Pigeon English

Revision Guide
#allthingseng
The exam: GCSE English Literature Paper 2

In Paper 2 of your Literature exam there are three sections. In Section A

you will be given a choice of two questions on Pigeon English. You
must select ONE question to answer. Section B and C are the poetry
questions Section B is a comparison using two of the anthology poems, and
Section C is unseen poetry.

Section A (The Pigeon English section) is worth 34 marks. 30 marks are

available for your response to the question. 4 marks are available for your
spelling, punctuation, grammar and how accurately you use key vocabulary.

Assessment Objectives:

You are assessed by the following objectives

A01 Your ability to read, understand and respond texts. You should be able to:

Maintain a critical style and develop an informed personal response

Use textual references, including quotations to support and illustrate
interpretations

A02 Analyse the language, form and structure used by a writer to create
meanings and effects using relevant subject terminology

A03 Show an understanding of the relationships between texts and the

contexts in which they are written

A04 Use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures for clarity, purpose
and effect, with accurate spelling and punctuation

Important information:

This is a closed-book exam you will not have a copy of Pigeon English in
the exam so you will need to recall quotations. These can be short, and
you can use one or two words if necessary - dont forget to put these in
quotation marks

Made by E Warrington
 Summary of the plot:

Pigeon English is divided into sectionswhich are named after

months.Each section is written from Harris first-person perspective (in
almost diary style)and effectively counts down to Harris death
although the reader is unaware of this at the beginning of the novel.

March:
The novel opensin media res with the death of the dead boy.Harri
and Jordan stand in front of a police line and observe the dead boys
Mamma guarding the blood. Harri worries if he steps over the line he
will turn into dust which foreshadows his death. This incident has a
profound effect on Harri, who believes the dead boy died unfairly, and
he sets out with Dean to find out who the murderer is. Harri is also
impressed with his surroundings. He describes the buildings as mighty
and is impressed his tower is as high as the lighthouse at
Jamestown(a lighthouse from back home in Harris native Ghana.)In the
opening chapter Kelmanestablishes Harris nave and impressionable
character, and introduces us to his home and school life. He is a sensitive
and inquisitive child, who wants to try all the haribo flavours and also
enjoys easing himself on a bleach cloud.He also begins to grapple
with the language as he states in England theres a hell of different
words for everything.One word Harrisons mamma learns is fuzzy-
wuzzy a negative word for an immigrant. She pretends to Harri it just
means the squeaking of the floor with new shoes, but the reader
understands his Mamma is suffering from racism at work, similar to how
Harri has suffered racism from Villis at school.AlthoughHarri has only been
in England for only2 months, he is already becoming slowly involved
with gang culture. Kelmanshows gang culture has infiltrated schools. He
foreshadows Harris death when X-Fire is teaching the children how to
chook at school and Harri is picked to be the dead boy X-Fire uses to
demonstrate chooking on. We are also introduced to Harris guardian
angel, the Pigeon, who saw the boy off to school, perhaps due to the
absence of Harris father and mother (one who is in Ghana, the other who
is at work all the time.) Harri attends the funeral of the dead boy and
tells the reader that his coffin would be an aeroplane another
example of foreshadowing. Harri notices that Killa comes to the funeral on
his bike and is described as going wobbly at the sight of the coffin
he even falls of his bike. This is an example of dramatic irony that Kelman
employs in the novel we as the reader realise Killa (even from his
name!) Killamight be involved in the dead boys death, but Harri remains
ignorant, establishing his innocence and inability to understand the threat
the DFC pose to him. It is also in this chapter that X-Fire tells Harri to
come to him if he gets any shit. In direct contrast to the threat of the
DFC, Harri begins to fall for Poppy Morgan who has yellow hair that
reminds Harri of happiness.

Made by E Warrington
 April:
Harri meets Atlaf another boy at school who isnt allowed to study RE
due to religious beliefs. He tells the reader youre not supposed to
talk to Somalis because theyre pirates, but after talking to him he
discovers Atlafcant be a piratebecause he cant swim. Kelman
already here begins to break down prejudices held by Harri and those
around him. Harri is given his first mission by the DFC, which is to bash
the fire alarm at school, but Harri fails and fears the Dell Farm Crew
are my enemy now. They mockhim later for being a pussy and Harri
admires how they take Deans money from him. He comments he wishes
he was the big fish so all the little fish would be scared of me.
Ironically, Dean tells Harrihe hates the DFC but says to some small kids
playing on an old mattress on the green to piss of or well batter
you which echoes what Dizzy says to Harri showing how easy it is to be
influenced by gang culture. We also learn that Harris sister, Lydia, has
been given a mission for the DFC through her friend Miquita. She takes a
Nisa bag to the launderette and Harri follows her. He sees the clothes
were red all over and realises they belong to a boy. His belly goes
cold. X-Fire comes to check whether Lydia has completed the mission.
Harri and Lydias relationship becomes a little more strained and Harri
says Lydias always roaring at me now, England makes people go
crazy. The reader is introduced to Julius who drives a Mercedes-Benz
which makes Harri want one, and we learn that Auntie Sonia burned her
fingers on the stove to avoid being found out to be an illegal immigrant
which Harri finds shocking. We also find out more about Jordan who was
excluded from school for kicking a teacher. He makes Harrismash
bottles and his eyes go big andshiny.Kelman shows how easy it is to
be influenced into wrongful behaviour when youre a child. Harri even
wants to get cornrolls because X-Fire has them, but his Mamma
objects.

