The Cone GatherersChapter One – Theme of Conflict

CHAPTER 1 SUMMARY

In this chapter we are introduced first of all to the brothers Neil and Calum who are high in the trees gathering cones. So much of the wood is being used for war purposes that it will have to be reseeded with these cones. Calum is absolutely at home in the trees, helping his brother down from the trees, though on the ground he is clumsy because of his deformity.

We find out that Calum is very compassionate to animals and sensitive to their pain and has released some rabbits from the traps which Duror, the keeper, has set. For this reason, Duror hates the two brothers (Calum in particular) and wants them out of the wood. They come across a snared rabbit with both its front paws broken. Calum cannot bring himself to put it out its misery.

CHAPTER 1 SUMMARY

Duror has been watching them in ‘an icy sweat of hatred’ his gun aimed at the hunchback Calum. The wood was his refuge but now he thinks it is polluted by this ‘freak’. Also he says the two brothers are defiling with refuse the area around their hut.

He kills the rabbit with one blow and then makes his way to the brothers’ dirty hut, where he spies on them obsessively. Throughout these early pages the dominant emotion is Duror’s savage hatred for the brothers, whom he calls sub-human.

Opening chapters

The SQA often sets a question which asks about the opening chapter of a novel and how it goes on to influence the rest of the book.

Chapter One of ‘The Cone Gatherers’ is such a chapter – it introduces us to a theme which will run throughout the novel:

Conflict

Conflict in the SETTING

The beautiful ‘Garden of Eden’ style woodland:

Techniques (1):

Word choice: “it was a good tree” “many cones” “much sunshine” “homely” “rests”

Conflict and Contrast

On page one of the novel we immediately perceive the conflict going on between the setting in time and place. The forest is beautiful but the background of the war affects everything.

The forest is described positively at this point; it is almost like the biblical Garden of Eden “it was a good tree”, “many cones”, “much sunshine” P.1. Word choice is used to give an impression of goodness and abundance. Imagery is also used: “its topmost branches as comfortable as chairs”.

Techniques 2:

Simile “its topmost branches as comfortable as

chairs” Sentence Structure The long sentence which builds up the

idea of perfection is placed at the start of the chapter.

Conflict in the SETTING

Into this perfect setting (microcosm) the evils of World War 2 (macrocosm) begin to creep in:

Techniques (1):

Alliteration: “the sun slip” “a destoyer had steamed seawards with a

sailor singing cheerfully” “aeroplanes had shot down from the sky” Onomatopoeia: “gunshots had cracked far off in the

wood”

Contrast caused by Conflict

However this perfection is lost – a contrast begins between the perfect setting and the conflict caused by the war.

We are also introduced to the conflict between social classes. As we see Neil’s bitterness towards the mansion and the way the estate contrasts with the accommodation of the cone-gatherers.

A further contrast inside the SETTING

The conflict between rich and poor The Rich “mansion” “the great house”

A further contrast inside the SETTING

The Poor Images “a greasy shed” “hardly bigger than a rabbit hutch” Assonance “the ground round about was filthy with their

refuse and ordure”

The symbol of the division between rich and poor

“private fence of giant silver firs”

Look at all the connotations:

“private fence of giant silver firs” “private” – the poor are to be kept out “fence” – there is a barrier between rich and

poor “giant” – the division is huge “silver” – suggestions of wealth”

Conflict in CHARACTERISATION

Calum McPhie Introduced as an innocent character, in touch with

nature. He empathises with all creatures and hates to see suffering. Although he is infirm in body he has a beautiful, innocent mind that matches his face.

“chaffinches fluttered round him” Connotations with

St Francis of Assisi

Calum McPhie

“his sunburnt face was alert and beautiful with trust” “he (Neil) knew what Calum represented, pity so

meek” “on the misshapen lump of his body sat a face so

beautiful and guileless to be a diabolical joke” Note the use of oxymoron to draw our attention to

Calum’s face and the juxtoposition between his beautiful nature on the inside and his hideous shape on the outside

John Duror

On the other hand, Duror is the personification of evil. Although he is strong in body, his mind is rotten, black and twisted as he lurks in the Garden of Eden-like Ardmore forest.

