntley. Ollie Tanner
Greene inaugurates Pinkie as ‘the Boy’. This seemingly unequivocal, and sincere title alludes to the prospect of Pinkie being a character of overt simplicity, otherwise innocence, and naivety. This notion is renounced, and it is credible that such complexities are so. A character deeply affiliated with that of dispassionate, and unfeeling behaviour. Through use of the narrative voice, Pinkie is characterised as such, ‘the slatey eyes were touched with the annihilating eternity’. ‘Slately’ connoting grey; ageing, and deterioration, having been affected by such experiences. This, too, prompts at bitter, and harsh. Greene opts to, also, demonstrate an alternative mind, through ‘touched’. This implies that an act, will have influenced such behaviour, and emotion had been tarnished. - Ben Spicer
In Part One Chapter Two, Pinkie is referred to as 'the Boy'. Although his name is known, he is still referred to in this way distances him from any form of personality or emotion. This causes the reader to have no emotional attachment to Pinkie as he is unreliable. The idea of him being referred to as a 'Boy' also allows the reader to perceive him as a naive child who has not yet formed a full understanding of the world and may just be misguided. This concept portrays Pinkie as simple and isolated from the real world rather than a complex human being with complicated emotions and thoughts. This contrasts to the narrators description of him. An example of this is seen in the quote ‘the slatey eyes were touched with the annihilating eternity’. This suggests to the reader that Pinkie has been conditioned and brought up around a harsh and damaging environment. The word 'slatey' suggests an appearance of cold and darkness while also fragile. This juxtaposition of character description shows the audience a much more detailed view of Pinkie that is not immediately obvious and supports the perception that he is shut out from the rest of the world.
In the novel Greene uses Pinkie (the boy) to stress the key theme of appearance vs. reality. The constant reference of him as 'the boy' distances the reader from any attachments towards the character. This also presents the character with an air of naivety and innocence due to the connotations of him being childish. The boy is mentioned by his age throughout the novel, being only 17, although is then compared to an elderly man. "The effect of heartlessness like an old mans", giving the reader a continuous reminder of consequences from his upbringing, linking to a key theme being nature vs. nurture. In this case showing that nurture has taken its tole on an innocent boy.However, when asked what he would like to drink in the bar he says “grape fruit-squash”, this extends the readers sympathy for the boy as it connotes childish behaviour and innocence. Alfie Narborough
Greene describes Pinkie or “the boy” as an emotionless and hardened character. The quote “slatey eyes were touched with annihilating eternity” shows the boys emotional and crude personality he has. The word “slatey” reveals connotations of darkness, roughness and grey which all emphasise the idea that the boys inner personality is one of rough and hardened nature. The grey and roughness also illustrates the idea that the boys past may possibly be one of hardships and trauma that has shaped the character into the hardened killer he is. The words “slatey” and “eyes” come together to create the idea that the boy’s eyes are those of a shadowed and unclear nature, allowing the reader to build the idea of a soulless person. The idea of a soulless being contrasts the idea that the boy has a soul and the idea that he is a Catholic so he must have some inner being in order to fit the common beliefs of that religion. A soulless personality gives off connotations of a Devil figure relating back to the themes of religion and evil that the boy shows in his actions throughout the book. - Matt G
Greene presents the boy, through the use of a narrative viewpoint, as emotionless, far beyond his physical years, and changed by his experiences at such a young age. "slatey eyes touched with annihilating eternity." The word "slatey" connotes the colour grey and the rock - slate which enforces the idea of 'the boy' having no emotion, or showing no emotion, although the former is more likely due to the eyes showing as such, with the eyes being a point in which you can see someone's feelings. However "touched" suggests that there was something there initially, that was changed or tinted, implying that there are emotions that have been pasted over, or suppressed, by whatever it was that "touched" his eyes. Furthermore there is the possibility that "annihilating" holds a biblical reference to the Devil, referred to as "the destroyer" annihilating being a synonym for destroying, there is a connection between the two, this forms the idea that 'the boy' has been "touched" or influenced by the Devil, or evil. - Ed Hobson
ReplyDeleteIn view of your analysis, how far do you think Pinkie is in control of his actions?