May:
This section opens with the carnival, which Harri enjoys despite the rain
and the police van that is there to control the pissheads.The church
is also vandalised much to the upset of Mr Frimpong and Harris Mamma.
Lydia and Harri argue over her washing blood of the clothes in the
launderette Lydia tells Harri to F-ck off, which shocks and upsets him
as she has never sworn at him before. Harri looks for his Pigeon for
comfort. Harri is also forced to do a second mission for the DFC who
choose a target Mr Frimpong. Harri notices his Pigeon before he takes
part in the mission to mug Mr Frimpong. ThePigeon is being followed by
black and white birds who want his bread. Harri decides the birds
arent cruel because they just need bread to survive a metaphor,
perhaps for the poor in Harris society who have to turn to crime to
support themselves. Harri runs at Mr Frimpong, but doesnt knock it to
him or take part in the stealing of his money. He describes him as looking
like a bug dying in the sun. Earlier in the novel the Pigeon describes
how humans love the feeling of stepping on ants this simile reinforces

Made by E Warrington
 that the DFC do just this step on the weak in society to feel powerful.
The Pigeon comments that Harri needs to watch for the cracks in the
pavement and follow the map inside him. The Pigeon metaphorically
describes temptation as cracks in the pavement. The map inside him
seems to represent the pathway to heaven, as the Pigeon informs Harri
Home will always find you if you walk true and taller than those
weeds.The weeds perhaps a metaphor for the DFC or crime, as weeds
are pests that kill flowers similar to how Killa kills the innocent dead
boy.
The DFC tell Harri they wont forget Harri running out on them and
Harri is scared because they make a finger gun at him. He comments
that from today onwards he would need eyes in the back of his
head which links to the end of the novel when his killer comes out of
nowhere. Harri, because he feels guilty, sacrifices his coat to the
volcano God his way of apologising to God for his involvement in the
mugging of Mr Frimpong. This reinforces to the reader his Ghanaian roots,
and the strength of his Christian upbringing.The DFC try to catch up with
Harri but Terry Takeaway scares X-Fire away when he threatens him with
his screwdriver, but Terry Takeaway says what are you gonna do with
that, play with yourself? We also learn Terry Takeaway used to be in
the army before he got his bottle. The reader understands that
perhaps Terry Takeaway left the army due to PTSD and that he drinks to
forget it, but Harri doesnt fully understand this. Jordan shows Harri his
war knife and Harri comments that theres a hell of a wars going on
all the time and lists kids vs teachers and black vs white in the
same list perhaps showing he doesnt understand the difference
between smaller conflicts and very serious ones.
Miquita offers to iron Lydias hair, but she suddenly says: youre either
with us or against us, innit whilst holding the iron close to Lydias face.
Lydia ends up with a small burn on her face. We learn later in the novel
X-Fire burns Miquitas hands perhaps Kelman is showing the cycle of
abuse that happens in deprived areas, and how gangs cause members to
become violent and brutal. After the incident, Lydia cuts up her parrot
costume perhaps representing she is no longer a child. Dizzy and X-
Fire chase Harri home from school, but he escapes by sitting on the chair
car ladys chair car.

June:

Harri and Dean continue to investigate the murder or the dead boy.
Dean comments on the Chips n Tings van which he says is a front for
drugs: another example of the crime and social deprivation that
surrounds Harris area. Harri also overhears conversations on the bus
about various criminal activities, for example when he hears: I got the
cheese.I couldnt get camembear, they didnt have none. I had to
go get bree instead. This is another example of dramatic irony, where
Harri is unaware that the cheese represents drugs. Later, Harri sees
Julius and his Auntie Sonia again, Sonia has a bruised nose and eye