Although his job as gamekeeper dictates him to live closely with nature, he seems to despise life, especially if it is not perfect in his opinion. He becomes obsessed to the point of perversion with Calum and convinces himself that he has to kill Calum to be free of his torment.

Durors unreasonable hatred for Calum should resonate with the reader as a link with the atrocities performed by the Nazis in WW2

Extended metaphor

A metaphor is used to describe his growing hatred of the Cone Gatherers:

“the overspreading tree of revulsion in him”

“the overspreading tree of revulsion in him”

Look at the connotations in this expression: “overspreading” – it will touch a number of

things / people around it “overspreading” – it will cast shade /

darkness “tree” – it has roots (“but he (Duror) could not

tell the force which made it grow”) “revulsion” – a powerful word for dislike

The roots

“Since childhood Duror had been repelled by anything living that had imperfection or deformity or lack”

Roots – in particular where evil comes from / what causes humans to do dreadful things – is a major theme in the book

This is drawn out by the title ‘The Cone Gatherers’ – cones are seeds from which trees grow

His obsessive dislike:

“He had waited over an hour to see them pass”

“Duror was alone in his obsession” “but in him was a force more powerful than

common sense or pride. He could not name it, but it dragged him irresistibly down towards that hut”

His fantasy:

“He saw himself returning, kicking open the door, shouting at them in disgust, and then blasting them both to everlasting perdition. He felt an icy hand on his brow as he imagined that hideous but liberating fratricide.”

Note the word choice (verbs):

“He saw himself returning, kicking open the door, shouting at them in disgust, and then blasting them both to everlasting perdition. He felt an icy hand on his brow as he imagined that hideous but liberating fratricide.”

Note the outcome:

“He saw himself returning, kicking open the door, shouting at them in disgust, and then blasting them both to everlasting perdition. He felt an icy hand on his brow as he imagined that hideous but liberating fratricide.”

Duror believes that killing the Cone Gatherers (in particular Calum) will set him free from the growing internal conflict

This fantasy sequence foreshadows the violent end of the novel.

Key incidents

A number of key incidents bring out the theme of conflict

Two are worth reflecting on The conflict over what to do with the rabbit

caught in the trap The scene at the Cone Gatherers’ hut at the

end of the chapter

The rabbit in the trap

“it pounded on the grass making choking noises”

Issues

“both front paws are broken” “it would not be able to run” “it would be at the mercy of its many enemies” It would be a kindness to kill it but Calum is unable to

kill: “I couldn’t, Neil.” This creates internal conflict (“sobbing in his

quandary”) in Calum – he wants a good option but there are none.

Duror has no such quandary – this is yet another contrast with Calum. Calum’s compassion is contrasted with Duror’s lack of it.

“When he did kneel, on one knee, to break the rabbit’s neck with one blow, it was like an act of sacrifice, so swift, so efficient, and somehow so purposeful.”

Note Jenkins’ use of alliteration of the letter ‘s’ to draw our attention to the cold killing of the rabbit.

The closing scene

A contrast is drawn between the quiet homely life of the two brothers

The meal of potatoes Neil reading the paper Calum skilfully carving a squirrel

“To Duror it had been the final defeat that such an ability should be in a half-man, a freak, an imbecile. He had read that the Germans were putting idiots and cripples to death in gas chambers. Outwardly, as everybody expected, he condemned such barbarity; inwardly, thinking of idiocy and crippledness not as abstractions but as embodied in the crouchbacked cone-gatherer, he had profoundly approved.”

Contrast the homely scene with what was going on in Duror’s mind

“He saw himself returning, kicking open the door, shouting at them in disgust, and then blasting them both to everlasting perdition. He felt an icy hand on his brow as he imagined that hideous but liberating fratricide.”

“Surely their deaths … could not be called murder” Duror’s final solution for the cone gatherers is

compared to Hitler’s final solution for the Jews.

The essay:

Explain how Robin Jenkins explores the theme of conflict between good and evil in chapter one of “The Cone Gatherers.”

In your answer you should refer to setting, characterisation, metaphor and key incidents.