Airman Summary Essay Example

"accomplice" and is thrown into jail on Little Saltee, under the alias Conor Finn. Conor's cellmate, Linus Wynter, an American musician and spy, helps Conor adapt to prison life.

Before long, Conor begins to make deals with a guard named Arthur Billtoe and gangsters called the Battering Rams. Linus soon mysteriously disappears, and Conor believes him dead, as he was told Linus was released, and "release" on Little Saltee usually comes only with death. Two years pass and Conor is 16. He has persuaded Billtoe to plant gardens for inmates to work in. Conor and Otto Malarkey, a Battering Ram, smuggle seven bags of diamonds and hide them in the gardens. Meanwhile, Conor tricks Billtoe in to getting him bed sheets and other materials using an invention and a few good ideas.

Unbeknownst to Billtoe, Conor is using these materials to plan a grand escape during the coronation of Isabella, now old enough to become Queen of the Saltees. The coronation and the arrival of Queen Victoria are approaching and Conor constructs a parachute. He persuades Billtoe to suggest that during the coronation, several hot air balloons are filled with fireworks and released from Little Saltee so that the famous Saltee sharpshooters can shoot the balloons for a grand fireworks display. During the coronation ceremony, Conor escapes from his cell and plants himself in one of the fireworks balloons.

When his balloon is shot down, Conor activates his parachute and crash-lands in Queen Victoria's yacht. Conor, a stowaway on Queen Victoria's private yacht, makes it safely to Kilmore, the Irish village overlooking the Saltees. There he encounters Linus Wynter. The pair finds a tower full of aviation equipment

that was once Victor Vigny's laboratory. Conor constructs a hang-glider and adopts the persona of the Airman, a flying French swordsman. By night, Conor makes flights to Little Saltee, terrorizing the guards and digging up his bags of smuggled diamonds.

Conor's goal is to use the diamonds to start a new life in the United States of America. Conor's plans are interrupted when Bonvilain finds Conor's tower and harms Linus. Linus learns that Bonvilain intends to overthrow the monarchy again by poisoning Isabella and Conor's mother and father. Conor hears this information and decided he must save his father, mother, baby brother, and Queen Isabella. Conor constructs a one-man, gas-propelled aeroplane and flies to Bonvilain's tower. There, he is reunited with Isabella and his family.

Conor, Isabella, and Conor's father, Declan, engage Bonvilain and his guards in a swordfight. The Broekharts and Isabella are victorious. Bonvilain tries escaping on Conor's hang-glider, but is pierced through the heart by Declan Broekhart and is shot at by the guard as his body gradually glides into sea. One month later, Queen Isabella is seeking reform. She has reduced taxes and intends to free the prisoners and hand Little Saltee over to a professional mining firm. Conor is ready to leave for Glasgow University to read for a science degree and appears to be romantic with Isabella.

The Forlorn Tower is in the good hands of "Uncle" (a boy who helped Conor to build the plane before the fight with Bonvilain) and two of his dullards. Linus is to leave with Conor as well, confident about the fact that "in six months we will be the toast of the city. " Conor

is amused. Airman Characters Conor Broekhart - the book's main protagonist. He is thrown in prison and is branded a traitor by the main antagonist Hugo Bonvilain after he witnesses the latter murder the king and his teacher, Victor Vigny. He is known as "Conor Finn" in prison. He escapes two years later on a glider he invented.

He originally planned to travel to America after his escape from Little Saltee but abandoned the idea after learning that his family was in danger. He is dubbed as the "Airman" by the townspeople after seeing him fly. After saving his family from Bonvilain, he travels to London for his studies. Conor is described to be tall, has blond hair and is very pale. He is considered to be handsome by village girls. He loves science and has always been fond of flying ever since he was little. He is in love with Isabella. Isabella - Conor's childhood friend. She is the princess of Great Saltee and the daughter of King Nicholas.

After her father is murdered, she becomes Bonvilain's puppet queen, unaware that he was the one behind her father's murder. She is later crowned the official queen after she turned seventeen. She becomes more mature throughout the book and eventually overpowers Bonvilain. She is described to have a pretty face, dark hair and brown eyes. She is in love with Conor. Declan Broekhart - Conor's father. He is the captain of Saltee's sharpshooters and is a real expert, as he has been described to have never missed a shot. He is tricked by Bonvilain that Victor murdered the king and that his son was killed in the

struggle.

He spends the next two years heartbroken. He comes to his senses when he finds out Conor is alive. Catherine Broekhart - Conor's mother. She is a scientist and supports Conor in his science expeditions with Victor. She refuses to believe Victor is a traitor and doesn't trust Bonvilain. She often acts as an adviser to the young queen, Isabella. Victor Vigny - King Nicholas' friend and Conor's tutor. He is an aeronaut and is an expert in several fields, including fencing and Tai Chi. He is hired as the royal tutor at the beginning of the book for Isabella.

He takes an interest in Conor after seeing him save the princess from a burning tower and decides to teach him as well. He also discovers that he and Conor share their love for flying. He is murdered by Bonvilain after he and King Nicholas discover his crimes and decide to have Bonvilain thrown into prison. King Nicholas - the king of Great Saltee and the father of Isabella. Connor thinks of him as a second father. Unlike the past kings, he helps a lot of the needy in Great Saltee. He loves experiments almost always uses his diamonds in conducting research. He is murdered by the power-hungry Bonvilain.

Hugo Bonvilain - the book's main antagonist. He is the Marshall of Little Saltee. He is believed to be insane, as his lust for power drives him to do anything to reach his goal. He kills the king and Victor, and after discovering Conor as a witness, throws him in Little Saltee and lies to Conor's family, telling them that Conor died. He later plans to kill Isabella

and the Broekharts by poisoned wine but is interrupted by Conor. His crimes are later discovered and he is cornered. He apparently jumps off the castle and into his death after being stabbed by Declan.

Arthur Billtoe - the warden of Little Saltee, the prison. He is described to be very stout and has a cheerful personality, but is fond of torturing the prisoners. He is fooled by Conor into accepting some of his ideas, unaware that they were part of Conor's escape plan. He is branded a prisoner by Bonvilain after learning of Conor's escape. Linus Wynter - a blind American spy who was sent by King Nicholas to spy on Bonvilain in Little Saltee. He befriends Conor. He is later believed to be killed but Conor meets him again in an inn after escaping. He is a talented musician.

He persuades Conor to abandon his escape plan to America and save his family from Bonvilain. Sultan Arif - Bonvilain's right hand man. He is Bonvilain's most trusted man and accompanies him in his exploits. He later abandons Bonvilain, wanting to redeem himself from being involved in Bonvilain's schemes. Otto Malarkey - a prisoner from Little Saltee. He is part of a group called the "Battering Rams" and is hired to "break" Conor everyday in a diving bell. Conor defeats him and then strikes a deal with him. Although angry at first, they befriend each other, with Conor deciding to teach him fencing.

He later persuades Conor to join the Rams. He has a brother named Zeb and sends Conor to him after Conor escapes. It is unknown whether he was released from prison, but it is

most likely since Conor asked for his release. Pike - an airhead prison guard. He witnesses the Airman flying and tries to steal his glider. Uncle - the de facto leader of a small band of boys. He is an expert mechanic and helps Conor assemble his aeroplane. He hates baths. He is later left in charge of Conor's tower after the latter leaves for Glasgow. Sean Broekhart - Conor's little brother. He is born in the two years of Conor's absence.