Made by E Warrington
 which is a hell of different colours like a rainbow - Sonia claims she
was hit by a suitcasebut Mamma issuspicious.The reader realises Sonia
appears to be in a violent relationship with Julius, perhaps another insight
into the dangerous relationships and situations immigrants find
themselves in. In contrast, Harri develops more feelings for Poppy and
Kelman explores more of the minor characters on the estate. Connor
Green tells Harri that the Grandpa of the never normal girl sexes her
which makes Harri feel pity for her. He also feels guilty when Jordan kicks
a ball at Fag Ash Lil and it hits her, but she thinks it is Harri. He is forced
to share a lift with her after and Harri is terrified Fag Ash Lil will cut him
up and make him into a pie. He cant wait to get to the stairs as he
thinks theyre safe.This foreshadows where Harri dies at the end of the
novel, helping Kelman reinforce that nowhere in this community is safe.
This is further reinforced when Chanelle and Miquita fight on the
playground causing a ruckus.Harri grows worried that they are going to
kill each other but Killa wasnt laughing and he storms off after X-
Fire tells him you made this shit. Shortly after, Killa breaks Harris
binoculars into a million pieces after Harri stares at him through the
binoculars Harri realises that Killa should be placed on his suspect list
which is deeply ironic as the reader has known from some time he is
involved. Harri also witnesses a nasty scene in the market where Nish
and his wife from Pakistan are dragged through the streets for being
illegal immigrants. Harri reports they put chains on their arms and
appears deeply upset by this. He sees the Pakistani flag flying in Nishs
van and comments that stars stand for freedom. Again, there is an
irony that Nish and his wife wish for freedom in England, but they are
chained for being illegal. Harri believes in stars in an innocent way,
but begins to realise that the world isnt necessarily innocent. Later, Harri
is caught throwing stones at a bus with Jordan by his Mamma who tells
him to stay away from Jordan as he is a waste of time. Harri tells
Mamma to Fuck off which causes his Mamma to sound him and Harri
to believe that Agnes is going to die because of his behaviour. Harri
continues to antagonise the DFC, collecting a sample from Killa and
causing them to chase him across the school. Killa eventually catches up
to him in the toilets and Harri describes how his head banged proper
loud off the paper-towels machine.Killa warns Harri to stop
messing with his business before he gets himself in serious trouble
and pretends that the wet in his pant was only sweat from where it
was hot outside. At the end of the section, Harri gives Lydia her
birthday present putting their footprints into cement echoing the
Pigeons advice to leave monuments to ensure future generations know
your legacy. Harri asks the Pigeon to guard the footprints and the
Pigeon promises he will. It is here that the Pigeon informs society that we
all want to be the sea. But youre not the sea, youre just a
raindrop. One of an endless number. this seems to be one of the
Pigeons most important messages. It appears to be a socialist message
calling for equality. The Pigeon argues we need to see ourselves as
individual raindrops part of a whole, rather than the whole or the sea.

Made by E Warrington
 At the end of the chapter, Harri and Dean find the dead boys wallet
which is sticky with darker stains on it. They also find a picture of the
dead boy with his white girlfriend and Harri remarks she is similar to
Poppy. Kelman ensures the reader draws parallels between the dead
boy and Harri they are similar in their personalities and who they
associate with.

July:

Harri receives a remote control beach buggy which he uses to taunt

Jordan. He makes him watch him with the car until he wants it proper
bad and then shut the door in Jordans face. It is directly after this
that Harri has his sexual encounter with Miquita who teaches him
tongues initially but takes the encounter too far when she put Harris
hand down her pant.Harri uses all of his blood and pushes Miquita
from him. Harri and Lydia are horrified but Miquita asks did I make your
willy go hard? It is Miquitas dominant and intimidating behaviour that
causes Lydia to say at least my boyfriends not a murderer. It is
after this that Harri and Lydia show a united front against Miquita and she
split proper quiet.Harri has another victory - he wins the running race
and he says it felt like I was the king he enjoys everyone admiring
him and says I wish every day was just like this!It is also in this
chapter that Auntie Sonia plans to leave Julius and the country. She
apologises to Mamma for introducing her to Julius. We learn that Mamma
borrowed the money to get Harri and Lydia to England from Julius.
Kelman remains deliberately ambiguous here as we are not sure whether
Mamma got the visa legally and borrowed the money for the plane tickets
from Julius, or whether they are in England illegally. As Harri shows
Auntie Sonia the door, the words DEADhave been scratched on it by
Jordan; revenge for Harri taunting him with the car.
Harri and Dean also continue in their search for the dead boys killer,
they return to the basketball court where Harri remembers the scene
between the dead boy, Killa and X-Fire. Killa and X-Fire call the dead
boy a poser and they all push each other. Harri remembers that the
dead boy comes back and spits water on Killas bike, which makes him
go red-eyes.Harri remembers feeling that somebody was going to
get killed. This is another example of dramatic irony Harri has been
aware all along of the argument that leads to the dead boys death he
was even there at the basketball court when it happens. He even knows
the motive the dead boy standing up to the DFC and threatening their
reputation. It is Dean and Harris curiosity again that leads them to be
cornered in the basketball court by X-Fire, Dizzy, Killa and Miquita. It is
here that the DFC discover that Harri and Dean have the wallet with the
blood and the dead boys picture. Killas face goes stiff and he reacts
badly, pushing Miquita and saying this shits gone too far man,
itsover. He runs off and X-Fire, Dizzy attempt to harm Harri and Dean,
but Lydia saves them, having filmed the incident on her phone. They get
away (Thanks to the Pigeon doing a shit on X-Fires face) and save the

