Boekverslag: The Good Son
Evil has many faces
List of characters 1. Mark Evans ? main character, a 12 years old boy
2. Jack Evans ? Marks father, he goes to Japan
3. Janice Evans ? Marks mother, she dies at the begin
4. Henry Evans ? Marks cousin, he?s seems to be nice, but he isn?t (12)
5. Susan Evans ? Marks aunt, she reminds Marks of his own mother
6. Wallace Evans ? Marks uncle, Jacks brother
7. Connie Evans ? Marks cousin, she is Henry?s sister (6)
8. Richard Evans ? the passed away brother of Henry and Connie
9. Alice Davenport ? a psychologist, Mark has to talk to her, she?s a friend of S+W
Outline
Hfst 1 Marks mother is in the hospital, she?s very ill.
Hfst 2 Marks mother has died, Jack, his father has to go to Japan for business. Wallace, Jacks bother comes up with the idea to take Mark in his house until Jack comes back.
Hfst 3 Mark finds out that his father has to go to Japan and that he is going to stay with his uncle Wallace. He thinks that his mother is still alive, that she is still with him.
Hfst 4 Mark and his father are driving to Maine. Mark doesn?t say a word but his father doesn?t stop trying to talk with him. The rest of the trip is going fine.
Hfst 5 They arrive in Maine, Wallace, Susan, Henry and Connie seem to be nice at first sight.
Hfst 6 Connie shows him the house. He meets Alice Davenport, a psychologist. He discovers that Henry is a bit strange, or is it his imagination. Henry tests him under dinner. His father leaves.
Hfst 7 Mark eats breakfast with Susan, then he goes outside with Henry. They climb to Henry?s treehouse. Mark almost falls down, but Henry catches him. Henry says at that moment ?If I let you go, do you think you could fly?? Henry beats up Connie because she picks up his football.
Hfst 8 Henry and Mark throw in windows and smoke a cigarette. They put pennies on the railroad. They are back just before dark. In bed Mark says to Henry that it was fun. Although they had a few tense moments.
Hfst 9 With some railroad spikes and a machine Henry build they shoot at things. Henry shoots at a tree but Mark doesn?t know that for sure. There was also a cat sitting on a wall in front of the tree. They also stand at the edge of the rocks. Another test.
Hfst 10 Mark has an appointment with Alice Davenport. He tells her about his guilt feeling about the death of his mother. At night Mark is dreaming about his mother, he wakes up. He thinks he saw his mother walk down the hallway, but it?s Susan. She is comforting him. Henry is jealous, she?s his mother, not Marks.
Hfst 11 Mark does a puzzle with Connie until Henry comes in and wants Mark to come with him. Mark promises Connie to play with her later. Henry shoots a dog with his spike-gun. He making sure that Mark doesn?t tell anything by saying that it?s his fault too.
Hfst 12 Mark finds an old photo of him and his mother. Susan explains him that his mother is still inside of him, just like Richard, her youngest child who died, is in her Henry takes him outside to the garage. There is mister Highway, a dummy. The take mister Highway to the road, Henry says that it?s going to be an experience that can?t be forgotten. At the bridge above the road, Henry puts mister Highway on the edge.
Hfst 13 Henry pushes him over the edge. It?s causing a big accident. And again Henry makes sure Mark isn?t going to say anything. Mark is discovering that Henry is very weird.
Hfst 14 Mark wants to tell someone about the problems with Henry but he can?t. After a sort of fight with Henry he is going to his room. Henry comes in too. When Connie comes in Henry goes mad. Mark attacks him because he is hurting Connie. Henry threatens to do something to Connie. At that point Mark realises that Henry is evil.
Hfst 15 The next morning Henry and Connie are already gone when Mark wakes up. He is concerned. Then Connie is back, she was outside. Mark and Connie are going to the playground. Alice Davenport arrives there after a while. Mark sort of forgot about his appointment. Mark asks her how you know when someone is evil. She thinks that he finds himself evil because he ?let? his mother die.
Hfst 16 That night Susan and Wallace are going out for dinner, Mark, Connie and Henry are alone in the house. Henry and Connie are going to play hide-and-seek. Mark realises that there are a lot of ways for her to get in danger with Henry around. Then the light falls down.
Hfst 17 Mark wants to find Connie before Henry does. He hears some screaming. When he arrives he sees Henry tickling Connie. When they are going to sleep, Mark sleeps at Connies room, he wants to protect her.
Hfst 18 When Mark wakes up Connie is gone. Susan tells him that Henry and Connie are going ice-skating. When Mark arrives at the quarry he sees Henry and Connie skating hand in hand. Henry pulls Connie, at a moment Henry lets go of Connie hand and she is sliding to the thin ice. Mark panics. Connie disappears under water. One of the other skaters saves her. Mark knows it?s Henry?s fault.
