Brother In The Land 2i711l

Brother in the Land | Summary On the hillside, Danny encounters a man in a radiation suit, who confiscates his bike, and orders him to "get back to town". Arriving in Skipley, Danny finds the town in ruins, and learns that his family's shop has collapsed, killing his mother. His father and Ben have survived, as they were in the cellar, which the Lodges use as a stockroom. With so much food in their stockroom, the Lodges have plenty to live on, but the other survivors are not so lucky, and as the weeks , people begin fighting over food. Shortly after the war, Danny meets a girl named Kim Tyson, who sums the situation up in the following words: "Cavemen versus gentlemen is no contest." Shortly after Danny meets Kim, the local Commissioner issues an order that "all burned, sick and badly injured persons" should be taken out of the ruins and placed at the roadside so they can be taken to hospital; in fact, the "hospital" is a front for his plan to kill off the worst of the bombcasualties. Later, the Commissioner implements a system of food and fuel rationing, with severe penalties introduced for hoarding. The injured, elderly, and people driven insane by the nuclear attack (known as "Spacers") are given poisoned rations. But Mr. Lodge refuses to hand over his stock and, though Danny and Ben do for ration-cards, they only visit the local feeding centre once. Presently, the Commissioner's men come to the Lodges' shop and arrest Mr Lodge. Moments later, the truck bearing Mr. Lodge is blown up, killing everyone on board, and leaving Danny and Ben orphans. The brothers seek sanctuary at the home of Sam Branwell, a smallholder who, along with several other survivors, has formed a resistance movement called MASADA (an acronym for "Movement to Arm Skipley Against Dictational Authority); their aims are to overthrow the Commissioner and prevent him from creating a feudal society. Other of MASADA include Danny's former P.E. teacher, Keith Rhodes (the one responsible for blowing up the truck) and Kim, who helps out during the day. It is discovered that a virtual concentration camp has been erected outside of Skipley, on the grounds of the Kershaw Farm, with the remaining able-bodied population of the town being used as slave labor under the Commissioner's rule. From a series of defectors, Danny learns that conditions at the camp are reminiscent of those at Belsen. As a result, the of MASADA are forced to step up their campaign of resistance, and, one night, launch a raid on the camp. After a battle, the Commissioner is overthrown, and Branwell is established as the new leader. However, in the months that follow the raid, all of the newly-planted crops fail, due to the effects of radiation poisoning. Meanwhile, Kim's sister (Maureen) is pregnant, and Kim is worried that the baby may be

deformed; in the end, it is born without a mouth, and dies not long afterwards. Foreign troops arrive via helicopter, revealing there were communities all over Europe like Branwell's, which he a "commune" or "communist" society. Believing the Swiss troops would rescue them, the camp foolishly eat many of their rations. In fact, the Swiss confiscate their weapons, and disable the few vehicles they have. By now, the camp's food supplies are exhausted, forcing the people to scavenge for whatever they can find, and many are dying. Gradually, people start to leave in small groups to fend for themselves. Shortly after Branwell dies from exhaustion during the second winter after the war, Danny, Kim, and Ben leave the camp and head to Holy Island, where Danny hopes they will be safe. During the journey to Holy Island, the three encounter a group on motorbikes (Rhodes being one of them) in the village of Osmotherley. Rhodes is about to shoot Danny for the food that he'd found down the side of a sink in a café, but Kim intervenes with a gun, and Rhodes and his buddy are killed. Ben becomes ill with radiation sickness — otherwise known as a "creeping dose" — and dies. Danny and Kim bury him in the garden of an empty house. In the house, Danny finds a ledger, and starts writing an of his experiences after the war. He ends by saying that he plans to leave his behind for future generations to read; he hopes it will warn them not to go down the path which led to the war. Finally, Danny dedicates his story to Ben, his "brother in the land." In 1994, the book was reprinted with a "new final chapter." In this revised ending, Ben still dies, but, rather than leave his behind, Danny takes the ledger with him to Holy Island, and Kim is expecting a baby, the third of Holy Island, with Danny being the father. If the baby survives, it will be named "Ben."