Made by E Warrington
 film on a computer in the library. After this incident,Harri realises that the
bleach cloud in the toilet he eases himself on is just the bubbles from
the bleach signalling to the reader he is losing his innocence and
childlike state.
Before Harris death, he comments the war was here and sees the
playground on fire. The community and Harri are upset that the
playground has been vandalised and Harri sees Killa through the smoke
holding a burning woodchip for donkey hours- it appears that Killa
is on the edge and psychologically affected by his involvement in the
dead boys murder. After this incident the Pigeon hopes the flames
might bring a last-minute change of plan but hes still got a job to
do.It seems the Pigeon is aware that Harri is shortly to die, and there is
nothing he can do about it. Kelman heightens the tragedy of Harris death
by making it a hot sunny day. Harri kisses Poppy and he believes that
they just have to stay alive until Monday, then everything will be
alright. He runs through the street and it is raining the structure is
already becoming cyclical as it rains at the beginning when Harri and Dean
are at Chicken Joeswhere the dead boy has been murdered. Harri
seems at ease with the world, shouting Poppy I love you, Pigeons I
love you! etc. He knows if he makes it up the stairs hell be home and
dry but the killer came out of nowhere.Harri calls out Mamma and
describes the taste of metal and his regret his Mamma is at work and
his Papa is too far away. Instead, the Pigeon is there, whose eyes are
full of love like a battery. He refuses to answer whether he works for
God but tells Harri he has been called home. As Harri dies, he says
the same line as the beginning:you could see the blood. It was
darker than you thought his last thought is of Agnes, and he considers
all babies look the same.

Key methods Kelman uses:

Cyclical Structure Kelman uses a cyclical structure having the novel

begin and end with the death of a young black boy in inner city London.
He even has Harri repeat the same realisation: you could see the
blood. It was darker than you thought and it is raining at the
beginning and the end of the novel. By writing the novel in a cyclical
structure, Kelman reinforces the inescapable nature of gang culture, and
presents Harris death as an inevitability. He also reinforces what a
tragedy this is through the use of the rain (pathetic fallacy.) At the
beginning the dead boys Mamma is guarding the blood to stop the
rain getting to it, but it will be too late for Harris Mamma it is already
raining when Harri dies. Perhaps the rain is also a sign from God that
these deaths are tragedies.

Made by E Warrington
Anthropomorphism: Kelman anthropomorphisesthe Pigeon he gives it
human-like features and feelings such as when the Pigeons eyes are described
as pink and dead. The Pigeon becomes a spiritual guide and a parent in
Harris life, helping him get to school and commenting on the activities of
society.Perhaps the Pigeon is anthropomorphised so we relate to its views on
society and we realise that we are more similar to those that are different to us
than we think. By the end of the novel the Pigeons eyes are full of love like a
battery this simile indicates that the mutual relationship Harri has had with
the Pigeon has caused him to feel energised with love. Perhaps this is Kelman
signalling to the reader that it is love that is needed to end conflicts, and
relationships based on mutual respect, friendship and understanding.

Dual-narrative:Kelman uses a dual-narrative in Pigeon English, telling the

story from the perspective of Harri and the Pigeon. By doing so, we get the
first-person narrationof Harri, constructed in script-formto reinforce his
innocent nature and his lack of knowledge of how to write a book. The first-
person narration also allows us to develop a relationship with Harri as a reader,
and permits us to hear and read the dialect of London Multi-Cultural London
Englishincluding words like innit dope-fine and proper. Wealso
readHarris native Ghaniansuch as hutious chop and greet the chief. As
Harri assimilates to London, he begins to stop using his Ghanian language as
frequently, and begins to swear and use more MLE. You can refer to Harris
complex use of language as hisidiolect his own particular speech habits or you
could refer to his phraseology all of his typical sayings such as it just felt
crazy a hell of and adjei.

When the Pigeon narrates, the Pigeon is perhaps a mouthpiece forKelmans

views on London society. We certainly get a more adult, philosophical voice that
communicates issues in London/society that perhaps Harri cant quite explain in
such depth. The Pigeon is often critical of society, and calls for peace and
harmony. He seems to want society to unite rather than be divided, perhaps
reflecting Kelmanssocialist message. The choice of a Pigeon seems to relate to
immigration. Many types of Pigeon are originally from Africa, and have migrated
to Europe, similar to immigrants like Harri. Both the Pigeon and Harri seem to be
symbols of outsiders they force us to rethink our views of those who are on
the margins of our society.

Foreshadowing: Pigeon English has many examples of foreshadowing where

the writer hints at events that will happen later in the novel. Kelman
foreshadows Harris death multiple times, such as when very early in the novel
Harri comments: I wonder what it feels like to be chooked for real. I
wonder if you see starsthats what dying must be like or when he
comments: The dead boy loved Chelsea as wellI hope Heaven has
proper goals with nets on themor when he says my coffin would be an
aeroplane.

Made by E Warrington
Kelman also foreshadows the revelation that Killa is the killer when he describes
Killa as being quiet when X-Fire teaches the children how to chook and when
he goes wobbly at the dead boys funeral.His name Killa is also a clear
indication of his involvement in the dead boys death.

