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THE CONE-GATHERERS
Written by Robin Jenkins (1912-2005)
Publication date: 1955
-Work done by Francesca Pecorella, 3ALS-
Content of the book
The Cone-Gatherers deals with two brothers, Calum and Neil , who
work to gather pine cones for seed in the grounds of a Scottish estate.
According to their work, they live in the woods in a rundown hut and
they suffer from all the downsides that concern the second world war ,
especially poverty and the struggle between classes at that time.
When Calum releases two mutilated rabbits from a snare, Duror, the
gamekeeper, begins a revenge against the brothers. In retaliation, in the
depths of the wood, Duror lays a trap for the cone-gatherers.
In parallel Duror lives an inner transformation that takes him to
madness and to perform cruel and immoral acts.
Main Characters
1: Calum
Calum is introduced as an innocent character, gentle,
uncomprehending and in touch with nature. He empathizes with all
woodland creatures and hates to see them suffering.
He is happy, even though his life is without luxury, his job poor and
generally his life is not brilliant.
He’s a hunchback with a handsome, attractive face and a love of the
woodland creatures.
Calum is a child-like innocent , retarded about many things, arousing
suspicion and ridicule, relies on the protection of Neil.
Main Characters
2: Neil
Neil is tall and thin and suffers from vicious rheumatism. He is sharp
and perceptive, resentful of his treatment on the estate , seeing the war
as the bringer of equality and democracy. With Calum's deformities,
Neil has his hands full in protecting and caring for him. To look after
his brother, in the past, he has sacrificed marriage to do that.
He is skilled in practical activities, but does not prove to have a
sensitivity equal to that of his brother: it is more mundane, pragmatic
and concrete in all his actions.
Main Characters
2: Duror
He’s living an aimless and lonely life in the forest. Duror is the
personification of evil. He’s strong in body, but his mind is rotten and
twisted. He seems to despise life, especially if it is not perfect in his opinion.
He is bothered by Calum and his deformity and by anything that had
imperfection, deformity or lack.
The root of his problem is sexual frustration caused by his wife’s illness.,
which affected Duror physically .
Duror believes that getting rid of the cone gatherer will resolve the terrible
feelings inside of him.
Duror will ultimately kill Calum. He feels alone in this and has lost the
will to live. Duror will kill himself.
The secondary characters
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Lady Runcie Campbell: She’s the aristocratic landowner, who
dislikes having the two brothers on the estate. She has an interior
conflict:, because of her two sides of being and behaving:
-Her Christian conscience and upbringing inherited from her father a judge;
-Her social standing influenced by her husband Sir Colin Runcie-Cambell.
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Roderick: Her son feels for the men and doesn't understand why his
mother looks down on them for making a living in their own way:
he is the only one with any sense of social justice. Roderick attempts
to understand what his place is in the upper class as his mother
continually instructs him on how to behave by treating those around
her as if they are less than her.
Settings
The Cone-Gatherers is a novel set in Scotland during the period of the
Second World War. More precisely, it is set on the estate of the RuncieCampbells, a Scottish family. The events take place over five days in
autumn.
The estate's wood is to be cut down soon to provide wood for the British
war effort , to replenish the wood stocks used during combat at a later
date, so the cones from these trees are collected, before the forest is
destroyed, in order to be used as seeds for the creation of a new forest.
Emerged themes
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Class issues. Much of the novel is about how the individual fits into
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The war. Duror broods over being unable to participate in it. Calum
the social structure. The brothers are poorly treated by the gentry
who own the estate they are working on. Most of the other people
who are also on the estate either ignore them or look down on them.
They fit into the working class, On the other side, Lady Runcie
Campbell lives a wealthy live, full of luxuries and based on the
values of superiority, believing in the system of privilege.
fails to understand it. Neil sees it as an eventual bringing about of
equality. Whilst Lady R C has to take on the responsibility of running
the estate in her husband's absence.
