Stone cold:
a book by Robert Swindells.
Main Characters:
-Link -
a homeless boy who finds himself on the streets of
London.
-I-person (Shelter)–
who talks about daily routine orders – a
military man.
Homelessness:
1:write down what you know about homeless people:
Whose fault is it that they are homeless?
Reasons for being homeless.
Would you like to live on the streets? Why/why not?
Justify your arguments.
Read pages one till 17:
From Link’s point of view…
Write a short summary of what is told in the story so far:
Who’s Link?
What’s his situation at home?
Has he got any brothers or sisters?
How come he became a homeless person?
In which city did he live?
What are the disadvantages of being homeless according to Link?
What do you think he means with a “dosser”?
What did he get for Christmass?
How was his relation with his stepfather?
From the other person’s point of view…
Write a short summary what his ideas are so far:
Daily routine
Daily routine
Daily routine
Daily routine
about?
order
order
order
order
1:
2:
3:
4:
What’s he talking about?
What’s he doing?
What do we know about him now?
What has he done and what is he talking
Read page 18 – 39
Write a short summary containing the following items.
Link…
To which city did he go?
What about the time of the year he went there?
Did he get a room?
Did he look for work?
How was he financially?
Why was he put on the street?
What was his experience when he slept on the streets?
Which right rules on the streets?
Shelter:
Daily routine orders 5: Who was the first recruit?
What happened to the first recruit?
Daily routine orders 6: He has two opinions about killing.
Which are they?
Why do you think he thinks this way?
Read page 40 – 83
Link:
Why did Link make a hitlist? What was his problem with “Ratface” and the “The scouser”?
Whom did he meet?
How did they get any money?
Who was captain Hook?
How did Link feel when Ginger disappeared?
Shelter:
Daily routine orders 7:
Mention some safety measures he took so as not to be discovered.
Who was his next victim?
Daily routine orders 8: Who do you think the two “dossers”are?
Daily routine orders 9:
How many recruits had he got by now?
What did he do to make them look like soldiers?
How did he get his next recruit?
Daily routine orders 10: What is he planning to do?
Read pages 81 till the end.
Link..
How did link find out what had happened to Ginger?
He met a new girl, what did she look like?
Did he like Gail immediately?
Did Gail have any money?
A man was looking for a girl named Tanya. Did Link know her?
Nick met this man too. What was strange?
Did they look for help?
Were the police very helpful?
They went to watch the man, were they successful?
The man saw Link, what happened then?
Who turned Gail out to be?
Shelter:
Daily routine orders 11:
What was the nickname he had for Link?
How did he get Ginger to go with him?
Daily routine orders 12:
What mistake did Shelter make?
Who did he buy the boots for?
Daily routine orders 13: Who are the magnificent seven?
Daily routine orders 14:
Who came to visit him and what did he think of that?
Daily routine orders 15: How did Shelter react to the questions?
Worksheet with Stone Cold:
In the book you find some dialect words that may have been
unfamiliar for you.
Here are some sentences Ali G. might say. Could you write them
out in standard English.
Me main man, what lives next door, has bought hisel a new auto
After da match, we all went to Dave’s house for tea, man
For real it is well wicked for da mind to read quillions of books
Me asked da man to chill, but him kept on bangin.
Well, me suppose yous might just get away wiv it.
Last night, me watched a for real hinterestin programme on da
telly.
Me went to school today and did have a well wicked English
lesson.
Me mate, Dave said he would borrow me is trainers.
How does Ali G. say the following words:
My the with that after himself
Sleeping rough:
On pages 55-58 of Stone Cold, Link gives a description of what it is
to sleep on the streets of London. Remind yourself of the extract,
then complete the following activities.
1. Make a list of ten of the worst things about sleeping rough.
2. How does this extract make you feel sympathy for homeless
people?
Psychiatric report:
Read the psychatric report about “Shelter”.
If you were a judge in a trial and had to judge “Shelter”, would
this psychiatric report make any difference?
Explain your answer:
Psychiatric report.
Patients name:
Age: 35
Jack
Nature of concern:
Attempted murder of homeless boy Link. When flat was searched a diary was
found which made the police quite suspicious of his mental state because of the
book contents. During the search of the flat police found under the floorboards
seven bodies which had been shaven, dressed in army gear and laid in a neat
row.
Previous medical/psychiatric history:
Was taken out of the army due to medical grounds. In the army he was being
trained to kill and Jack took it too literally. He was put on medication and was
advised to go to support groups but Jack ignored this and did not take the
medication provided.
Details of interview:
During the interview Jack seemed quite calm when I asked about his
background he seemed quite upset and tried to avoid the question. Then when
asked about the army he was quite annoyed about them and seemed adutated
about something.
When we started to ask about the bodies which were found underneath the
floorboards he lied and it was as if he was or had planned out what he was
going to say.
When he started to tell the truth he used the phrase “By Golly” quite a lot. Jack
told us that it was his duty to clear up the streets of the homeless people.
He also referred to the bodies as the Campden Horizontals. He said that they
were recruits who volunteered themselves. It was also found out that he did
not think of it as murder or see the wrong in it. He said he was putting them
out of their misery, they were no longer hungry or cold now.
Family / details / background:
When Jack was a boy his dad was in the army and had left his mum. His dad
also had gone insane during the army and killed himself. Jack was very upset
and could not cope about his father’sdeath. He did not know about his father’s
insanity and about his suicide. Jack thought he was a hero. His mum took care
of Jack very well. She cared for him very much. Jack then followed in his
father’s footsteps and joined the army.
Additional information:
With close observations and an interview with Jack I think that the cause of his
metal state is to do with his father’s insanity and death. Jack may have
inherited some mental disorder from his father. I also think that the army has a
part to play in Jack’s insanity.
Recommendations:
I recommend that Jack should be put in a home for the insane and put under
close observations. He should see a doctor to recommend some medication and
should try to see if he will join any support groups about the loss of his father
as I think this is the root of his insanity.
Signed:
Elisabeth Harley
Psychiatrist.