The Cone Gatherers Lady Runcie-Campbell

Her role in the novel The action takes place on her Estate She represents the old order, wealth, privilege She requests the deer drive, which Duror usurps to his own end Duror is able to manipulate her as she defers to him when she makes decisions – this is her flaw She struggles with the internal conflict of her “duty” as a member of the upper class and her faith which would expect her to treat the lower class as equals Her actions at the beach hut offend Neil so greatly he refuses to help her when Roderick climbs a tree She concludes the novel because in Calum’s death and sacrifice she understands that hope can come from tragedy – an important theme following two World Wars

1. The setting “A private fence of giant silver firs” ‘private fence’ suggests a barrier between the classes, the upper and working classes are on different sides. LRC represents the old order, but Roderick is the character who understands that the future lies in a classless world. ‘giant silver firs’ suggests the scale of this barrier, ‘silver’ suggesting the huge wealth of the Runcie-Campbells This ‘fence’ symbolises the barrier between the classes and suggests that one of the important themes in this novel will be class conflict. In addition it foreshadows that a key incident which will bring about the conclusion of the novel will happen on one of these trees

2. The Deer Drive “Now when he was going to lie again, knowing it would implicate her in his chosen evil …” Here the lie is that Duror will require the men as beaters and even though he knows Calum is appalled by the death of animals (foreshadowed in the earlier incident with the rabbit) he wants to use him. If LRC agrees she becomes implicated (involved) and he will use her flaw (he knows she defers to him) to his own ends – to get rid of Calum who offends him because of his deformity.

2. The Deer Drive “It astonished him that she, so generally good, should be helping him in his plan of evil.” The “evil” of Duror’s plan is emphasised by contrasting it with her goodness. This shows us that the conflict between good and evil is an important theme in this novel and that at this stage evil is beginning to get the upper hand. “plan” suggests something carefully organised and this shows us the twistedness of Duror’s mind and the horror of Calum’s situation that there should be a deliberate plot against him. This suggests Calum is the innocent character and that by contrast Duror’s evil becomes all the more clear. “helping him” shows us that even though she was unaware of it without LRC’s help Duror’s plan could not succeed.

3. Her flaw “She would have given the cone-gatherers the use of the beach hut, if Duror had not dissuaded her” Several times in this novel Duror takes advantage of LRC’s flaw that she defers to Duror. Crucially here the squalor of the cone gatherer’s “greasy shed” forms a contrast to the “great house” symbolising the vast gap between the rich (upper) and the poor (working) classes. This manipulation of LRC takes place before the Deer Drive and suggests that Duror had planned to treat the men badly even before they arrived. It shows the reader that by herself LRC was a good person but was easily persuaded by Duror to go against her nature.

3. Her flaw “I am going to abide by your decision” Here LRC has sought Duror’s advice about whether or not her son Roderick should be allowed a gun at the Deer Drive. His advice is had he his own son he would not have permitted it. What’s crucial here is that she “abides” suggesting that she will rest easily on his decision which shows us how easy it was for Duror to get his evil plan past her and how she would not have questioned it.

3. Her Flaw “Do you mind if I consult my gamekeeper for a second?” This is later in the novel when a decision needs to be taken as to when the Cone Gatherers are to leave the estate following the Beach Hut incident. The word choice “consult” again suggests that LRC is not able to decide until she has heard Duror’s view – with his advice taken the Cone Gatherers will stay long enough for Roderick to climb the tree, Neil to refuse help and to ‘offend’ the Lady again and for Duror to then to have his excuse to kill Calum. FYI: LRC is crucial to the novel for without her weakness the Cone Gatherers would have been properly housed, been excused the Deer Drive and have safely left the estate. She symbolises the political and social weaknesses of the 1930s and 40s which allowed much evil (including Hitler – whom Duror symbolises) to get away with their plans leading to the sacrifice of many innocents.