Message to be learnt
The message that the writer wants to convey is that every action we
take in the course of our lives, particularly if it is a gesture that
involves more people, has some consequences. Sometimes follow
your instincts and do what seems right, according to the moral
values that are typical of our being, is out of your hands now, as it
affects a larger area, where we have not the skills to manage the
outcomes. Although an act which aims to do good, as in the case of
the protagonists of the book, can be completed in a negative way,
the author exalts the honest and ambitious conduct, of a man who
has an opinion and intends to rely on them.
New Vocabulary Learnt
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To reach= Arrivare, raggiungere;
Bench= Magistratura, seggio;
Estate= Proprietà, tenuta;
Vicious= Terribile;
Hunchback= Gobbo;
Distress= Angoscia, dolore;
Awful= Orrendo;
To simmer= Fremere;
Rest= Sostegno, supporto;
To steam= Fumare, andare a vapore;
Homely= Accogliente;
Seawards= Verso il mare;
Larch= Larice;
Gunshots= colpi d’arma da fuoco;
Squirrel= Scoiattolo;
Chaffinches= Fringuelli;
Needles= Superfluo;
Spell= Incantesimo
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Decay=Rovina;
Path= Sentiero, percorso;
To fancy= Immaginare;
To blame= Incolpare, biasimare;
Accountable= Responsabile;
Nurture= Nutrimento;
Pity= Pietà;
Enemy= Nemico;
Clumsy= Impacciato, goffo;
Capable= Capace;
Feat= atto, impresa;
Prowess= Prodezza;
To deal out= Distribuire;
Shadow= Ombra;
To rage= Imperversare, infuriarsi;
To provide= Fornire, munire;
Straightforward= Chiaro, lineare;
Glance= Sgaurdo
New Vocabulary Learnt
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To convey= Esprimere, trasmettere;
To aim= Mirare, dirigere;
Intertwined= Intrecciato;
Hatred= Odio;
Turmoil= Tumulto, agitazione;
To uphold= Sostenere, difendere;
Outcome= Esito, risultato;
To settle= Risolvere, sistemarsi;
To avoid= Evitare;
Upbringing= Educazione;
To inherit= Ereditare;
Pivotal= Essenziale;
Encounter= Incontro;
To haunt = Perseguitare, ossessionare;
Misshapen= Deforme;
Thus= Così;
To convey= Trasmettere, esprimere;
To enhance= Accrescere; Intensificare
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Morbid= Patologico, morboso;
A tad= Un tantino;
Simple-minded= Ingenuo;
To gnaw= Rodere, rosicchiare;
To lower= Abbassare;
Sight= Vista, opinione;
Sigh= Sospiro;
To assure= Rassicurare, garantire;
Eagerly= Ardentemente;
To stare= Fissare;
To mutter= Borbottare;
Fit= Adatto, idoneo;
Empty= Fusto;
Appeal= Fascino;
To yield= Cedere;
Uselessness= Inutilità;
Complaint= Reclamo, lamentela;
To ken= Comprendere;
New Vocabulary Learnt
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Daft= Sciocco, pazzoide;
Spite= Cattiveria, malignità;
To knock down= Abbattere;
To soil= Sporcare, infangare;
Wise= Saggio, giudizioso;
To fear= Temere, avere paura;
To shiver= rabbrividire;
To whimper= Piagnucolare;
Bondage= Schiavitù, prigionia;
Inner= Interno;
Branch= Ramo;
Bruise= Ematoma, livido;
To suck= Succhiare, asprirare;
Hollow= Buca, cavità
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Hindrance= Impedimento;
Mishape= Incidente, disavventura;
To grumble= Brontolare;
Frantic= Frenetico, fuori di sé;
Throttled= Strozzato;
Rage= Collera, furia;
To face up= Affrontare, tenere testa;
Threat= Minaccia;
To cower= Rannicchiare, farsi piccolo;
Chance= Caso, possibilità;
To swear= Giurare;
Oath= Giuramento;
Dismay= Costernazione, sgomento
Baffled= Sconcertato