Border Crossing is a novel written by English author Pat Barker that explores the controversial plot of a child murderer, furthermore the effectiveness of the rehabilitation of such a young offender. Barker explores the techniques of symbolism and contrasting characters throughout the novel. Barker explores the true meaning of morality and how society defines the line between right and wrong, good an evil.
Symbolism is largely apparent technique in Border Crossing to represent the mentally skewed mind that is of Danny Miller and what it says about society. When Tom was strolling along a deserted river path he spotted a young man swallow a handful of pills and jump into the river. Tom didn’t realize that he was plunging deep into his past …show more content…
Danny is used in this novel to represent the evil in society. Barker is saying everyone has both good and evil inside them, however some people cannot distinguish what is right and wrong. Baker says this in her novel “You know the chaplain I just mentioned? He used to say coincidence is the crack in human affairs lets God or the Devil in” (Page 22). The part of the novel where Tom is with Danny in the hospital, after the attempted suicide. Throughout the novel the author is taking the reader on a journey that makes them question the meaning of morality and how the system and society has affected this. Barker makes the reader think about how someone truly makes decisions and what actually is the definition of right and wrong, good and evil. Danny is the very symbol of how broken society is deep within. “Slowly Danny reached for the box, his hand creeping across the table like a small animal. A rasp and flare as he struck the match. A doubled reflection of the flame appeared in his eyes, whose pupils had not contracted, as one would have expected, but grown large as if starved of …show more content…
The author also shows the contrast in characters between Danny and Tom as they progress through their journey of Danny’s evil plot. Danny is inside of all of us, however due to our morals and our good guiding us, most people are not capable of doing what Danny has done. Barker shows the reader the meaning of morals and gives them a subjective opinion of what is right and wrong and does not tell the reader what they should believe. The author shows the reader the Devil and God inside
Symbolism is largely apparent technique in Border Crossing to represent the mentally skewed mind that is of Danny Miller and what it says about society. When Tom was strolling along a deserted river path he spotted a young man swallow a handful of pills and jump into the river. Tom didn’t realize that he was plunging deep into his past …show more content…
Danny is used in this novel to represent the evil in society. Barker is saying everyone has both good and evil inside them, however some people cannot distinguish what is right and wrong. Baker says this in her novel “You know the chaplain I just mentioned? He used to say coincidence is the crack in human affairs lets God or the Devil in” (Page 22). The part of the novel where Tom is with Danny in the hospital, after the attempted suicide. Throughout the novel the author is taking the reader on a journey that makes them question the meaning of morality and how the system and society has affected this. Barker makes the reader think about how someone truly makes decisions and what actually is the definition of right and wrong, good and evil. Danny is the very symbol of how broken society is deep within. “Slowly Danny reached for the box, his hand creeping across the table like a small animal. A rasp and flare as he struck the match. A doubled reflection of the flame appeared in his eyes, whose pupils had not contracted, as one would have expected, but grown large as if starved of …show more content…
The author also shows the contrast in characters between Danny and Tom as they progress through their journey of Danny’s evil plot. Danny is inside of all of us, however due to our morals and our good guiding us, most people are not capable of doing what Danny has done. Barker shows the reader the meaning of morals and gives them a subjective opinion of what is right and wrong and does not tell the reader what they should believe. The author shows the reader the Devil and God inside