DeletePinkie is presented as a complicated character full of emoitional turmoil and confusion. Phrase such as "the boy" present him as an innocent child as "boy" has connotations of innocence and naivety, this is supported by the fact the Pinkie orders a "Grapefruit squash" in the bar. Contrasting to this the fact he wears a "shabby smart suit" shows he trys to act as a man, with a suit not being the attire of a boy but of a grown man. The fact the suit is shabby and does not fit him well is a clear sign that it is not natural for a boy like Pinkie to be in the poition he is in.
DeleteIn part 1 chapter 2, Pinkie is presented as dark, sinister yet reserved figure. The initial description of Pinkie having "slatey eyes touched with annihilating eternity" gives the reader an impression of the darkness of this character and the outlook this character has on life. "Slatey eyes" stimulates images of darkness, lack of emotion and lifelessness within Pinkie. In contrast to Pinkies lack of life, the word "eternity" suggests that he will live forever. "Annihilating" could also represent Pinkie's power capabilities, foreshadowing future events in the novel. This description could also be interpreted as Pinkie representing evil and the Devil with the description of the eyes similar to the devil and "annihilating eternity" symbolizing damnation and hell.
ReplyDeleteGreene's presentation of Pinkie in part 1 chapter 2 further adds to the theme of appearance vs reality. Pinkie is described as looking "ancient" and "older" with "slatey" and "agless" eyes and his smile and body movement both being described as "stiffly" all implying that the 17 year old on the surface appeared older than he was. However some of his behaviour in reality suggested his innocence and youthful attributes like when he he playing a shooting game on the pier, and refuses chocolate as a price as he "don't eat chocolates". Whilst at the restaurant with the mob he also orders a ice cream which further suggests his innocence. Lastly, the fact Pinkie is described throughout the chapter as "the Boy" again implies the theme of appearance vs reality due to the contrast of his dark and heavy description of his features yet still has aspects of the innocence of a "boy". - Will Morley
Do you therefore have more sympathy for Pinkie's character, or not?
DeleteGreen presents "the boy" as an abomination who stands out from society due to his inability to comprehend emotions and how he uses this in order to manipulate others, "the words were the wrong ones, he saw at once and altered them". The way that he analyses the effect of that his words have rather than focusing on talking with the girl shows how he isn't actually trying to have a conversation, but how he can manipulate her in order to achieve his own goals. Also by describing how he "saw" that the words were wrong rather than knowing that they were demonstrates his inability to understand what her reaction may be, due to his inability to feel and understand emotions, showing how he is forced to rely her physical reaction in order to see her response to what he has said and is forced to alter this in order to get what he wants. This shows how he stands out from society as everyone else feels emotions and act according to them whereas he manipulates others to get what he wants.
ReplyDeleteDo you think he is conscious of his warped emotions, Ben?
DeleteIn part 1 chapter 2 Greene presents Pinkie as a dark and sinister character. This is shown through the quote 'the violins wailed in his gut'. The word 'wailed' brings to mind thoughts of pain, sadness and sorrow; this is very strange within this particular quote as it is the violin (the music) that is said to wail within Pinkie. Music is commonly associated with feelings and emotions and so the idea that the violin wails to Pinkie suggests that he feels no emotion and is repulsed by the idea of music, which commonly connects people and is used as an expression of love. This is quite shocking to the reader as it highlights that Pinkie is not a normal seventeen year old boy and is actually a very twisted and dark character that does not seem to relate to anyone or anything. This is a very alien idea to most readers as one of the most common human desires is to connect with others through relationships and intimacy to feel a sense of comfort. In contrast to this, Greene presents Pinkie as wanting the exact opposite of these common desires– Jack Wright
ReplyDeleteDo you think Pinkie is conscious of this attitude? What might be the reasons behind his warped views?