Hfst 19 Susan and Wallace find out about Connie and go to the hospital. Mark tells Susan it wasn?t an accident, it was Henry?s fault. Susan doesn?t believe him.
Hfst 20 Mark calls his father to tell him about Henry. His father tells him to go to Alice Davenport. When he arrives there, Henry is already there. Mark runs away. Henry tells Alice that he thinks Mark has some difficulties.
Hfst 21 At night Mark wakes up and goes to the kitchen. There is Henry too. Mark thinks that Henry has poisoned the food. He throws everything away. Wallace and Susan wake up and stop Mark. Mark tells them about his thought. They don?t believe him.
Hfst 22 Susan is going to the garage the next morning, she finds a toy of Richard. Henry says he took it as a reminder of Richard, he wants it back. When he has it, he throws it in the well. It was his and nobody can take it anymore. Susan finds out about Henry, she has to go home. Mark thinks Henry wants to do something to his mother so he threatens him with scissors. Henry calls his dad. Wallace locks Mark in his office.
Hfst 23 Through the window Mark can see Susan and Henry outside, they walk to the cliffs. Mark hurled a stool at the window; Wallace and Alice react on the sound. Mark runs through them to the open door. He runs after Susan and Henry. Henry pushes his mother over the cliff. Susan lands on a narrow edge. Above her Henry and Mark are fighting. The roll of the cliff. Susan who has climb up again, grabs them both. She can?t hold them both so she has to let one go. She lets go of Henry and pulls Mark up.
Hfst 24 One year later. Mark and Jack are in Maine again. They visit Wallace, Susan, and Connie. Susan is on the cemetery when they arrive. Mark goes to her. They walk together home again.
Title explanation
Henry pretends to be the good son, but he isn?t.
Mark sees Connie as his mother, Mark is for her the good son when see finds out about Henry?s behaviour.
Main theme
The main theme is the possessiveness of Henry. It makes that Henry is behaving bad.
Subthemes
The subthemes are: evil, trying to stop the evil, death, trust, missing your mother, jealousy, not being what you seem to be.
When? and Where?
It begins in Arizona, from there it moves to Maine. It takes place in the period (a few weeks) before Henry?s death in 1993. The last chapter is a year after that day.
Construction
The book is divided in 24 chapters. They are chronological with some flashbacks, mainly about Richard.
Form
The story is told by a storyteller, you see the story through Marks eyes.
Language
The story isn?t told in difficult words. It?s easy to read. There are a lot of dialogues.
Anything special
The story is based on the screenplay by Ian McEwan.
List of characters 1. Mark Evans ? main character, a 12 years old boy
2. Jack Evans ? Marks father, he goes to Japan
3. Janice Evans ? Marks mother, she dies at the begin
4. Henry Evans ? Marks cousin, he?s seems to be nice, but he isn?t (12)
5. Susan Evans ? Marks aunt, she reminds Marks of his own mother
6. Wallace Evans ? Marks uncle, Jacks brother
7. Connie Evans ? Marks cousin, she is Henry?s sister (6)
8. Richard Evans ? the passed away brother of Henry and Connie
9. Alice Davenport ? a psychologist, Mark has to talk to her, she?s a friend of S+W
Outline
Hfst 1 Marks mother is in the hospital, she?s very ill.
Hfst 2 Marks mother has died, Jack, his father has to go to Japan for business. Wallace, Jacks bother comes up with the idea to take Mark in his house until Jack comes back.
Hfst 3 Mark finds out that his father has to go to Japan and that he is going to stay with his uncle Wallace. He thinks that his mother is still alive, that she is still with him.
Hfst 4 Mark and his father are driving to Maine. Mark doesn?t say a word but his father doesn?t stop trying to talk with him. The rest of the trip is going fine.
Hfst 5 They arrive in Maine, Wallace, Susan, Henry and Connie seem to be nice at first sight.
Hfst 6 Connie shows him the house. He meets Alice Davenport, a psychologist. He discovers that Henry is a bit strange, or is it his imagination. Henry tests him under dinner. His father leaves.
Hfst 7 Mark eats breakfast with Susan, then he goes outside with Henry. They climb to Henry?s treehouse. Mark almost falls down, but Henry catches him. Henry says at that moment ?If I let you go, do you think you could fly?? Henry beats up Connie because she picks up his football.
Hfst 8 Henry and Mark throw in windows and smoke a cigarette. They put pennies on the railroad. They are back just before dark. In bed Mark says to Henry that it was fun. Although they had a few tense moments.
Hfst 9 With some railroad spikes and a machine Henry build they shoot at things. Henry shoots at a tree but Mark doesn?t know that for sure. There was also a cat sitting on a wall in front of the tree. They also stand at the edge of the rocks. Another test.
Hfst 10 Mark has an appointment with Alice Davenport. He tells her about his guilt feeling about the death of his mother. At night Mark is dreaming about his mother, he wakes up. He thinks he saw his mother walk down the hallway, but it?s Susan. She is comforting him. Henry is jealous, she?s his mother, not Marks.