Metaphor:

The Pigeon often speaks metaphorically, the most notorious example being you
(direct address) all want to be the sea, but youre not the sea. Youre
just a raindrop. One of an endless number. This metaphor could be the
Pigeons view of society, or his view of the DFC: they want to be the sea the
largest, superior and most significant factor; but the Pigeon wants them to
understand they are just a raindrop- on the surface a smaller and less
significant factor bu, part of something that makes the whole, just like how it is
the raindrops that form to make the sea. The Pigeon wants society and the
reader to understand that we are one of an endless number that there are
many humans like us,and that by working together we can make society better.
By understanding our own small role in the endless number of people we can
live in a more harmonious, cohesive world rather than in a world where certain
people see themselves as the most dominant and important. This is perhaps one
of Kelmans key messages for the reader to learn:I am one among many and
we all fall together. The Pigeon suggests if we dont change and realise our
insignificance,society is doomed to be constantly battling for power and control
just like how gangs battle to be the most powerful, or how the native population
assume their superiority over immigrants. This battle for superiority, Kelman
concludes, ultimately ends in fatalities.

The Pigeon also informs Harri after his involvement with knocking over Mr
Frimpong: Home will always find you if you walk truer and taller than
those weeds. Here, perhaps the DFC are symbolically labelled as weeds.
Weeds are considered to be a nuisance. Some weeds are poisonous and once
they grow in a garden they are hard to control and can spread easily; killing
flowers and polluting the beauty of a garden/open space. By using symbolism
here Kelman implies that the DFC are weeds as they also kill the innocent and
beautiful the dead boy and later, Harri. Kelman could further be implying
that gang culture is similar to weeds it pollutes areas of the country and is
difficult to remove. Moreover the effects of gang culture can also be poisonous to
communities. In the same passage of speech the Pigeon warns Harri to watch
for the cracks in the pavement perhaps symbolic of temptation in inner city
London areas Harri must avoid obstacles that may lure him into joining the
DFC or becoming involved in crime.

Dramatic Irony:

Made by E Warrington
Kelman uses dramatic irony many times in the novel. Dramatic irony is where
the reader understands something that the characters do not, often it is Harri is
that has the misunderstandings. Examples include when Dean asks the
ladycop whether she has any leads and Harri mistakenly thinks Dean means
dog leads to which Dean replies:criminal leads dumbass! Often Kelman uses
dramatic irony to make the reader laugh and to iterate that Harri still has not
learnt all of the customs of England, including how the language is complex and
confusing. He also uses it to reinforce Harris naivety and to reflect that he is an
11 year old boy growing up in a new and dangerous environment.

Kelman also uses dramatic ironyin a more tragic way particularly through the
detective investigation where Harri and Dean fatally cannot compute that Killa is
the dead boys murderer. Harri towards the end of the novel remembers the
argument between Killa, X-Fire and the dead boy where the dead boy, X-Fire
and Killa argue over basketball and the dead boy says:Youre the fu----
g pussy, pussy boy! and Harri says: thats when I knew somebody was
going to get killedand runs away from the basketball court.Harri witnessed
the event that most likely caused the murder of the dead boy but he cannot
seem to connect this with other signs that Killa is guilty until it is too late. We as
the reader, have already known for some time that Killa is guilty. It is also highly
ironic that he cannot see that the more he uncovers the truth, the more he
shortens his life expectancy. Kelman deliberately draws parallels between the
dead boy and Harri both stand up to the DFC and challenge their authority,
both have white girlfriends, but both end up dying for their actions.

Key quotations:
The deprived community/settings
It (the blood) was all on the ground outside Chicken Joes

The buildings are all mighty around here. My tower is as high as the
lighthouse at Jamestown.

My house is floor 9 out of 14

There were bottles of beer instead of candles and the dead boys
friends wrote messages to him

Lines and lines of them (houses) all everywhere like a hell of snakes
and smaller flats where the old people and never-normals live.

Every time somebody shuts their door too hard my flat shakes I only
dont like it when the shouting gets too loud.

The helicopters were out looking for robbers again.

Mamma says the CCTV cameras are just another way for God to watch
you/ here theres cameras all over the place!

Made by E Warrington
Probably a junkie. Theres millions of them around here. (Harrito Auntie
Sonia about the graffiti in their tower block)

Somebody tore all the nets up and tried to set the posts on fire. A
basket without a net just doesnt feel the same. (After the death of the
dead boy)

The playground was dying but nobody was trying to save it. (Metaphor
for the death of innocence in this society?)

Dont pay tax, sell drugs instead(One of the messages on the Year 11
shirts)

See you at the job centre (One of the messages on the Year 11 shirts)

Be warned: the future doesnt need you (One of the messages on the Year
11 shirts)

Peer Pressure/Teenage Life:

X-Fire: tell you what, you can have your bag back if you do a job for
me.

I saw the things in the bagit was boys clothesthere was red all
over. (Harri in the launderette after Lydia does her first mission for the DFC)

My belly felt proper sick. I think the Dell Farm crew are my enemy now.
(When Harry doesnt have the blood to bash the fire alarm.)

he only wants cornrolls because Marcus Johnson has them. (Harri wants
to mimic X-Fires hairstyle)

I waited for Jordans command. My heart was going proper fast. Youre
not allowed to run until youve thrown all your stones.

Chlamydia, you want some? Miquita held her fag out for Lydia.

