Crispin is a historical fiction book. Its main storyline is about a young boy living in medieval England. It shows how the young boy struggles to get his identity. In the first chapters of the book, Crispin is known as Asta’s son. He begins his struggles shortly after his mother dies. He does not know who his father his and the only lead he has concerning his father is a lead cross around his neck. There are some writings on the lead cross but he is unable to read them. By good luck, he overhears information suggesting that he is a hunted boy and therefore escapes to his home village. During this period, he meets with a bear, and lots of adventures follow.
This book takes the reader back to the period of the 14th century in England. The author details the problems people were facing during the period. The author also mixes fact with fiction. He includes John Ball in the book, who is a living character. He uses this method to clearly illustrate how people had difficult life. Slavery is present at that time and there is a big gap between the rich and poor. You either had to be very rich or very poor. The kings and Lords have all powers. The common man had no say in the society but answer to the demands of the lords. The book ends with lots of thrilling and violent experiences. Crispin survives through all this because of his luck and also his courage.
Crispin
The character struggles hard to identify who his father is. After his mother’s death, he overhears a conversation between a manor steward and a stranger which leads him to being hunted with the accusations of a thief. The young boy is very courageous and flees to his home village. From the book, it is also clear that Crispin was illiterate. He had a lead cross that had some writings but he was not able to read them. He flees home with the lead cross and Father Quinel translates the writings for him telling him that it was his mother who had written them. We also learn that the Character family is of Christian origin when the father tells the young boy that he had been baptized with the name Crispin.
Bear
This character is seen to be a mysterious father figure. It is a worldly giant of a man. After bear reads the writings on the cross, he does everything he could to ensure that Crispin is ignorant to his business. The writer makes a big resemblance between the characters of Bear to those of Crispin’s father. Bear does not agree with the fact that there should be equality between men and women. This character is later overcome and taken by Aycliffe’s men. Crispin helps him out and he later starts to care for Crispin and admits that he loved him like his son.
Analysis of Theme and style used in the book
There is character transformation in the end of the book. Crispin finally finds out who his father was and is no longer coward but gets the courage to take action. Bear also changes and starts to take care of Crispin .Crispin is transformed from Asta’s son to the highborn Crispin. The themes in this book are self-discovery and change. Crispin later discovers who his father was and was hence able to get his identity. Change is seen through out the book including the characters themselves changing for the better. The issue of rich versus poor is clearly indicated by comparing the life of the peasants and those of Kings and Lords. Freedom and democracy is also brought in severally in the book in the cases where the poor are servants of the Lords and also the argument that men are superior to women.