DeleteIn part 1 chapter 2 of Brighton Rock, Greene begins to explore the relationship that Pinkie has with the rest of the mob; Cubbit, Dallow and Spicer. In doing so, we, as a reader are presented with a view of Pinkie from the perspective of his peers, thus enhancing our own perceptions of his character. The quote "Dallow said with admiration" shows us how Pinkie is respected by his fellow mob members, this is perhaps unexpected by the reader due to the childish reference of "The Boy" that Greene uses throughout the book. One reason that this is surprising is because respect and admiration is often only achieved through experience or an action that one carries out that gains the respect of their peers. This then gives the reader the view that Pinkie is a hardened criminal and been in 'the business' for quite some time, thus making the reader more wary of what he as a character is capable of. - Tom Brooks
ReplyDeleteWhat do you think is they key to Pinkie's authority? Despite his age, how does he portray a grave and threatening presence in the novel?
DeleteIn part one, chapter two Pinkie is presented as 'The Boy' which can come as quite a shock to the reader, as Pinkie's character has very dark ideas, and a view on life which you would not think capable of just a boy 'his young, ancient poker face...' The oxymoron of the words 'young' and 'ancient' emphasis this as it shows he is young in looks however his eyes, have seen a lot. Eyes are often called windows to the soul, Pinkie's eyes are described again as 'slatey eyes touched with annihilating eternity' The word slatey gives the impression of lifelessness and hardness like a rock, and the word eternity has religious connotations, which suggest the idea of Pinkie being a representation of evil, as he does awful things with out it bothering him. So in the first section of the book you get the impression Pinkie is going to be a very dark, cold character, almost incapable of change.
ReplyDeleteEleanor Lambert
Why do you think Greene explores this dual nature in Pinkie?
DeleteGreene presents “the boy” as a soulless and disturbed character in part 1 Chapter 2. This depiction of Pinkie is supported through the quotation “The violins wailed in his guts… his body stiffly controlled”. The music the violins are producing is a metaphorical interpretation for the emotion Pinkie possess, although this emotion is being suppressed and controlled by him. The idea of Pinkie suppressing his feelings is supported by verb “wailing”. This connotes the image of desperation and astray. Additionally it is reflective of Pinkie’s youth, as children often wail when they are not given attention or love, much alike Pinkie’s upbringing. Due to this taboo upbringing, it would’ve scarred Pinkie causing him to have the unordinary characteristics of a current 17 year old. Pinkie is controlling all these emotions, explanatory for his ruthless actions throughout Brighton Rock.
ReplyDeleteDo you think Pinkie is, himself, aware of this lost childhood? Does he recognise any failings of his own?
DeleteThroughout part one chapter two of the novel, The Boy is presented as being a sinister yet vulnerable character. For example, Greene uses Pinkie's uncontrollable characteristics to highlight this, " His fingers pulled absent-mindedly at the doll's hair, detaching the brown wool." This shows that The Boy is trying to retain control but his subconscious has taken over which makes him full of violence and alludes to him being dangerous and vicious. The fact that Pinkie is playing with a toy doll highlights not only how he is just seventeen but also his inner child and could be representing how his life as a 'child' was full of trouble and abuse. The harsh action of pulling the doll's hair out opposes his child-like vulnerable qualities insinuating to the reader The Boy is cruel and has an underlying evil.
ReplyDeleteMoreover, the doll is compared to as the 'Mother of God' by Pinkie and the violent action of ripping such an important figures hair out suggests that The Boy has little respect for females and could even imply that he is repulsed by the female kind. This therefore presents the character of Pinkie as having a multitude of personalities which is both innocent yet extremely cruel and violent.
Greene presents the boy as an outsider who is a complete psychopath with no value of life or other individuals. This is shown when it says "Ill go I'm not scared… sometimes i think id be better alone" this fearlessness for a character of such a young age and value for solitude and longing for isolation helps Greene portary the boy as an isolated and fearless character. Aswell as this this longing for isolation allows the reader to engage with the boy more, to see that he may have been longing for isolation from such an early age due to his upbringing or in Pinkies case the lack of an upbringing or childhood. This complete alienation of Pinkie from the other warm characters in the book like Ida is reflected when the Boy says "I take account of what i do myself". This not only shows his complete independence but his desire to control everything, he controls every aspect of his life aswell as the gang. This is further shown when Pinkie says "You're late i said a quarter to two sharp" this anger in something what the others to deem so petty helps to show how controlling he is and the difference between him and the other characters in the book.
