Mrs Kingshaw's Characters

Created by: Heather
Created on: 23-03-14 10:29

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Mrs Kingshaw's character
- Background
  - She is a widow after her husband died in the Battle of Britain,
  - She has struggled financially,
  - Her and Kingshaw are used to middle class existence and she is keen to be able to live like this,
  - She is a proud lady and tries to remain respectable by taking care of her appearance and finding work,
  - She accepts at job at Warings as an 'informal housekeeper' to support her and her son,
  - She and Kingshaw have lived in various houses and hotels and is attracted to the stability Warings can offer.
- Character/ Personality
  - It is clear from early on in the novel that she is more concerned about keeping up with appearances even at the expense of Kingshaw's happiness,
    - When she arrives, she is wearing a suit and her main concerns are that it might be 'too smart' and she is keen Kingshaw should make a good impression by helping with the suitcases,
  - She is selfish,
    - She ignored the tension between Edmund and Kingshaw and forced them to play together and she believes it will 'cement their friendship',
  - she is concerned with superficial things,
    - She 'threw herself into planning the cocktail party' whilst ignoring Charles' suffering,
  - She puts herself first,
    - When Mr Hooper points out that the boys will be left alone while they go to London, she is quick to point out 'it will be an adventure'.
    - This makes her oblivious to Charles' desperation,
  - She is self centred and keen to keep up the appearance of happy family and please Mr Hooper,
    - She takes Edmund's side when they return from Hang Wood and believes Edmund's lies over her own Son.
    - She is only concerned about how 'ashamed Kingshaw makes her feel and how she won't favour her son over Edmund to please Mr Hooper,
  - She is unable to relate to her son
    - When Kingshaw tells her about how Edmund has been bullying her and his deep hatred for his, she attempts to trivialise his deep feelings-'Oh that is a wicked, wicked way to talk'
  - Insensitivity at agreeing to marry Mr Hooper and putting Charles' unhappiness to the back of her mind,
- The readers' feelings towards Mrs Kingshaw
  - Hill writes her as a very unattractive character as there is little of anything to show she puts Charles' interests before her own,
    - Is she was so determined to give him the best start in life, she would have found an alternative when she realised how unhappy he was,
  - We feel angry that he has suffered because of her selfishness and how she has failed her son,
    - We are told she is a cold and distant woman and has rarely shown physical affection,
    - Kingshaw remembers, how there 'was no warmth or comfort in her embrace.
  - We are ashamed she doesn't even realise she was part of the reason Kingshaw killed himself,
    - She doesn't realise or admits that she has limited understanding of Charles' development and his needs,
- Mrs Kingshaw as a mother
  - Beginning
    - To Kingshaw, she pushes Charles and makes him uncomfortable and makes him feel like he has a debt to pay to Mr Hooper,
    - To Edmund, they don't really have a bond and just accept one another's presence and doesn't notice his bullying,
  - Middle
    - To Kingshaw, she becomes so pre-occupied with MR Hooper that she forgets about him and she becomes obnoxious to his feelings,
    - To Edmund, she realises that if she is a good mother to him, she will get closer to Mr Hooper,
  - End
    - To Kingshaw, she starts using her son as a scapegoat and blames everything on him and turns a blind eye to the facts so Mr Hooper doesn't think she is favouring her son,
    - To Edmund, she pays mor attention to him and almost smothers him and this is used against Kingshaw by Edmund and means she is closer to Mr Hooper,
To Kingshaw, she pushes Charles and makes him uncomfortable and makes him feel like he has a debt to pay to Mr Hooper,

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Mrs Kingshaw's Characters

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