You fucking skank! You aintgonna tell shit. (Miquita to Chanelle)

she was still holding my hand down my pant (Harri drawing his sexual
encounter with Miquita)

Ill only fail the mission if I split before the end/Thats when I saw Mr
Frimpong was the target

Outsiders: treatment of immigrants/racism

you go to such lengths to keep us out (The Pigeon)

They make their houses out of cowshit, innit. I seen it. (Dizzy on Harris
native Ghana)

Made by E Warrington
It was too late to do anything, they were already taking Nish away. He
was shouting and screaming like an alien/They had to pull his fingers
off. I could hear them breaking (When Nish the butcher is dragged from his
meat van for being an illegal immigrant)

Atlaf is really quiet. No-one really knows him (Atlaf the Somalian is
marginalised by people in his school they believe he is a pirate but his Dad
sadly died in a war)

Villis just said something in his language and ran away. (Harri believes
Villisabuses him because in Latvia they burn black people like tar

When Harri observes head-tie girl (presumably a Muslim)praying as he walks

to the toilets in schoolhe states you knew it couldnt be bombs. You knew it
had to be something good clearly his school stereotypes Muslims as
terrorists again Kelman challenges this when Harri says it makes him feel
peaceful

Auntie Sonia burns her fingertips so she can move/ not be identified until she
finds somewhere she can be stilland feels like home

Gang culture/Anti-Social Behaviour

You could see the blood. It was darker than you thought.

The dead boys Mama was guarding the blood/the rain wanted to come
and wash the blood away but she wouldnt let it

Manik had his trainers stolenit was one of the Dell Farm Crew.

X-fire was teaching us (students) about chooking.

I pretended like I didnt see when Jordan stole the ladys

phoneJordan doesnt get paid for helping them, he just gets cigarettes
or one week of freedom where they dont try to kill him. (Harri on
Jordans relationship with the DFC)

If I had a ring like that everyone would think Im the iron boy

Jordan showed me his war knife

At least my boyfriends not a murderer (Lydia to Miquita)

I thought it was all over but then the dead boy came back on his bike.
He got a big drink from his water bottle and spat it on Killas back/thats
when I knew somebody was going to get killed.

This sh*ts gone too far (Killa when Harri finds the dead boys wallet)

We just have to stay alive until Monday, then everything will be alright.
It was raining faster now.(Harri right before his death Harriand Dean are
hoping to get a reward if they give the evidence in on Monday)

I didnt see him. He came out of nowhere

Made by E Warrington
Also note:

Jordan smashes bottles and his eyes go wide and shinyhe also gets
excluded from schoolfor kicking a teacher

Killa burns Miquitas hands

Mr Frimpong complains they have vandalised the churchwriting the tagDFC

all over the windows

Childhood experiences/innocence/family life

Harri gives the dead boy a bouncy ball as a sign of respect

Harri wishes to try all the flavours of Haribo but the cola bottes are his
favourite

Do you have happiness? (Connor Green to Harri hes really asking does he
have a-penis)

I pretend like Im God easing himself on his favourite cloud Harri

childishly likes to believe that when he urinates on bleach he is really doing it on
a cloud children like to play/be imaginative but also imagine they are powerful

Its our favourite game to see who can make the best abuse(Harri and
Lydia)

the first one to say hello is a loser(Harri and Lydias sibling relationship)

Detective Opoku Roger that

Signs of guilt include: Ants in your pant Smoking too much

Uncontrolled gas(Dean and Harris childish list of signs of guilt)

A fat policeman is just a liar, he cant even chase the bad guys
properly.(Harri when a policeman comes in and asks for information of the
dead boy)

The yellow is sunshine and Poppy Morgans hair

Now everyone who sits at my desk know me and Poppy belong to each
otherits the same as being married. Its better than that because you
dont have to sex them.

Mamma gonna sound you (Lydia to Harri sound means beat)

Somebody dies on the news everyday. Its nearly always a child

Children arent supposed to die, only old people. It even made me

worried for if I was next(Harri after watching the news this foreshadows
his death)

Made by E Warrington
Dont ever let me hear that word coming from your mouth again. Advise
yourself Harrison. Have a think about what youve done (After Harri
throws stones at the bus with Jordan)

It didnt even feel like I was easing myself on a cloud anymore. I knew
it was just the bubbles from the bleach.(Loss of childhood innocence this
society has stripped him of his childlike playing/imagination he is no longer
God but has been made to feel vulnerable and small)

Thats why I love stars because they stand for freedom (Harri still keeps
faith in childish symbols like stars ironic as Nish and his wife are dragged away
for being illegal immigrants and on their native Pakistani flag there is a star
Kelmans way of showing limited freedom in this society)

Youll see what I mean one day. Just stay the way you are. (Julius to
Harri) even Julius who has a bat called the persuader and graphically
describes how he beat one man until hes a vegetable now who has to
wear a napkin like a babycan see the merit it staying innocent for as long as
possible

Harri says Auntie Sonias bruises on her face are a hell of different colours
like a rainbow she pretends that a suitcase has hit her on the face but the
implied message is that she is experiencing domestic abuse Harris description
is nave and childlike but sadly accurate

