'The Go-Between: Is Ted a coward?\r'

'In Hartleys The Go-Between, lower- row Ted, a study character takes his life following a aflame affair with upper class Marian, at Brandham antechamber in the year 1900.\r\nTeds suicide could be judged as a cowardly act. How constantly, Hartley has inclined the ref indicate to prove that Ted is a very lovesome and idealistic character in this novel.\r\nHartley explores the difficult path of the sleep together between Marian and Ted once morest the strict social scope of 1900 England.\r\nIn the ‘garden of Eden setting of Brandham Hall, Hartley tells the story by dint of the eyes of an innocent 12-year- mature boy, king of beasts, who discovers the importance of class distinctions in the hot summer of 1900. In the resulting loss of innocence, social lion discovers the true nature of the relationship between rudimentary characters Ted and Marian, and the lives of all the people at Brandham Hall ar changed forever.\r\nThe proofreader is first introduced to Ted at the swimming hole. This is primary(prenominal)(prenominal) to the decision of Teds cowardliness as we are presumptuousness a very absolute physical exposition of him. The following translation persuades the reader that Ted epitomizes strength. He is non weak and therefore non a coward.\r\nâ€Å"… it was Ted bourgeois clinging to the post, hauling himself out. His\r\nmuscles bunched, his face tense with effort. He did non see me, and\r\nI retreated almost in tear before that powerful body.” (Pg 63)\r\nHartley successfully uses symbol to convey the idea that Ted is a strong man. At the beginning of the novel, young Leo is marveling over the zodiac signs which aggrandise his diary. He is unsure of which sign he would worry to be: the water letter carrier or the archer. passim the novel, Leo cast offs connections with Ted and the water carrier. He describes the water carrier as â€Å"strong and sturdy”.\r\nâ€Å"Striding across the farmyard came the fa rmer, a pail of water in\r\neach hand. I remembered him; it was Ted Burgess of the swimming\r\npool.” (Pg 85)\r\nTed is also described by Hartley as a ghastly harvester. The grim reaper is a man that personifies death as an old man or skeleton carrying a scythe. This again gives the reader a virile impression of Ted and non a gutless one.\r\nâ€Å"It wasnt difficult to find him, for he was usually working in the\r\nharvest palm on the far side of the river; from the sluice\r\n curriculum I could see where he was. The first eon I went he was\r\nriding the reaper, a unseasoned fangled machine which cut the corn just\r\ndid not bind it.”\r\nHartley used a natural gas as another symbol. This symbol was crucial to the deeper grounds of main character, Ted. Ted actually describes himself as â€Å"a pretty ripe shot”. Guns are a symbol of strength, a symbol of power. They are designed purely to bruise or kill.\r\nThere are a some references during the novel a bout Ted and his gun, as well as these weapons in general.\r\nâ€Å"He was standing with his gun ceremony for the rabbits and\r\nother creatures, which clung to their shelter till the last hour\r\nbefore bolting out.” (Pg 109)\r\nâ€Å"He was sitting on a chair behind the table with a gun between\r\nhis knees so absorbed that he didnt give a trend me. The muzzle was\r\njust below his mouth, the barrel was touch against his naked\r\nchest, and he was peering down it.” (Pg 186)\r\nThese descriptions of Ted and his gun are very important to the reader because it gives us the savvy that Ted is comfortable around this weapons and he has access to one. The reader is less surprised when we learn that Ted has shot himself.\r\nthroughout the novel, Leo visits Ted at Black Farm to allow messages from Marian. Ted is defined by his environment thats his house and his job. Ted is a working-class man who works as a tenant on the land. Ted is tanned from spending ache days wor king outside. He is result never earn enough money to advance up the social class ladder because he is limit to give profits from his farm to the owner, manufacturer Trimingham.\r\nThe description of Teds house and some dialogue helps the reader to assign that Ted is physically and mentally resilient. This man is no coward.\r\nâ€Å"We entered the house, which touch me as a mean abode,\r\nthrough a door that led straight into the kitchen.\r\n‘This is where I by and large live, he said defensively, ‘Im not\r\nwhat you call a gentleman farmer. Im a working one.”\r\n(Pg 87)\r\nTed is physically strong but also mentally tough too. From the beginning, the reader learns that Ted knows exactly where he fits in the social class structure of 1900 England. This is shown when Leo trespasses visits Teds farm.\r\n” ‘What the devil-! he began, and his red-brown eyes\r\nsparkled with umbrageous lights. ‘What the hell do you think\r\nyoure doing here? Ive a good header to give you the\r\nbiggest thrashing youve ever had in your life.”\r\nAs soon as Ted realises that Leo is staying at the tone completely changes and he apologises to Leo.\r\n” ‘You mustnt mind if I spoke to you a bit hasty. Thats\r\nthe way I am, and these old boys round here they bm\r\nme half demented.\r\nI did not despise him for ever-changing his tune when he knew\r\nwhere I came from: it seemed to me right, natural and\r\n straightlaced that he should.”\r\nThe acceptance of Teds position in cabaret is very important to the development of his character. We understand that Ted is not resentful of where he stands but compliant. This is crucial to the understanding Teds suicide. He realises that Marian will never attach him. He would rather die than watch Lord Trimingham live a life with Marian. This is not cowardice, but acceptance.\r\nTeds suicide could be described as cowardly. However, Hartley has given the reader enough evidence to sug gest otherwise. Ted is compared to strong characters such as the water carrier and the grim reaper. He is initially described as beingness very physically strong and attractive at the water hole. Ted has a knowledge and love of guns, they make him feel virile. Ted is very intelligent. He realises where he stands in society and is accepting of this. He understands that Marian will never marry him because society will not accept it. Ultimately, Ted killed himself out of love for Marian. He didnt urgency to live a life that would not accommodate Marian. Ted is not a coward but simply head-over-heels in love.\r\n'