Chapter 10- Reading guide

SPIES- CHAPTER 10

A) AT THE BARNS

TRUE OR FALSE? JUSTIFY YOUR ANSWERS

1. The man has a clear German accent
2. The man calls Keith´s parents by their first names
3. Stephen is as inarticulate as usual.
4. The man asks about Milly and her mother.
5. The man links Stephen´s fears and failure to his own story
6. The man cries and explains the only thing that keeps him sane are the regular sounds of the trains.
7. Keith is still worried about germs when he crouches to give the man the food he has brought.
8. In the darkness of the pit where the man lives, Keith can spot the man´s dark tangle of hair and beard.

ANSWER

1. What does the man reveal about his relationship with Mrs Hayward?
2. What message and token does he give Stephen for Mrs Hayward?
3. Why do the man´s last words sound like a key turning on a lock for Stephen?

B) IN THE LOOKOUT

1. What is different? Who has been there?
2. What´s going on at the Haywards´?
3. What is Mrs Hayward wearing?
4. Summarise what happens when Keith goes to the lookout

C) AT STEPHEN´S HOUSE

Describe:

1. Stephen´s parents attitude to their injured son
2. Stephen´s behaviour
3. Geoff´s theory about what has happened

D) THAT NIGHT

1. Why does Stephen wake up in a panic?
2. What is strange?
3. Where does he want to hide the man´s scarf?
4. What does he see?
5. How does he feel?

The children's discoveries

As in a murder mystery,  the gradual release of information and the careful placing of clues play a crucial role in “Spies”.There's one big mystery to be solved and something new is discovered by Keith and Stephen in each chapter. In this post, I am going to summarise the children's discoveries from chapters 4 to 7.

The Landscape Beyond the Tunnel

What is there beyond the tunnel?

On the other side of the tunnel, there used to be a narrow path that was almost covered by the growth of vegetation on each side of it in the summer. Even though the path was just one, it was usually called “The Lanes”. A bit further on,  there were some tumbledown hovels that the children called “the Cottages”, ignoring the fact that it was an extremely grand name for such collapsed dwellings. All around the place, there were pieces of damaged objects,  children with ragged clothes and “misshapen dogs”. An abandoned farm was also located in “The Lanes” and it was important because it marked the frontier between the Cottages and, as Stephen called it, “no-man’s land”.

Questions on chapter 9

Chapter 9: Spies from “The light is on...” to the end.

True or false? Explain the true statements and correct the false ones

1. Mr Hayward sits at the kitchen table to have a conversation with Stephen.
2. He delivers a clear and continuous speech on how to behave.
3. Stephen discovers he has some things in common with Mr Hayward and that adults are not so different from children after all.
4. Mr Hayward tries to get the basket by force.
5. Stephen ends up giving him the basket.
6. When Mrs Hayward enters the room and sees that Mr Hayward has the basket, she begins crying.
7. Stephen goes out of the room and stays in Keith´s room.

Answer these questions:

1. What do you imagine happens in the garage after Stephen goes out?
2. Are Mr and Mrs Wheatley presented as loving parents? Justify your answer
3. What does Stephen notice about the moon? Why does he compare himself to it?
4. What new anxiety wakes Stephen up?
5. Stephen tries to escape from his troubles by reverting to childhood. How? Does he succeed? Why(not)?
6. How does Stephen decide to help Mrs Hayward and the man at the Barns?
7. The chapter ends in a cliffhanger. Explain.

Keith and Stephen´s relationship in chapter 6

In chapter 6, we notice Stephen gets a new awareness of the unfairness of the criticism and contempt he suffers from Keith.

 At the beginning of the chapter, we are reminded of all the secrets  Stephen is hiding from Keith : the fact that his mother told him to stop spying on her or that Barbara Berrill visited their hideout.  But, in spite of this, we see that Stephen remains completely faithful to his friend, and is determined to please him. He bravely goes out in the middle of the night to look for a piece of evidence that may prove his friend's hypothesis. Stephen explains he does this just to prove his allegiance and his value to his friend.: “One single heroic deed to lay at Keith´s feet in the morning” Moreover, when his parents question him about his night excursion to the other side of the tunnel, the only questions he answers are those which involve protecting his friend.

The caning incident (chapter 7)

The caning incident in chapter 7 sheds light on what is going on inside the Haywards’ and at the same time it gives us a new insight into Keith's character and behaviour.

When Mr. Hayward utters the word “thermos”, Keith turns red and understands he is being accused of a crime he cannot even identify. Little by little, we see how he suffers as he understands that the thermos flask is missing and his father thinks he has taken it. He can only limit himself to look at the ground, as he knows that even when he speaks the truth: “I didn´t take it”, he won't be believed. His defencelessness in this section of the novel offers a striking contrast with the leading role he takes in his relationship with Keith in other chapters.

How is suspense built up during Stephen's night excursion to the other side of the tunnel in chapter 6?

Stephen's night excursion to the other side of the tunnel  is full of suspense. Although the adventure probably didn't last  long, the meticulous description of its every detail slows its narrative pace and at the same time makes it very vivid. As a result, the reader gets engaged in the events and feels eager to find out what's going to happen next.