In the novel Border Crossing, Pat Barker explores the theme of children who have committed violent and evil crimes, to question whether children have the moral understanding to be held responsible for their actions. Barker uses a variety of literary techniques, such as contrasting characters and juxtaposition, to illustrate her ideas. Danny is compared to Tom's other patients and Tom to encourage the readers to question if children are truly evil or if they merely react to their environment. Similarly, Barker uses the juxtaposition of fire and water, as well as professional and personal relationships to explore whether nurture is responsible for Danny's behaviour or if it is a part of his nature to be inherently evil and manipulative.
Danny is frequently contrasted with Tom in the novel to …show more content…
Danny frequently 'had to be in control' (p.167) in his relationships with his teachers or Tom, which made it 'easy for people to slip into thinking he wasn’t violent' (p.171). Barker shows the readers that in many of his relationships Danny 'was very, very good at getting people to step across that invisible border'(p.168), like 'lambs to the slaughter' (p.168). That makes the border between getting professionally or personally involved with Danny very blurred. Many characters in the book, such as Martha, Tom, Angus and Mrs Greene, have noticed that line being crossed accidentally. By creating Danny's image to be manipulative and psychopathic, Barker makes the readers question if Danny has always been like this, or if these are survival qualities, passed onto him by his father and the jailing system. It requires the readers to consider if his manipulative qualities make him an evil person, capable of committing crimes again, or if they are an outcome of a negative life
Danny is frequently contrasted with Tom in the novel to …show more content…
Danny frequently 'had to be in control' (p.167) in his relationships with his teachers or Tom, which made it 'easy for people to slip into thinking he wasn’t violent' (p.171). Barker shows the readers that in many of his relationships Danny 'was very, very good at getting people to step across that invisible border'(p.168), like 'lambs to the slaughter' (p.168). That makes the border between getting professionally or personally involved with Danny very blurred. Many characters in the book, such as Martha, Tom, Angus and Mrs Greene, have noticed that line being crossed accidentally. By creating Danny's image to be manipulative and psychopathic, Barker makes the readers question if Danny has always been like this, or if these are survival qualities, passed onto him by his father and the jailing system. It requires the readers to consider if his manipulative qualities make him an evil person, capable of committing crimes again, or if they are an outcome of a negative life