cal
by Bernard Mac Laverty
How I came upon this subject
I just wanted to read an English book on my own. So I went to the library to look for an interesting book. There I saw a nice one on display right in front of me. I took it and read the blurb (short summary and the reviews on the back cover of the book). That was very impressing, so I decided to read it and to write my student work about it. Here is my result:
About the story
A 19 year old unemployed Catholic guy called Cal (Cahal) Mc Cluskey lives with his father, the abattoir worker Shamie, in a Protestant residential area of a town in Northern Ireland. There he gets beaten up by a gang of loyalist extremists. To be protected by his country men, he participated reluctantly in the activities of the IRA (Irish Republican Army). A year before the story-telling begins, he did the worst thing of his life. He drove the car in a deadly attack on Robert Morton. He was a member of the predominantly Protestant police reserve. Cal has many twinges of remorse because of his participation in that cruel act. He tries to avoid deeper involvement with IRA activists (Crilly and Skeffington) and their activities. Crilly was Cal’s school friend. He is gory. He has no scruples so he’s able to work in the abattoir (where he killed animals) or to break someone’s legs. Crilly belongs to the executive arm of the IRA. Skeffington an intellectual mastermind behind the terrorist acts of the IRA.
To get a distance to his past, Cal plays his guitar, goes to the library and borrows music tapes from there. But it’s just at the library, where he gets in touch with his past and future. There he meets Marcella Morton, a 28-year-old widow, who works as a librarian. She is of Italian origin and is a Catholic. Cal falls in love with her, although he is aware of his sin regarding her late husband.
Instead of looking for a job in the abattoir again, which he had left because of his upset stomach, he finds a job on Morton’s farm as a farmhand. The farm belongs to Marcella’s orthodox protestant parents in law. Cal likes his work with the animals and on the fields. He also likes the nearness to Marcella. But he’s afraid of a call from his IRA “colleagues” for a new terrorist act.
One night, when Cal was outside, some radical protestants in Cal’s neighbourhood burnt Mc Cluskey’s house down. After this shock Cal’s father Shamie became very depressive, so he has been sent to a psychiatric clinic. Cal fears to get in touch with the IRA extremists again, so he runs away secretly to an old cottage on Morton’s protestant farm-area. He becomes a hermit of love. Beside the whole trouble in Northern Ireland the love between Marcella and Cal arises. He’d like to tell her the whole truth about his sin, but he’s not able to do that because he knows , that she won’t love him anymore. So he remains silent with a bad feeling.
It’s Christmas and Cal goes to town to buy some presents. Suddenly he meets Crilly, who has been searching him during the time he was living secretly on the farm. Crilly takes Cal with him to the IRA-headquarters. On the way, Crilly informs him about the next terrorist act ... a bomb in the library! Suddenly, a road block. The car stops. Crilly gets nervous and the trouble starts. Cal manages to escape. By an anonymous phone call, he informs the police about the bomb in the library. Cal has become a traitor and an informer. He goes back to the cottage, even though he knows very well that he will be arrested too. He’s even grateful that someone was going to beat him to within an inch of his life.
About the book
The novel “Cal” (1983) is Mac Laverty’s first work about the civil war in Northern Ireland. He succeeded to combine this difficult subject with a romantic love story. A lot of precise descriptions help the reader to put himself into Cal’s situation. The descriptions are as exact as photos and all the details draw the picture of Cal’s surroundings, feelings, actions and thoughts.
The hopelessness of love is equal to the hopelessness in the future of Northern Ireland.
Here’s a quotation which describes the love between Cal and Marcella very well (page 91):
“Although she was light-years away from him, he felt the enormous pull of her. And yet, like the moon and the earth, he knew that, because of what he had done, they could never come together. All that was left to him, was to watch her.”
This dilemma is also shown in society. Already on the first page the abattoir is used as a metaphor for the society, which after more than 25 years is still fighting a civil war. Crilly uses clear words (page 66):
“If you’re not a part of the solution, you’re a part of the problem.”
I’ve read the book and I’ve seen the movie too. Having done so, I have to say that the movie is very good. Especially the actors show great skills. But the book is better. The main reason for my opinion is that the book contains many inner monologues, which hasn’t be shown in the movie. And many details of the book have been neglected in the movie. The impressions after reading the book are much more intensive than after seeing the film.
I can fully recommend this gripping book.
About the author
Bernard Mac Laverty was born in Belfast, where he worked ten years as a medical laboratory technician before studying English at Queen’s University in England. He then moved to Scotland and taught for a number of years. He now writes full time and lives on the Isle of Islay with his wife and four children.
His first book, Secrets and Other Stories, won a Scottish Arts Council Book Award, as did Lamb, A Time to Dance and Cal. Lamb was also runner-up to the Guardian Fiction Prize, and A Time to Dance won the literature prize in the Sunday Independent’s Annual Arts Award.
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Frequently asked questions
What is "Cal" by Bernard Mac Laverty about?
"Cal" is a novel by Bernard Mac Laverty set in Northern Ireland, focusing on Cal Mc Cluskey, a 19-year-old Catholic involved in the IRA, who feels remorse for his role in the death of Robert Morton, a Protestant policeman. Cal falls in love with Morton's widow, Marcella, while trying to distance himself from the violence. The story explores themes of love, guilt, and the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
Who is Cal Mc Cluskey?
Cal is the main character, a 19-year-old unemployed Catholic living in a Protestant area of Northern Ireland. He is involved with the IRA and struggles with guilt over his participation in a deadly attack on Robert Morton. He seeks escape through music and later falls in love with Marcella Morton, Robert's widow.
Who is Marcella Morton?
Marcella is Robert Morton's widow, a 28-year-old librarian of Italian origin and a Catholic. She works at the library where Cal meets her and falls in love with her. She's a central figure in Cal's internal conflict and adds a romantic element to the story amidst the Troubles.
What role does the IRA play in the story?
The IRA is a significant element in Cal's life and the overall narrative. Cal is reluctantly involved with the IRA and feels conflicted about their violent activities. The IRA's presence contributes to the tension and moral dilemmas faced by Cal.
What is the significance of the abattoir mentioned in the book?
The abattoir serves as a metaphor for the violent and brutal nature of the conflict in Northern Ireland. It represents the society's capacity for cruelty and bloodshed, reflecting the ongoing civil war.
How does Cal try to escape his past?
Cal tries to escape his past by playing his guitar, going to the library, working on the Morton's farm, and seeking solace in nature. He tries to find a job outside of the abattoir, and avoids direct contact with the IRA extremists until they seek him out.
What happens to Cal at the end of the story?
Towards the end, Cal runs away to a cottage after his house is burnt down. He informs the police about a bomb in the library. Cal becomes a traitor and informer and is arrested.
How does the book portray the relationship between Cal and Marcella?
The relationship between Cal and Marcella is portrayed as a complex and impossible love. Cal is burdened by his guilt over her husband's death, creating a barrier to a genuine connection. Their love symbolizes the larger hopelessness in the conflict in Northern Ireland.
What are some of the key themes in "Cal"?
Key themes in "Cal" include guilt, remorse, love, violence, identity, and the impact of political conflict on personal lives. The novel explores the moral dilemmas faced by individuals caught in the crossfire of the Troubles.
How does the book compare to the movie adaptation?
The book is considered superior to the movie adaptation due to its deeper exploration of Cal's inner thoughts and feelings through inner monologues, which are largely absent in the film. Many details are also neglected in the movie. The book provides a more intensive experience and character study.
- Quote paper
- Marko Nedeljkovic (Author), 2000, Laverty, Bernard Mac - Cal, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/97330