Hfst 11 Mark does a puzzle with Connie until Henry comes in and wants Mark to come with him. Mark promises Connie to play with her later. Henry shoots a dog with his spike-gun. He making sure that Mark doesn?t tell anything by saying that it?s his fault too.
Hfst 12 Mark finds an old photo of him and his mother. Susan explains him that his mother is still inside of him, just like Richard, her youngest child who died, is in her Henry takes him outside to the garage. There is mister Highway, a dummy. The take mister Highway to the road, Henry says that it?s going to be an experience that can?t be forgotten. At the bridge above the road, Henry puts mister Highway on the edge.
Hfst 13 Henry pushes him over the edge. It?s causing a big accident. And again Henry makes sure Mark isn?t going to say anything. Mark is discovering that Henry is very weird.
Hfst 14 Mark wants to tell someone about the problems with Henry but he can?t. After a sort of fight with Henry he is going to his room. Henry comes in too. When Connie comes in Henry goes mad. Mark attacks him because he is hurting Connie. Henry threatens to do something to Connie. At that point Mark realises that Henry is evil.
Hfst 15 The next morning Henry and Connie are already gone when Mark wakes up. He is concerned. Then Connie is back, she was outside. Mark and Connie are going to the playground. Alice Davenport arrives there after a while. Mark sort of forgot about his appointment. Mark asks her how you know when someone is evil. She thinks that he finds himself evil because he ?let? his mother die.
Hfst 16 That night Susan and Wallace are going out for dinner, Mark, Connie and Henry are alone in the house. Henry and Connie are going to play hide-and-seek. Mark realises that there are a lot of ways for her to get in danger with Henry around. Then the light falls down.
Hfst 17 Mark wants to find Connie before Henry does. He hears some screaming. When he arrives he sees Henry tickling Connie. When they are going to sleep, Mark sleeps at Connies room, he wants to protect her.
Hfst 18 When Mark wakes up Connie is gone. Susan tells him that Henry and Connie are going ice-skating. When Mark arrives at the quarry he sees Henry and Connie skating hand in hand. Henry pulls Connie, at a moment Henry lets go of Connie hand and she is sliding to the thin ice. Mark panics. Connie disappears under water. One of the other skaters saves her. Mark knows it?s Henry?s fault.
Hfst 19 Susan and Wallace find out about Connie and go to the hospital. Mark tells Susan it wasn?t an accident, it was Henry?s fault. Susan doesn?t believe him.
Hfst 20 Mark calls his father to tell him about Henry. His father tells him to go to Alice Davenport. When he arrives there, Henry is already there. Mark runs away. Henry tells Alice that he thinks Mark has some difficulties.
Hfst 21 At night Mark wakes up and goes to the kitchen. There is Henry too. Mark thinks that Henry has poisoned the food. He throws everything away. Wallace and Susan wake up and stop Mark. Mark tells them about his thought. They don?t believe him.
Hfst 22 Susan is going to the garage the next morning, she finds a toy of Richard. Henry says he took it as a reminder of Richard, he wants it back. When he has it, he throws it in the well. It was his and nobody can take it anymore. Susan finds out about Henry, she has to go home. Mark thinks Henry wants to do something to his mother so he threatens him with scissors. Henry calls his dad. Wallace locks Mark in his office.
Hfst 23 Through the window Mark can see Susan and Henry outside, they walk to the cliffs. Mark hurled a stool at the window; Wallace and Alice react on the sound. Mark runs through them to the open door. He runs after Susan and Henry. Henry pushes his mother over the cliff. Susan lands on a narrow edge. Above her Henry and Mark are fighting. The roll of the cliff. Susan who has climb up again, grabs them both. She can?t hold them both so she has to let one go. She lets go of Henry and pulls Mark up.
Hfst 24 One year later. Mark and Jack are in Maine again. They visit Wallace, Susan, and Connie. Susan is on the cemetery when they arrive. Mark goes to her. They walk together home again.
Title explanation
Henry pretends to be the good son, but he isn?t.
Mark sees Connie as his mother, Mark is for her the good son when see finds out about Henry?s behaviour.
Main theme
The main theme is the possessiveness of Henry. It makes that Henry is behaving bad.
Subthemes
The subthemes are: evil, trying to stop the evil, death, trust, missing your mother, jealousy, not being what you seem to be.
When? and Where?
It begins in Arizona, from there it moves to Maine. It takes place in the period (a few weeks) before Henry?s death in 1993. The last chapter is a year after that day.
Construction
The book is divided in 24 chapters. They are chronological with some flashbacks, mainly about Richard.
Form
The story is told by a storyteller, you see the story through Marks eyes.
Language
The story isn?t told in difficult words. It?s easy to read. There are a lot of dialogues.
Anything special
The story is based on the screenplay by Ian McEwan.