A comparison between Beka Lamb and a kestrel for a knave?

Answer 1

In both texts the main focus is on two individuals who face different hardships. In both texts the main character has a best friend ( who eventually dies), the difference however is noted in the time period in which each best friend affects the main character. For billy in A Kestrel For A Knave his best friend is a kestrel (Kes) even though his friend is a bird the impact it has on the character is to be noted. Due to the amount of care the bird requires billy no longer has time nor motive to participate in disruptive behaviour. The change for billy occurs while his best friend is alive. on the other hand in Beka Lamb the main character Beka begins to change as a result of her friends death. after the death of toycie it can be seen where beka becomes more focused and determined she conquers her habit of lying and she improve academically.

The main character in both texts have a problem when it comes to society accepting the. Bekas problem arises when she is unaware of her true identity, at school she is taught one way and at home she is expected to act another. Beka coming from a middle class family is looked down upon by the upper class and scorned because of her life style by the lover class. she is unaware of where she belongs in society. Billy is from the lower class, he resides on the "Estate" (irony) billy is ostracised by society because of where he is. Billy trough out the text struggles for acceptance. his life is made difficult by the friends he used to keep, his bad relationship with his brother and his mother (there is strong suggestion that she is a prostitute). these factors cause society to look down on Billy.

family also varies in the two books. in Beka Lamb, beka's familly is very supportive and close problems are resolved through the help of all the members. in contrast Billys family is estranged and there is great tension bettween billy and his older brother Jud. Billy's mother is portrayed as selfish and unreliable.

Answer 2

both beka and billy the main characters of each novel exhibits qualities which infer that they are both searching for their true identity, beka as a flat rate belizean creole and billy as a delinquent troublemaker! we see the fact that these two characters do not fit in their school system and their teacher do nothing to help because in their view there is no way to reach these children and it is also a way of increasing oppression.

what is evident is the fact that there is a ray of hope in both books in the form of teacher which encourages these kids to be better. beka has an internal conflict because she doesn't know how to move forward without loosing her past she also is unaware of how to join her native values/practices and those she is taught at school, sister Gabriella says to her that she must embrace them both and not forgetting any! on the other hand billy does not see away out of the life he is currently living, all he sees in his future is working in the coal mines. Mr farthings interest in his kestrel and his knowledge about the subject of raising and training of the bird gives billy hope for something different.

both billy and beka have a best friend who impacts there life in a drastic way.

billy has kes while she is alive as she provides an alternative for billy who stops giving trouble and devotes his time to her care, she is alls responsible for giving billy hope. Beka is unable to achive while her best friend toycie is alive she constantly living in her shadow, when toycie dies beka in order to honour

her memory strives for excellence