The Simple Gift Chapter 6
Chapter 6 Summary – Friends
Chapter 6 is all based the strengthening of friendship between the characters of Caitlin and Bill and of Old bill and Billy. In the section Comfort Bill talks about how he hated school and didn’t have any friends. The repetition of the negative quotes in the section emphasises how Billy did not belong in his old environment. “I never talked to girls, I hardly talked to anyone. Sure, I answered questions from teachers and occasionally I’d talk to some guys I’d know for years. But I didn’t have any friends”. This links back to the harsh and abusive environment Billy grew up in, as stated in previous chapters.
The chapter also highlights how Caitlin, similar to Billy, hates private school, and hates the routine that follows when she gets home to her parents. She also recognises that she has more that she really needs in her life and she just wants to spend time with Billy. This is shown in the quote “this big ugly five bedroom million dollar brick box that we live in.” This juxtaposes the feelings that Billy has, as he feels that he is very happy with the new simple life he now lives and this is expressed when he says “living in this carriage is special, its mine”; which links back to how Billy know feels that he belongs in this new environment.
As mentioned before this chapter also highlights the relationship that is building between Old Bill and Billy. In the quote Old bill say “I like the kid”, shows how Old Bill is creating a strong relationship with Billy. In the section Hobos like us you get the strong feeling that Old Bill hates being woken early and interfered with, as mentioned as well in previous chapters. However Billy keeps interfering and looks after Old Bill by giving him “a bowl of weet-bix and a cup of coffee from McDonald’s kept hot in a thermos overnight”. This sense of mateship shows that Billy and Old Bill are starting to feel that they belong.
Other quotes:
“In my bedroom reading” – Billy
This quote
Chapter 6 is all based the strengthening of friendship between the characters of Caitlin and Bill and of Old bill and Billy. In the section Comfort Bill talks about how he hated school and didn’t have any friends. The repetition of the negative quotes in the section emphasises how Billy did not belong in his old environment. “I never talked to girls, I hardly talked to anyone. Sure, I answered questions from teachers and occasionally I’d talk to some guys I’d know for years. But I didn’t have any friends”. This links back to the harsh and abusive environment Billy grew up in, as stated in previous chapters.
The chapter also highlights how Caitlin, similar to Billy, hates private school, and hates the routine that follows when she gets home to her parents. She also recognises that she has more that she really needs in her life and she just wants to spend time with Billy. This is shown in the quote “this big ugly five bedroom million dollar brick box that we live in.” This juxtaposes the feelings that Billy has, as he feels that he is very happy with the new simple life he now lives and this is expressed when he says “living in this carriage is special, its mine”; which links back to how Billy know feels that he belongs in this new environment.
As mentioned before this chapter also highlights the relationship that is building between Old Bill and Billy. In the quote Old bill say “I like the kid”, shows how Old Bill is creating a strong relationship with Billy. In the section Hobos like us you get the strong feeling that Old Bill hates being woken early and interfered with, as mentioned as well in previous chapters. However Billy keeps interfering and looks after Old Bill by giving him “a bowl of weet-bix and a cup of coffee from McDonald’s kept hot in a thermos overnight”. This sense of mateship shows that Billy and Old Bill are starting to feel that they belong.
Other quotes:
“In my bedroom reading” – Billy
This quote