Brother in the Land | Themes Greed In these desperate times, there was no law and rule and people believed in getting as much resources as they possibly could and also to gain power over the others so that they could claim their selves fittest for survival and live a better and relaxed life not caring for others. Throughout the play, people had greed for food, for example: 

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Danny pointed a gun at the Cartwright’s just to get food even though he had plenty of his own food at his home for the moment. People were greedy to preserve food is also evident when Mr. Cartwright shot a kid named Charlie, just to save a few tins of food. Greed for power and weapons is evident when:

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Rhodes blew up the tank of the Civil Defense Team and also killed Danny’s father, Richard. Also, Captain Thiery took over weapons of MASADA and the Civil Defense Team instead of helping the sick and injured people. Another example of greed for power is that when the Civil Defense Team poisoned the wells and water so the people would be their slaves and depend on them for food and other basic necessities. Greed for land is shown when:

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Captain Thiery takes over the land and announces that the location was now under his command. Fight between MASADA and the Civil Defense Team was also for the control of the land as Shadow Man says that it was a bitter fight for the bitter earth. Greed for hope, love and peace, for example:

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Danny had a dream about some monkeys who were snatching away the flowers from him and he dreamed of peace and safety of his parents which shows his desire for peace and also shows his wish that everything would turn back to normal as he saw a newspaper headline in his dream that ‘Peace breaks out!’ Survival of the fittest Only fit people can survive the harsh conditions in such drastic encounters. In this world the fittest people can be the ones who are physically strong and can take care of themselves and their families, who are morally strong, who can fight for their rights, who can face any difficulty with composure, courage and determination without losing hope

and the ones who are willing to live and believe life is for living not wishing for death. 

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Danny – mentally fit – he was able to maintain his composure even after his parents’ death. He didn’t let his sorrow take over when everyone around him was depressed. He always gave hope to people around him, especially to Kim. He had the will to live as he was always hoping to be rescued and seeing smiles on peoples’ faces just because they had their food. Civil Defense Team and MASADA – powerful and resourceful – the Civil Defense Team had a lot of people working for them and also had a lot of food, which helped them to survive. They had weapons and icy control over resources to make people do their biddings. Kim – physically fit – she was healthy and ready to fight and protect herself (she fought bravely with Chris and Tracey when they were after her food and was ready to kill and to keep her things safe) and thus was able to survive till the end like Danny. Maureen and Mike – physically fit- when they went to the Kershaw’s farm to spy, they were called well fed. People who were injured or had lost their senses were not able to survive in these harsh conditions as they were poisoned and shot by the people who were actually supposed to help them i.e. the Civil Defense Team. Friendship This play portrays the examples of the most loyal friendships which were formed in the most difficult situations. Many characters can be seen as the biggest ers of their friends and gave each other hope when all seems lost.

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Danny and Kim --- they ed each other in difficult times. Danny saved Kim’s life from Chris and Tracey when they attacked her with a thick chain and tried to snatch her bag full of food. Whenever Danny, the optimist, lost hope Kim was there to bring his hopes up. Danny was always hopeful and tried to bring Kim’s hopes up whenever she was getting pessimistic. Kim was ready to risk her life and go save Danny when he was captured by the Civil Defense Team. Danny and Alec Booth --- Alec Booth saved the life of Danny when he was captured by the civil defense team, he pretended to kill him and afterwards let him go. Alec again saved Danny’s life when MASADA took over Kershaw’s farm. Danny tried to save Alec’s life when Rhodes was about to shoot him by saying “He’s on our side” but was unsuccessful. Danny and Ben --- both brothers loved each other very well and were friends even though before the blast they fought over normal issues but

after the attack Danny took care of his brother, carried him when he was tired and fed him. Ben diverted the attention of Rhodes when he was pointing a gun at them and as a result lost his life. Desperate times call for desperate measures Desperate times are the difficult times in which no one can even imagine going through them. Desperate measures are the actions which are taken in these difficult times to survive. Throughout the play we come across the examples in which we see characters taking desperate steps in this difficult situation which they would never take in the normal circumstances. 