ReplyDeleteThe reason he is presented as such an outsider is because he was forced to grow up to quickly this is shown when it says "slatey eyes touched with annihilating eternity." Although Pinkie is still young his mental age and maturity is far beyond his physical age and appearance. The word annihilating helps to show the struggle that he has been through in life from such a young age, this contrasts heavily with the word touched which is more soft and personal. This oxymoron helps to cement how pinkie has aged differntley. Ollie Tanner
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DeleteGreene inaugurates Pinkie as ‘the Boy’. This seemingly unequivocal, and sincere title alludes to the prospect of Pinkie being a character of overt simplicity, otherwise innocence, and naivety. This notion is renounced, and it is credible that such complexities are so.
ReplyDeleteA character deeply affiliated with that of dispassionate, and unfeeling behaviour. Through use of the narrative voice, Pinkie is characterised as such, ‘the slatey eyes were touched with the annihilating eternity’. ‘Slately’ connoting grey; ageing, and deterioration, having been affected by such experiences. This, too, prompts at bitter, and harsh. Greene opts to, also, demonstrate an alternative mind, through ‘touched’. This implies that an act, will have influenced such behaviour, and emotion had been tarnished. - Ben Spicer
In Part One Chapter Two, Pinkie is referred to as 'the Boy'. Although his name is known, he is still referred to in this way distances him from any form of personality or emotion. This causes the reader to have no emotional attachment to Pinkie as he is unreliable. The idea of him being referred to as a 'Boy' also allows the reader to perceive him as a naive child who has not yet formed a full understanding of the world and may just be misguided. This concept portrays Pinkie as simple and isolated from the real world rather than a complex human being with complicated emotions and thoughts. This contrasts to the narrators description of him. An example of this is seen in the quote ‘the slatey eyes were touched with the annihilating eternity’. This suggests to the reader that Pinkie has been conditioned and brought up around a harsh and damaging environment. The word 'slatey' suggests an appearance of cold and darkness while also fragile. This juxtaposition of character description shows the audience a much more detailed view of Pinkie that is not immediately obvious and supports the perception that he is shut out from the rest of the world.
ReplyDelete- Dylan Peters
DeleteIn the novel Greene uses Pinkie (the boy) to stress the key theme of appearance vs. reality. The constant reference of him as 'the boy' distances the reader from any attachments towards the character. This also presents the character with an air of naivety and innocence due to the connotations of him being childish. The boy is mentioned by his age throughout the novel, being only 17, although is then compared to an elderly man. "The effect of heartlessness like an old mans", giving the reader a continuous reminder of consequences from his upbringing, linking to a key theme being nature vs. nurture. In this case showing that nurture has taken its tole on an innocent boy.However, when asked what he would like to drink in the bar he says “grape fruit-squash”, this extends the readers sympathy for the boy as it connotes childish behaviour and innocence. Alfie Narborough
ReplyDeleteGreene describes Pinkie or “the boy” as an emotionless and hardened character. The quote “slatey eyes were touched with annihilating eternity” shows the boys emotional and crude personality he has. The word “slatey” reveals connotations of darkness, roughness and grey which all emphasise the idea that the boys inner personality is one of rough and hardened nature. The grey and roughness also illustrates the idea that the boys past may possibly be one of hardships and trauma that has shaped the character into the hardened killer he is. The words “slatey” and “eyes” come together to create the idea that the boy’s eyes are those of a shadowed and unclear nature, allowing the reader to build the idea of a soulless person. The idea of a soulless being contrasts the idea that the boy has a soul and the idea that he is a Catholic so he must have some inner being in order to fit the common beliefs of that religion. A soulless personality gives off connotations of a Devil figure relating back to the themes of religion and evil that the boy shows in his actions throughout the book. - Matt G
Delete