Harris religious views:

I said a prayer for him inside my head. It just said sorry.(Harri to the
dead boy)

People in the north think twins are cursed

Harri and Atlaf arent allowed to go to RE. Haris Mamma worrieshell study the
false Gods

Asweh the Devils too strong around here

I put my alligator tooth down the rubbish pipeit was an offering for
the volcano god. It was a present for god himself.(Harri during his moral
crises sacrifices his present from his Dad the alligator tooth he believes it will
stop God harming Agnes, who he adores)

I should have been good. I should have been good but I let myself
forget and now Gods going to destroy us. (Harri after sayng fk off in
front of Mamma/at Jordan)

To the Pigeon at the end: Do you work for God?(The Pigeon doesnt
answer has he been sent from God to claim Harri as a sacrifice?)

Pigeon Quotes:

Made by E Warrington
I watched the sun come up and saw the boy off to school (The Pigeon
fills the void of Harris father in Ghana and his Mamma who is often working as a
midwife)

Youd need to be something greater than just another invention of a

spiteful God(The Pigeon often comments on human nature desiring to be in
control in a violent and malevolent way like the DFC)

We live and breathe within the boundaries of our charges; we reach out
for them when the bridge between them and their God is blocked(Is the
Pigeon an agent of God? Are there lots of Pigeons doing Gods will looking after
young boys/girls?)

you go to such lengths to keep us out(How we treat outsiders)

watch for the cracks in the pavement home will always find you if you
walk true and taller than those weeds (See above for detailed analysis)

its those things you do while you're pretending that death isnt waiting
around the corner that determine what look hell have on his face when
you bump into him(The Pigeon on humans and their refusal to accept the
inevitability of death he might also be commenting on how God judges who
will/ will not get into heaven)

You all want to be the sea, but youre not the sea. Youre just a
raindrop. One of an endless number(See above for detailed analysis)

Say it with me: I am neighbour, nation, north and nowhere. I am one

among many and we all fall together.(The pigeon seems to want us to
adopt this alliterative list of nouns neighbour, nation, north and nowhere as our
mantra, (something to guide us in life) reminding us that we are a part of a
community, a whole. North is deliberately vague location and could include a
whole hemisphere, showing that we ought to share our space and that on a
universal scale, we belong nowhere in particular. This opposes the gang
mentality and their struggle for power and a sense of identity. If the world was
more equal, gangs wouldnt need to exist and society could be more
harmonious. It also suggests no one owns any land it could be a message that
immigrants should be welcomed everywhere as we are just one among many.

Its like the boss says: theyre just meat wrapped around a blazing star
(Is the star our soul, and the meat our body? Are our souls are freedom?)

I was hoping the flames would bring a concession, a last-minute

change of plan (The Pigeon when the playground burns foreshadows Harris
death- also shows the Pigeon knows the future)

Your pink eyes werent dead, but full of love like a battery

Cant I stay here? (Harri) Its not up to me. Youve been called home.

Made by E Warrington
Contextual information Pigeon English:

Damilola Taylor:

Damilola was a 10 year old young Nigerian school boy, who lost his life on the
27th November 2000 after being stabbed in the leg on the streets of Peckham.
The case became one of the countrys most high-profile killings. Damilola
crawled to a stairwell where builders found him and called an ambulance.
Damilola reportedly was still alive in the ambulance on the way to hospital, but
he died of his injuries. Eventually, after multiple trials, brothers Ricky and Danny
Preddie were charged with manslaughter. They were 12 and 13 when they
committed the crime. They were not charged with murder because the brothers
had reportedly not taken the weapon to the crime scene with them, and there
was little evidence it was a planned killing. This crime shocked the nation and
Kelman said himself in an interview that he was profoundly saddened and
outraged by his death.

Social deprivation:

Kelman explores society which is socially deprived. He wants to emphasise how

these teenagers in inner city areas are growing up in areas which lack
opportunities - in education, wider employment, and life chances.Kelman himself
grew up on council estate in Luton and talked about how many characters are
based on real life voices on the estate he grew up on. Kelman seems to want to
emphasise the characters represent real people, living and struggling.

Made by E Warrington
Gang culture:

Kelman wants to emphasise the entrenched nature of gang culture, and how
easy it is to be tempted into gangs as young children growing up in council
estates, mainly due to lack of role models/parental absence/
racism/stereotyping/cycles of poverty. His intention isnt to make gangs seem
like villains but perhaps to get society to think about why gangs are formed, and
how we could stop them from doing so. He said in an interview: At the time I
was still living on the council estate where I was born and raised, a
place that was full of potential Damilolas and potential Preddies, Id
lived with them all my life, and I wanted to explore the conditions that
might create them.Kelman was keen to emphasise we are not to see
characters as heroes or villains they are simply children adapting to
their environment.

