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The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner

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Submitted By catfish84
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The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner

The Loneliness…. 1
Running freedom, accomplishing something.
World view: negative view of borstal staff, police anyone respectable/ in authority, the army, dukes and ladies them/in - laws
Positive view of criminals, himself, his family, other runners, disreputable people out laws/ us

“Them” and their values * disagree with “us” * Potbellied popeyed bastards” * High expectations quick punishment * Honesty * Control/prestige * Sport * Don’t work

Them and us * Rivalry * Class conflict (upper and working) * Competition * Social differences * War * Try to influence each other * “they” try to catch “us” * “we” try to show independence * “we” try to run away * “we” see what “we” can get out of it/”our” own agenda

Freedom * Being alone, not being judge * Explanation * Experience * Setting the rules * No worries

The Loneliness…2 * The governor doesn’t really know anything important. * Smith knows the world from another perspective. * His view of Borstal: Ok, basic living condition
Teaches him what they´re trying to do to him: scare into being a good citizen/ law-abiding - prepares him to life outside crime – forming him/manipulating him * His hate for everything: in-laws revenge * Why not run away? Not much to complain about * Different kinds of honesty * Running = being alive, being a human * Being dead = not thinking for yourself, being a robot * Power “death”, trapped, dehumanizing.

The loneliness… 4

Narrative structure: Duality 1st person narrator/smith´s perspective, the past tense nad the present tense
Now: out of the borstal
Then: Looking back/ flashbacks, running to train for race.

War between “them” and “us” * Never stops

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