How important is he to the early stages of the novel Essay Example

dismisses Keith's belief in relation to the Juice moving into Trewinnick. Additionally, Frayn highlights Keith's overactive imagination and suggests that many of his claims must be false, with the benefit of adult hindsight. For instance, Keith is the one who believes Trewinnick, the mysterious house, was occupied by the sinister organisation, Juice. Evidence of Keith's imagination can be seen on page 13, where he claims to have seen a talking monkey.

Keith's overactive imagination is evident in various instances. For example, on page 18, Keith believes that his father, dressed in a Home Guard uniform, was actually working undercover for the secret service. The most significant display of Keith's vivid imagination occurs on page 28 when he boldly claims that his mother is a German spy. According to Frayn, this statement sets the tone for the rest of the novel and reinforces Keith's tendency to imagine things. Frayn suggests that Keith's declarations may have come out of nowhere, lending further credibility to his imaginative nature.

Stephen perceives Keith as part of an idealized family. Keith commutes to school on a racing cycle and possesses meticulously crafted clockwork racing cars and speed boats, as described by Stephen. In contrast, Stephen opines on page 14 that not only is his house unsuitable for guests, but his bedroom as well. It is worth noting that Keith has a separate playroom in addition to his bedroom, while Stephen must share his bedroom with his older brother Geoff. Frayn underscores the disparity between Keith and Stephen's living arrangements when discussing the gulf that exists between them.

In contrast to Keith, Stephen has to share a bedroom with his brother, which is filled

with a chaotic mess of string, plasticine, electric flex, forgotten socks, and dust. Frayn uses phrases such as "forgotten socks" to illustrate the difference between Keith and Stephen, creating a visual image of untidiness that contrasts with Keith's perfection. Even the chickens in Keith's family live elegant lives, highlighting their superiority. This difference between Keith and Stephen exemplifies how Keith and those associated with him live superior lives, while for Stephen and most people, chickens do not hold such status. Keith is clearly influenced by his father's class-conscious self and, to a lesser extent, by his mothers. Stephen, on the other hand, is a more natural and normal child who does not share the inherent prejudices of Keith's parents. Without questioning it, Stephen accepts Keith's status as both a hero and a product of his overactive imagination.

Overall, it is evident that there is a strong relationship between the two boys, Stephen and Keith. Keith assumes a dominant role while Stephen appears subservient and loyal to him. Frayn's portrayal of Keith's dominance parallels the wartime childhood, where different countries assert their dominance over each other depending on the outcome of the war.