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Danny pointed a gun at innocent family at Sophie Cartwright’s house just for a few tins of beans. Mr. Cartwright shot a kid named Charlie to save his food supply. Finch shot all the injured people in the hospital to save the medical supplies and food and justified his actions by saying desperate times call for desperate measures. Renton and Laycock ed MASADA after MASADA defeated the Civil Defense Team and they had no other way to survive. People were working at Kershaw’s farm as slaves of the Civil Defense Team just for accommodation, food and water. Walker and Rhodes ran away with months’ supply of food so that they both of them could live a healthy life and stay fit without caring for others. Civil Defense Team poisoned the well so that they could control the water supply and the people would be forced to work at the farm. Civil Defense Team poisoned the food of the sick and injured people so that they wouldn’t have to treat them or take care of them.

Brother in the Land | Character Sketches Character Sketch of Rhodes 

P.E. teacher at a school in Skipley.

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Wore black track suit.

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Holds a whistle.

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Strict --- when the students were not serious during the assembly presentation, he informed them clearly of what their lives would be like in case a nuclear explosion would take place. He had Danny on the detention on the day of the nuclear attack. Extremist --- he was obsessed with the war. Cruel --- he didn’t care for human life. He blew up the tank of the Civil Defense Team without considering that blowing it up might kill innocent people and blowing up the tank meant blowing up the supplies as well and this way no one got benefit and Richard also died. Believes in survival of the fittest --- when he killed Richard he casually asked Danny that long time no see and he was not at all affected by what he had done. He also killed Alec Booth without considering that he was a friend and didn’t deserve to die. Danny disliked him and introduced him by saying, this is Rhodes, and he likes killing people.’ And also Danny said that anyone who was a friend of Rhodes was his enemy. Selfish --- he ran away with Commissioner Walker with a lot of food without caring how the people will survive without it. Character Sketch of Branwell

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He had leadership qualities --- he was calm when Rhodes blew up the tank and reprimanded him calmly. He lowered Rhodes’ weapon when he was ready to shoot anyone who got in his way. He was middle aged. He had strong will power --- he led MASADA to victory against the Civil Defense Team. Believed in desperate times call for desperate measures. When Danny’s father was killed, he was not feeling guilty about the attack but consoled Danny by saying that he didn’t mean it to happen this way. Or this was not meant to happen. Cared for others --- when he found out Danny’s and Ben’s parents had died, he offered to take care of them and tried to convince them to come with him or they would be killed out there in the cruel world. He

also welcomed Mrs. Troy and Craig into the MASADA when Danny told that Mrs. Troy was a family friend. 

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Kind --- took care of others. He also took Danny and Ben in when they were found unconscious after wandering alone and hungry. People of MASADA were well fed as the Civil Defense Team thought Maureen and her friend looked well fed. It proves he took care of people under his command. Intelligent --- after taking over Kershaw’s farm and defeating the Civil Defense Team he didn’t kill people unnecessarily but worked with them for betterment in life. Character Sketch of Shadow Man

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Had long white hair.

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Had great beard.

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Shabby clothes.

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Old.

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Shadow Man is Denny telling his life story in the history class to other students.

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Mesmerizing effects of his sayings.

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He portrays situation from everyone’s perspective.

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Deep thinker --- his sayings have deeper meanings always.

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His speeches were poetic.

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Honest and emotional --- he truly reflects the conditions of the people and typical conditions in which people are living after the war. ‘You can’t put an atom back again.’ It means that the time never comes back, what’s done is done, it can’t come back. Shadow Man mentions an old man and a baby who refers to hope and experience of life. He believes weakness is great power; at certain stages of life that a weak person becomes fearless, for example Danny. Shadow Man is able to describe the feelings of people in a very touching manner as when Danny and Ben were wandering around after their father’s death alone, hungry and hopeless, he said, ’Starved of love, starved of hope.’ He has hoped for life as he says, ‘Life is for living not for wishing for death.’

