1. Spies Development of characters and themes.

2. Stephen He is the main character of the novel. He is first seen in his sixties but is then presented as boy. He is presented through his childhood memories. He is also presented through what may have happened and what did happen. He is an indecisive character. For example: ‘ twice I pick up the phone to book; twice I put it down again’. This is especially shown when he is older/later in the novel. He is seen as more determined when young as he wants to prove himself to Keith. For example when he was going to the tunnel,’ one single heroic deed, to lay at Keith’s feet in the morning.’ He is in a different class from Keith. They go to different schools which is shown by colours ‘yellow and black are the colours of the right preparatory school’ where Keith goes and ‘where all the boys take and pass the common entrance.’ Stephen wears ‘green and black’ where they fail and ‘where half the boys are gangling oafs.’ He is described as having ‘ stick-out ears’ and he doesn’t quite fit in at the close

3. Stephen admires Keith but is also jealous. Bullied at school and is called,’ Weeny Weedy Wheatley’ Stephen says ‘I was acutely aware, even then, of my incomprehensible good fortune in being Keith’s friend’ knows he’s different. He develops from saying things like ‘my father’s a German spy,’ to connecting the ‘lunar calendar’ to the marks in the diary. As the story progresses he grows in confidence and becomes friends with Barbra Berrill, a girl who was their sworn enemy. He finds his family,’ unsatisfactory’ He grows in confidence and is not very happy with the way Keith treats him.

4. Spies Keith Keith’s descriptions through Stephen’s eyes Description of his dress ‘shirt, though, is not too short, his shorts are not too long.’ Complete opposite to Stephen. Very much in charge of friendship, e.g. ‘he was the officer corps…I was the other ranks’ Father like e.g. ‘his playroom as well ordered as the rest of the house.’ calls Stephen ‘old bean’ which is a phrase his father calls him. Whatever he says always seems to happen as he has such a great power over Stephen. He is a very private person and does not tell Stephen about his life at home,’ He is a very private person and does not tell Stephen about his life at home,’

5. Spies Keith Continued Thinks he is higher class then everybody else on the street, therefore hated by the other children,’ he’s so stuck-up. Everyone except you really hates him’ said by Barbra. Takes the whole spying thing very seriously. He has a power over Stephen as he knows that Stephen will do anything he asks him to do. On the other had he does not let on how he knows that she is a German spy. He even says,’ we must defend our homeland from its enemies’ He always wants to be the hero, and can in a way because he has a vivid imagination which keeps Stephen gripped.

6. Spies Parents Big contrast of characters. Keith’s mother ‘she posted letters,’ and was a general house wife. Didn’t have a very strong relationship with Stephen but it progresses though the novel when she enters the ‘den’ She was very relaxed normally had her,’ feet up on the sofa’ She saw Stephen as just a friend of Keith’s but she starts to notice them following her around and talks to Stephen about it. She is often visiting Auntie Dee and lies to Keith and his father as she is really helping Uncle Peter. Keith’s father ‘ headquarters of Keith’s father’s operations, though were the garage.’ and fear of him,’I’ll cane you’ scared Stephen but never actually spoke to him only to Keith.

7. Spies Parents continued Stephens father opposite,’doing a job, too dull to describe,’ he was never home and so did not know his children very well. Stephen didn’t like him much but their relationship develops through the novel. Father is actually German as he uses words like,’ coodle-moodle’ and ‘shnick-shnack’. Stephen was described very like Stephen,’ His appearance was as unsatisfactory as Stephen’s.’ Stephen’s mother is a house wife and in Stephens eyes,’hopelessly ordinary’ she doesn’t have a particularly interesting or large part to play. Did not seem to have any contact with Keith’s mother even though Stephens spent most of his time at their house.

8. Spies Minor characters Barbra Berrill, sister Deirdre who hangs,’ around in the twilight smoking cigarettes,’ with Stephens older brother Geoff. Barbra Berrill same age as Stephen and Keith. Becomes more friendly with Stephen when Keith is not around. She is very girly, as she ‘giggles’ and also uses words like ‘squidgy’. Purposes different ideas like Auntie having a ‘boyfriend’ Auntie Dee suspected of being a spy as she is Keith’s mothers sister and they visited each other frequently. Uncle peter portrayed as a war hero by children as he was in the RAF, Husband of auntie Dee and Keith’s Uncle. Daughter called Milly. The other characters on the street are mentioned, like ‘Mr Gort’ who is supposedly a murderer.

9. Spies Relationships Keith and Stephen relationship changes as Stephen grows more confident and he realises how he is undermined by Keith. Keith more like father and more superior pg 123 ‘we’ve got to start all over again, old bean’ Stephen hiding things from Keith like when mother and Barbra are in hid out. Keith’s mother more trusting of Stephen. When she talks to him in the hid out. Stephen and Barbra Berrill relationship develops. The relationship between Stephen and his parents also changes. Relationship between Keith and his parents is strict as his father often threatens him with ‘I’ll cane you’ Keith’s mother relationship underlines the whole novel as that is were she keeps disappearing off to. It is nt revealed to the reader throughout the whole book.

10. Spies Spying theme Starts,’ my mother, he says reflectively almost regretfully,’ is a German spy.’ Connection with Auntie Dee. Follow her around. Disappearances, manhole theory. The tunnel the box which contains the sock. The cottages. The tramp. She realises that they are following her. Talks to Stephen about it. Barbra berrill wants to get more involved with the spying as she has also been spying on them and the other people on the close.

11. Spies Young and old Young foolish, old look at things differently, in hindsight of old Stephen,’ an itch to take him by the shoulders and shake him’ when talking about his actions. Saying things like,’ it’s a ghost story.’ Old wiser when looking back. Language is very different like older use words like ‘supercilious’ which is very different to the description of Stephen,’ stick out ears’ The fact that the spelling of some of the words used by Stephen and Keith show that they were young, E.g. ‘Secrit’ and ‘Privet’.