4. Her internal conflict “duty” Is a force which works within LRC. She sees that she has a duty as a member of the upper classes to visit Peggy Duror but takes no pleasure in it. “She’s a good woman, but she’s got a code to live by …” Following the incident at the Beach Hut Mr Tulloch attempts to explain to Neil why LRC acted the way that she did. Here the conflict between her nature “a good woman” and her “duty” – “a code to live by” becomes clear. LRC sees the world in its upper and lower orders and that you must follow pre determined rules (code). The fact that these duties / rules don’t always match her Christian beliefs create internal conflict for LRC.

4. Her Internal Conflict “We carried dogs in the car” This is Roderick’s complaint after LRC avoids giving the Cone Gatherer’s a life back from their day out in Lendrick. The fact that they had been treated well in the town forms a contrast with the way Duror and even LRC treats them – here “dogs” suggests the cone gatherers are treated even lower than Duror’s working animals. “Ought I to offer these people a lift …?” “these people” suggests that LRC believes that offer the life would have contravened her “code” – she also believes they would have been embarrassed if she had offered it to them. The phrase “Ought I …” suggests that she does question what she should have done and struggles with the answer.

5. The Beach Hut “The door was flung open to the accompaniment of the loudest peal of thunder since the start of the storm …” Here the pathetic fallacy is used to create a dramatic and threatening atmosphere. “Loudest” suggests that the novel is coming to its climax and that the decision LRC is going to take is the most important one in the novel. “I shall certainly see to it that they don’t stay long in the wood after this … I have never heard of such impertinence … After the war the lower orders are going to be frightfully presumptuous …” “I shall certainly see to it” suggests that LRC plays the most important part here. “Impertinence” suggests that LRC feels that her property and her status have been offended by the cone gatherer’s using her beach hut. “Lower orders” shows that once again she sees working class people as her inferiors. “Frightfully presumptuous …” hints at her fear of change and shows that it is not her generation but Roderick’s which will be able to cope with social change.

6. She provokes Neil “We were driven out like slaves Mr Tulloch, her dog was to be saved from the storm, but not my brother… did she think we were monkeys who would bite her?” LRC’s forcing of the Cone Gatherer’s out of her beach hut has a pofound effect on Neil (who symbolises the working classes). “Slaves” suggests that working class people are treated badly and even cruelly by the upper classes. The animal references to “dog” and “monkey” suggests that Neil feels that she has treated them worse than animals. His resentment will impact upon the conclusion of the novel when he refuses to help LRC. Mr Tulloch tries to explain: “She’s a good woman, but she’s got a code to live by …” (see earlier slide).

6. She provokes Neil “She can not one day treat us lower than dogs, and next day order us to do her bidding … if she wishes our help let her come and ask for it …” This is Neil’s reply to Graham when he is sent by LRC to get the Cone Gatherer’s help in rescuing Roderick. Burning with resentment at being treated worse than a dog Neil refuses. “Bidding” suggests responding to a higher command – Neil’s answer shows that he sees himself as her equal, if she needs their help she should come – this connects to the idea of social conflict, the upper classes can no longer expect the lower classes to automatically respond. However, this is also fateful. Upon hearing this, Duror “stalks” after the Cone Gatherers, suggesting he is now hunting them down like prey. They have offended his Lady and he is at his most menacing.

7. Her grief concludes the novel “She could not pray, but she could weep: and as she wept pity and purified hope and joy welled up in her heart.” Calum has been murdered by Duror and hangs from a tree dripping blood and cones from his bag. This scene is like Mary (mother of Jesus) weeping at the feet of her crucified son. “Purified hope” suggests that Calum’s death was not pointless as ‘purified’ suggests an evil has been cleansed out – like the sacrificed innocents in wartime Calum’s death suggests a better future and this “hope” brings “joy” to LRC’s heart. Thus LRC is a changed character – she understands the tragedy of the cruel death of Calum at the hands of Duror but it brings her to her senses. She now feels the pity she had not felt before: the blood of Calum (like the blood of Christ) has purified her from her sins.