Character Sketch of Finch 

He was second in command after Commissioner Walker.

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He was councilor of the local government.

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Cruel --- he killed all the badly injured people who came for medical treatment to the makeshift hospital at the Kershaw’s farm. Proud --- he considered himself important and was ready to hide in the bunker for a long time so he can be safe from the blast in case Commissioner Walker died and he had to take over. Selfish --- he was well fed when people surrounding him who were his responsibility were living in cruel environment. As Renton said that he was the well fed looking one usually accompanied by couple of armed guards. He enjoyed Christmas with wine and good food with his Civil Defense Team when people desperately needed food and medical supplies. He justified all the killings and his cruel acts of killing innocent people by saying desperate times call to desperate measures. He had no respect for mankind. Played God by killing people which he thought were injured and not going to survive and he also thought that it was a waste to spend food and medical supplies on them. Power hungry --- he along with his team made people slaves and made them work at the farm in very cruel conditions. Character Sketch of Kim

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15 years old girl. Tomboy --- she didn’t worry about her appearance. She was ready to fight like boys and considered she was independent and capable of taking care of herself. Came to visit her sister at the time of the nuclear attack. Pessimistic --- whenever Danny said things were going to get better she said that she didn’t think so. Whenever Danny thought that he was going to get rescued she thought he was being silly. Short tempered --- she was ready to kill Chris when he tried to steal her bag pack full of food. Didn’t believe in God --- she thought God wouldn’t kill so many people.

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Didn’t believe in help of God --- she said, ‘Dear God, thanks for killing everyone else and leaving us to live in this hell hole for the rest of our life.’ Believed in the survival of the fittest --- she was ready to kill anyone who was there to hurt her as she said to Danny when he asked her why she was about to kill Chris that he would have done the same to her. Brave and loyal --- she volunteered to participate in the attack on the Civil Defense Team even though it was very dangerous. Appeared hard and harsh but soft and caring from the heart --- she was polite to Ben and shared her food with Ben when he was hungry. Caring friend --- she gave Danny courage when he lost hope after Ben’s death. She thought things once gone wrong couldn’t be amended or fixed as she had no hope for the future. Always felt negative things about the others --- she didn’t trust Danny even though he saved her life from Chris and Tracey and said to him if he tried to steal her food she will hurt him. She ed MASADA but she wasn’t ready to kill innocent people like Rhodes. Tough --- she was able to survive alone before she ed MASADA or met Danny. Character Sketch of Danny

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Fun and energetic.

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Has great sense of humour.

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15 years old.

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Lives in Skipley.

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British.

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Hated his hometown in the beginning because he thought it was boring. Optimistic --- after attack he thought that he was going to be rescued and he thought that after eating food all the people looked happy as their stomachs were full and he also expected things that they would get better. Sentimental and emotional --- he got angry when his father died and lost hope for a while when he says to Branwell it is better to die rather

than to live in this world. He couldn’t control his anger when Rhodes killed his friend who had saved him from the Civil Defense Team. 

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Caring brother --- took care of Ben as he gave him his coat when he was cold and also carried him when he was tired. Good judge of character --- he knew from the start that Rhodes was a cruel man with a cruel tendency to hurt people. Kim over exaggerated the hopelessness of the situation. Branwell was a good man. Kim thought that he was naïve because he expected the good from people and hoped for the best even in the worst situations. Brave and intelligent --- he bravely fought with the Civil Defense Team and didn’t panic or lose control when he was caught by the Civil Defense Team. He pretended to be a spacer so the team wouldn’t force him to reveal any secrets of the MASADA. Loyal --- he didn’t reveal the secrets of the MASADA. He saved Kim when she was in trouble. Felt guilty after pointing a gun at the Cartwright’s. Valued human life --- he stopped Kim from killing Chris. He did not volunteer for the ambush because he thought innocent people died in such attacks he said, ‘not always the right people get killed’.