Type a new keyword(s) and press Enter to search

Fleshmarket by Nicola Morgan

 

            Choose a novel or a short story in which a character gains your sympathy because of the situation and how the character deals with it. Go on to explain why you feel sympathy for him or her.
             Fleshmarket is a novel written by Nicola Morgan. It is mainly about a boy called Robbie and his struggles through live in Edinburgh in the 1800's. His life was has been turned upside-down since his mother died and now he's living in poverty, he was a father who is mostly absent and a little sister to care for. In this essay there will be examples of when the character Robbie gains the reader's sympathy. The reader feels sympathy for Robbie right from the beginning. In the prologue, the young boy's mother is undergoing surgery. He is old enough to know that his mother is suffering, but not mature enough to understand why. When he hears his mothers screams he 'Clenched his ears between his hands.' He is clearly upset and this is the way he deals with his feelings. The reader sympathizes with Robbie here because you can almost imagine what is going through to child's head. After the surgery the family leave. When Robbie is reunited with his mother he can sense her pain and suffering. 'She was different. Robbie, young as he was, felt it.' There is a lot of sympathy for Robbie here because he is just a child and doesn't understand what is happening. He can tell that his mother has changed but doesn't know the reasons for it. In the days after the operation, Robbie's mother's condition began to deteriorate. He watched her get worse. And on the 4th day she 'Did not recognize her trembling son with his eyes wide and wet.' The reader is sympathetic for Robbie here because his own mother doesn't know who he is which is clearly distressing for him. .
             Robbie has a very up and down relationship with his sister, Essie. He clearly loves her and wants the best for her. As their mother is dead and their father is absent most of the time, Robbie has to be a parent and provide stability for his younger sister whilst still being a big brother.


Essays Related to Fleshmarket by Nicola Morgan