He seems to want to show how dangerous gangs are, and how the levels of
drugs, crime and anti-social behaviour in inner city London which he believes is
even worse that when he grew up. 2000-2001 (the year Damilola died) saw a
statistically large jump in the number of gang related crimes. However the Office
for National Statistics (ONS) said the increase in numbers of murders from 503
to 574 in 2015-2016 reversing the previous downwards trend was caused by
a surge in killings in London and the South East. The total included 75 people
who were murdered in June. This sadly suggests that Police attempts to stop
gang crime have not been wholly successful. Police still seem to have to struggle
through the wall of silence that occurs after the murder of victims in inner
city London. The wall of silence is where the community will not give
information about a murder, even if they have information due to fear of the
gang harming them.

Made by E Warrington
Childhood:

Kelmanstates he is also worried about the state of childhood. In an interview he

saidchild and child violence is out of control and kids are killing each
other for no reason.This of course is reflected in the murder of Damilola who
was attacked by 12 and 13 year old brothers.

Kelman in an interview stated he say both the positive and negative aspects
to growing up on a council estate experiencing both social tension but also
the pleasure of growing up in a multi-cultural communitywhich enriched his
outlook and allowed him to experience different cultures as a child.

The globalised world:

Kelman is very interested in exploring the experience of immigrants in our

society. Kelman commented on the importance of immigration in a globalised
world where migration is so widespread, he said it is crucial we find a means
to communicate with each other peacefully as this is ourshared
humanity.

Kelman wants to explore the disappointing experiences many immigrants

experience when they come to England many have high expectations for
improving their lives but find the reality of doesnt match the expectations this
mirrors the experience of Damilola Taylor and his family who came from Nigeria
for a better education /pursue Damilolas dream of being a doctor. Kelman
loosely bases the novel on the death of Damilola, having both die on stairs, both
migrate from Africa to England and both have a shared personality based on
compassion, respect and dreams. Does Kelman suggest British society fails both
immigrant children, and native British children?

Kelman, through Harri and the Pigeon seems to send a message of equality,
tolerance and the importance of love/respect for one another.

Made by E Warrington
How to answer an essay question:

Use PEZZ to respond to a question aim to write between 4-6 detailed

paragraphs.

Point:Create the opening sentence of your paragraph, using words from the
question to show you are answering the question

Evidence: Select a quote that proves your point

Zoom in:Here comment on the language. Zoom in on verbs/adjectives/ adverbs

or comment on techniques being used e.g. metaphor/cyclical structure/
foreshadowing. Explore what the words/techniques show/suggest. You could also
explore connotations of words. Try to zoom in more than once: it could show
furthermore it could also reveal

Zoom out:On the effect on the reader, and Kelman. Explore what the writer is
trying to show and link this to context.

Example: How does Kelman present Harris death as a tragedy waiting to

happen?

Made by E Warrington
Kelman presents Harris death as a tragedy waiting to happen from the very
beginning of the novel. The novel opens in media res when Harri says You
could see the blood. It was darker than you thought. Immediately the
reader is immersed in the dark and criminal world of inner city London as
Harriobserves the blood of the dead boy on the floor outside Chicken
Joes.Firstly, this shows the reader Harris naivety and childlike view of blood
and violence as he seems to think bloodis lighter, perhaps like the scarlet
coloured blood portrayed in movies and comics.This immediately makes the
reader nervous for Harri as he seems to view the world with a level of
immaturity that will put him in danger. Perhaps Kelman is already hinting that as
a new, young immigrant in London Harris naivety will be fatal, which proves to
be correct in the wayHarri hunts down the murderer of the dead boy and cannot
see the danger he puts himself in.

Furthermore, this line is also repeated at the end of the novel, when Harri
himself is stabbed. This use of cyclical structure seems to confirm that Harris
death was inevitable, as he is stabbed for real and it is his blood that is shed.
The reader feels utter sorrow at the death of Harri, who has proved to be a
sensitive, bright and largely kind child throughout the narrative. Kelman
presenting the deaths of young black boys in a cycle conveys to the reader that
gang culture is a menace something that is almost unavoidable for these boys
growing up in deprived areas. It also allows the reader to draw parallels with
Damilola Taylor and Harri who both died after only a few months spent in
Britain. Perhaps Kelman presents Harris death as a tragedy waiting to happen
as a warning to the reader that unless we begin to see the severity of gang
crime, and we come together to stop it happening, more deaths will occur like
Damilola, Harri and the never named dead boy whose death seems to
symbolise all those who have perished due to the deadly nature of gang culture.

You could then go on to discuss how Harris death is constantly foreshadowed, I

was the dead boy my coffin would be an aeroplane the multiple references to
deaths of children on the news, somebody died on the news every day, its
nearly always a child the use of structure that allows us to think Harri might be
safe, the use of dramatic irony where Harris naivety is his downfall or
hamartia.etc

Example questions: Practice writing 50 minute responses to:

How does Kelman present the struggles of childhood in Pigeon English?

How does Kelman use settings in Pigeon English to convey ideas about
inner city London?

You knew it couldnt be bombs. You knew it had to be something good.

How does Kelman present the immigrant experience in Pigeon English?

Made by E Warrington
Pigeon English makes us both laugh out loud, and feel despair at the
state of our inner cities

To what extent do you agree with this statement?

Made by E Warrington