The Running Man Essay
-------------------------------------------------
Essay- in class the running man - Things are not always what they seem
Throughout the novel of ‘The running man’ the theme ‘things are not always what they seem’ is a consistent idea in the text. Michael Gerard Bauer’s narrative is a story of the value of perception as characters are constantly being mis-judged. Like Mrs. Mossop, josephs ‘nosey’ neighbour, the ‘dangerous, sick man’ known as Tom Layton and The Running Man who is described as the ‘stuff from nightmares’.
Josephs neighbour, Mrs. Mossop, is the towns source of gossip and ‘there was very little that she didn’t know about [the] neighbourhood’. In the text Mrs. Mossop is perceived by majority of Ashgrove Avenue’s residence, as a busy body who is always getting her ‘beak into everything fossicking around for juicy snippets of gossip.’ However we discover later on in the novel when Mrs. Mossop is trying to warn Joseph of the dangers of Mr Layton, that she was sexually abused as a young girl. The elderly lady claims she knows what it is like to be called someone’s ‘love and secret and special girl’. By discovering Mrs. Mossop’s secret Joseph can now fully understand the reason behind the elderly lady’s behaviour and her need to always be in the know. This shows how by not knowing someone’s full story, you can not accurately judge them, like many other characters in the running man.
Another character that is mis-judged, is none other than Tom Layton. Rumours are spread about him of ‘deformity and madness and as well as more sinister tales that could only be revealed in sly whispers.’ Mr. Layton is one of Mrs. Mossop’s favourite topics of gossip and the town of Ashgrove all listen eagerly to the controversial rumours that spread like wildfire. But Few people know of Mr. Layton’s deepest darkest secrets and one who does, is Joseph. The night that the young boy finds Tom drunk in the cellar, he learned of how he killed the young Vietnam boy and why he
Essay- in class the running man - Things are not always what they seem
Throughout the novel of ‘The running man’ the theme ‘things are not always what they seem’ is a consistent idea in the text. Michael Gerard Bauer’s narrative is a story of the value of perception as characters are constantly being mis-judged. Like Mrs. Mossop, josephs ‘nosey’ neighbour, the ‘dangerous, sick man’ known as Tom Layton and The Running Man who is described as the ‘stuff from nightmares’.
Josephs neighbour, Mrs. Mossop, is the towns source of gossip and ‘there was very little that she didn’t know about [the] neighbourhood’. In the text Mrs. Mossop is perceived by majority of Ashgrove Avenue’s residence, as a busy body who is always getting her ‘beak into everything fossicking around for juicy snippets of gossip.’ However we discover later on in the novel when Mrs. Mossop is trying to warn Joseph of the dangers of Mr Layton, that she was sexually abused as a young girl. The elderly lady claims she knows what it is like to be called someone’s ‘love and secret and special girl’. By discovering Mrs. Mossop’s secret Joseph can now fully understand the reason behind the elderly lady’s behaviour and her need to always be in the know. This shows how by not knowing someone’s full story, you can not accurately judge them, like many other characters in the running man.
Another character that is mis-judged, is none other than Tom Layton. Rumours are spread about him of ‘deformity and madness and as well as more sinister tales that could only be revealed in sly whispers.’ Mr. Layton is one of Mrs. Mossop’s favourite topics of gossip and the town of Ashgrove all listen eagerly to the controversial rumours that spread like wildfire. But Few people know of Mr. Layton’s deepest darkest secrets and one who does, is Joseph. The night that the young boy finds Tom drunk in the cellar, he learned of how he killed the young Vietnam boy and why he