2. The deer drive
Chapter 6 is a very significant chapter as it contains the first key incident in the
novel and can also be considered a turning point. This is because Duror finally
understands why he despises Calum and wishes to not only drive him out of
the wood, but destroy him. It is the first time that the other characters become
aware of Duror’s psychological instability and during this chapter, our opinion of
Duror is altered dramatically. It illustrates the point that not only is Duror
becoming more and more deranged but he is also becoming depraved,
contriving stories and planting them into the mind of others in order to relieve
his own anguish.
3. Summary
Duror has a plan to drive the CG out of the woods in an astute manner by using
Calum’s hatred of cruelty. He calculates that during the deer drive, Calum will
offend LRC in some way and this would provoke their exile. Calum does ruin
the deer drive as expected, turning the day into a fiasco due to his
overwhelming compulsion to help lesser beings - despite being ‘lesser’ himself.
Roderick is witness to the unfair treatment of the CG and he feels indignation,
knowing they were not to blame. This begins his rebellion and defiance of his
mother. Tulloch also intercedes, making Calum out to be a morally superior
figure.
4. Duror
Duror’s envy and darkness grows within his mind and he spirals further into madness.
The intermittence of beauty and grotesque deformity is unnatural to Duror.
Duror despises Calum because he is the personification of his stunted life(due to Peggy) and he is also unnatural (just like Duror’s life). Duror’s
inwards appearance is mirrored in Calum’s outward appearance. Duror hates him so strongly because he does not believe that something so
grotesque can possess the abilities he does; to be compassionate, to climb, build, love and be happy despite being deformed and imperfect - it
is beyond Duror’s comprehension and Calum opens up his mind to that fact.
Duror dislikes the fact that he envies the CG’s relationship, that he looks up to them in a way. In the chapters that precede 6, it is said Duror
has a longing, ‘not to be with this beautiful woman, but under the cypress tree, near the brothers’(57). This helps to illustrate how we wants to be
‘a 3rd brother’ and needs their bond they share. The fact that Calum is not only is associated with him but he is actually necessary to him defiles
and repels Duror.Therefore he seeks to destroy him in an attempt to alleviate his own torment and eradicate nature’s mistake.
Subsequent to The Deer Drive, both the reader and the characters around Duror see him in a very different way. As a consequence of letting his
mask slip, he reveals the disintegration of his mind and body. He is said to be, ‘unshaven, pale’ with the appearance of a ‘drunk man’. He is also
‘like a man talking in his sleep’, ‘mumbling’ and making incoherent, ‘not very relevant remarks.’ Duror’s appearance suggests that he is
somewhat ill and his disorganised orders make him look mad. This also contributes to the setting as the Gamekeeper conducting the event is
clearly not suitable - suggesting there could be peril or danger due to his ‘fragmentary and elusive thoughts.’
The demise of the helpless deer has an effect on the characters around, Graham wanting to call Duror ‘beast’ and LRC thinking he is ill. It is
also altered the reader’s perception of Duror. Before, we felt sympathy for him due to his miserable domestic life and sexual frustration, but now
we feel very intimidated and slightly scared by his propensity for violence and capacity for evil.
.
5. Duror’s change of character
Change in character
In page 84-85 we see a change in Duror’s character as he becomes animalistic and instinctive. He
laughs at the commotion, in some sort of ‘berserk joy.’ He advances upon the helpless deer and,
‘savagely’ slits its throat, suggesting a change from human to animal (exemplifying his propensity for
violence and forees further demise of innocence through Calum’s death.) Subsequent to the deer’
murder Duror becomes mournful, withdrawing into himself as he believes he’s killed his wife, Peggy.
Promptly after realising the misery will continue, he is embittered and conclusively decides he must
destroy the little cone gatherer and all his beauty.
“If the crooked little imbecile was sent back to Ardmore, he’d live happily whilst here in the wood
Duror’s own torment continued.’’ This helps to illustrate the point that Duror will not be satisfied until he
completely destroys Calum. He longs for Calum’s destruction in order to alleviate his personal torment,
to give himself closure and control before ending his pitiful existence.
6. Tulloch and Roderick
Tulloch makes Calum seem like a morally superior figure by defending his actions. He
believes that despite Calum’s inferiority he is in a way superior to them all. By not only
having the need to be compassionate and protect something smaller in size and
significance, but to have it as an impulse is seldom in the hierarchy in the CG. Therefore
he is morally superior in that sense as he has much better principles of right and wrong
that is absent in his superiors; he portrays some christ like ideas.
Tulloch sees Calum as a open minded, empathetic and compassionate man while Duror
sees him as an abomination, something vile and grotesque. This is very interesting to see
how different characters interpret Calum.
Roderick begins his surprising rebellion and undermines his mother’s decision to exile the
CG and his ideas of equality mirrors the war being fought against an unjust Nazi regime.
7. Setting and Themes
There are a few themes prevalent throughout The Deer Drive.
THEMES- WAR, SOCIAL CLASS, CONFLICT
Jenkins uses the setting to portray the themes prominent in the novel. Reference to , ‘Guns banging as if I’d wandered into the middle of a war
zone.’ foresees the possible turmoil and sets an ominous atmosphere.
The word, ‘murder’ foresees the slaughter of the deer. The words, ‘dead ash clawed at the sky with branches as white as bones’ has connotations
of death and decay - foreseeing the unjust demise of innocence (microcosm)
“There are men getting medals for far less than what we’re going to face’ suggests they will be put into grave danger. It also helps to bring war into
the CG, micromanage it and illustrate it through setting.”
There is a clear hierarchy in what’s considered the lower and middle class. For example, Duror has subordinates and dictates the role they play in
the Deer Drive; this is due to his profession and economic stability. The CG are evidently at the bottom of the pecking order. They are late to the
Deer Drive as they had to tell the time by the rays of the sun and they are in absence of the minor character’s luxuries such as a mouth organ and
gum. This is due to their profession. The minor characters are there to add subtle humour and represent normal human beings in the midst of
abnormal behavior.
Class-Neil “did not have so much trust in her. She was wealthy and powerful and they were poor and weak: why should she trouble to be fair to
them?”LRC refers to the “presence of inferiors.” These help to illustrate the obvious divide of class in The Deer Drive.
Conflict-There is clear conflict in The Deer Drive. There is conflict between LRC and her son. Tulloch’s proposal for justice accompanied with the
battle of good vs. evil and innocence vs. corruption.
8. Significant quotes
“If the crooked little imbecile was sent back to the forest at Ardmore he would
live happily there whilst here in the wood Duror’s own torment continued.”(95)
“Was Peggy dead? Suddenly it was as if the burden of misery was lifted from
him. He began to laugh.” (79)
“The guns started banging as if I’d wandered into the middle of the war itself.”
(81)
“There are men getting medals for far less than what we’re going to face.” (81)
“The dead ash clawed at the sky with branches as white as bones.”(81)
“He too was a deer hunted by remorseless men.”(84)
9. Understanding of the novel as a whole
This little tragedy is a microcosm set out
against the wider violence and slaughter of
innocence in WW2. It highlights the fact that
there is evil and violence that we cannot
control.
