Explore the ways in which Keith is presented towards Stephen in ‘Spies’

Frayn binds the fragility of youth and secrecy to form the unexpected and dissolution of childhood. His frequent ambiguity eludes the author into what is really the secret, hence the title ‘Spies’. Frayn often ends the last chapters of the novel with ‘Everything is as it was; and everything has changed,’ it is Stephens reflection of his consequences in a world he does not understand; Frayn often emphasises Stephen’s age and naivety with his misinterpretations of events throughout the novel, which then prove disastrous for orbiting characters. A reoccurring theme is the influence of adults on children, the Hayward’s and their son Keith; the extreme opposites of the spectrum-parents, design Keith’s character. Frayn’s narrative begins as a light humorous read; however the consequences of misunderstanding and secrecy inflict severe harm on the book’s characters. As a result Stephen’s world shatters, disguised metaphorically and physically as Stephen’s hideout, the ‘privet’ contains all the secrets and emotions within the two children and the fracturing of their creativity provides the conclusion of the novel with the melancholic truth.

Frayn often refers to Keith’s parents in order to show Keith as an individual but to also provide the reader with insight. When Keith’s father appears it evokes alarm even form his title ‘Keith’s father’ it is a distancing mechanism from everything and throughout the novel Frayn has created a nasty and threatening brute. His whistling- whistling and roses. Almost a program Frayn makes Mr Hayward respond to over again and again for the same purpose each time, to emit fear and threat on his family members, this behaviour is strongly reflected in Keith’s own, Frayn manipulates this situation to be Stephen’s and involves seriously inappropriate uses of a ‘bayonet’ to