Wider Reading
Wider Reading In Kestrel For A Knave, Hines presents most of Billy’s schooling, and his teachers of any significance that we encounter, in a negative way. The very first teacher we encounter, Mr Gryce, typifies that impression. He is the head teacher of the school and is very strict. The first word Hines uses to describe him is “furious” which gives the reader a notion of what he is like. He walks around with a cane to intimidate the children. During assembly he shouts at a boy for coughing, even though he clearly didn’t see who it was. I think that this aspect of his character is not really convincing or realistic at least not by the standards of my own school. This has the effect of making me question Hines’ characterisation, but it does at least make his attitude towards Billy’s teachers very clear.