Trainspotting

The choices faced by today’s youth are the basis of Trainspotting. In the larger cities of England the lower class society are brought up in either high rise apartments or council escapes, which are basically a no go zone for the rest of the world. Renton and his friends have been brought up in the council estate streets. They have become a tight group of friends who do everything together including drugs and going straight. The conclusion of Trainspotting sees the demise and the final act and betrayal of friendship.

The novel Trainspotting concludes with the five friends Renton, Begbie, Sick Boy, Spud and Second Prize leaving their home of Scotland for London after the funeral of their friend Matty. Matty is the representation of their future if they don’t stay off of drugs. They are leaving in an attempt to make money for their futures. This is very different from the novel which sees only four of them returning to London. Second Prize is not in the film. The novel describes the bus station in depth whereas the film ignores it and doesn’t see it as important. The descriptions used in the book are very typical of English soc

The voice over is there to give the extra detail needed in the film. The conversation between the men is not in the book, as it isn’t needed.

This shows his guilt about his actions and shows how careful he is not to be caught. The descriptive words used add to the tension and the suspense of whether he will go back and return the money.

‘Straight away he clocked us from what we were: small - time wasters with an accidental big deal.” (pg84)

“Choose good health, low cholesterol and dental insurance. Choose fixed-interest mortgage repayments. Choose a starter home. Choose your friends. Choose leisure wear and matching luggage. Choose a three piece suite on hire purchase in a range of fucking fabrics. Choose DIY and wondering who you are on a Sunday morning. Choose sitting on that couch watching mind-numbing sprit-crushing game shows, stuffing fucking junk food into your mouth. Choose rotting away at the end of it all, pishing you last in a miserable home, nothing more than an embarrassment to the selfish, fucked-up brats you have spawned to replace yourself. Choose your future. Choose life.

This is the choice facing many of the youths in the world. We have drugs or a future, many decide that they can have both but as Renton shows, you can’t. Drugs and a normal existence don’t exist together in perfect harmony, only chaos and disorder.

“Straight away, Gilbert clocks the Scottish guys as small –time wasters who have stumbled on a big deal. He is impressed however, by the quality of their gear. He offers them 15,000, prepared to go as high as 17,000. They want 20,000, prepared to go as low as 18,000. The deal is clinched at 16,000. Gilbert will make 60,000 minimum once the gear is cut and distributed.”

“He hears chanting noises and freezes. A group of young guys in Celtic tops, obviously down for the Pogies gig in the afternoon, are staggering towards him, out of their heads on alcohol. He walks tensely past them, although they ignore him; and to his relief, he sees a 253-bus coming. He jumps on, and away from Finsbury Park.” (pg 341)

Some topics in this essay:
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