Higher Prose – “Sunset Song” Revision
This document provides an overview of the key ideas, events and themes related to Lewis Grassic Gibbon’s “Sunset Song”. It
is not a definitive guide and you should use the notes to assist you in forming an overall impression of the text.
KEY THEMES / CENTRAL CONCERNS
1. The death of a way of living / change in Scottish farming society.
2. The experiences of growing up and reaching maturity as a woman – Chris Guthrie.
3. The experience of dealing with difficulties and change in life.
WAR - Important both for what it does to people and also for its effect on the main themes.
LOVE OF THE LAND - Obviously these are closely related to the main theme.
POLITICS - Although Gibbon does not seem to come down firmly on one side, he obviously approves of the various forms of
socialism portrayed in the novel: John Guthrie’s anger at middle class characters, Strachan’s ideas, Long Rob’s ideas, the
ploughman’s union etc.
MUTABILITY - The sense that nothing human endures, that it is only the land which survives.
Chapter
Chris / Kinraddie
Unfurrowed Field (Prelude)
Ploughing
Sets scene – history of Kinraddie
How Chris (Guthries) came to
Kinraddie/Blawearie.
Chris’ desire for education
Jean’s Death
Chris becomes a woman – housewife
role and sexuality.
John Guthrie’s illness and death.
Chris marries Ewan – pregnancy.
Argument with Ewan – Undermines his
masculinity
Chris & Ewan run the farm
Ewan (junior) is born
Ewan goes to war – returns and is a
changed man – “brute”
Ewan is killed – Chris’ reaction
Memorial to the fallen (including
Ewan). Chris marries Rev. Colquhoun
Drilling
Seedtime
Harvest
Unfurrowed Field (Epilude)
World
Social change, class structure, change
of land use.
Increased access to education for
women.
Change in world order. OLD IDEAS are
being abandoned.
Build up to the war – increased
progression towards industrialisation
of farming.
The Great War – Kinraddie’s men go to
war.
Long Rob objects.
Impact of war on the land and
community – loss of trees.
Clear examples of the change in use of
the land and increased size of farms /
reliance on livestock and technology.
The following section includes specific quotes from each chapter which link to the key themes (& sub
categories) of the text. There are more examples but those listed are powerful/memorable quotes.
Chapter / Plot event
Ploughing
John’s mistreatment of Will
Quote
“If I ever hear you take your maker’s
name in vain…I’ll lib (castrate) you”
Key Theme(s)
John acts as a powerful, controlling
influence in the family. Hints towards
importance of religion.
Chris’ education in Echt – choices
“Chris and her reading and schooling,
two Chrisses there were that fought for
her heart”
Chris loves the land and community but
feels she would like to progress as a
woman and become educated.
Chris’ ignorance of reality of life – birth
of twins.
“What has father to do with it? Will
stared… Don’t you know?”
Chris’ youth and ignorance is displayed
– she will change later.
Two Chrisses
“one was right douce and studious and
the other…laughed at the antics of the
teachers…and minded Blawearie…till
she was sick to be home again”
Death of Jean Guthrie
“Mother below would be needing her
help…They were crying her name…it
sounded like the lowing of calves that
had lost their mother”
Chris’ choices reflect the choice that
women had to make – commitment to
the family and farming or a more selfserving desire for a career. Women
leaving tradition behind.
The first example of loss that Chris
faces. She is already being identified as
the mother figure and her choices in life
will now be restricted.
Drilling
End of education for Chris
“You’ll be leaving the college
now…education’s dirt and you’re better
clear of it”
Chris is now expected to conform to the
traditional female role.
Chris’s growing awareness of her
sexuality and fear of her father.
Event with tink in the barn.
“she didn’t dare sleep…she heard John
Guthrie get out of bed…a beast that
sniffed and planned and smelled…she
held her breath, near sick with fright”
There is a suggestion that Chris has
become aware of her sexuality – a
woman, not a girl – this brings some
excitement but also fears.
Will leaves home and John’s anger
results in his stroke and death.
“it was hardly a week before his own
rage struck down John Guthrie”
“half paralysed”
Seed-Time
Further revelations of John’s desires.
“You’re my flesh and blood, I can do
with you what I will, come to me Chris”
Chris’ reaction to John’s death
“Sleep, she could sleep as she chose
now, often and long…My father’s dead”
Chris’ freedom is further restricted by
the need for her to care for John.
Ultimately she will appreciate her
father and will have control of the farm.
The unspoken idea of incest is
suggested and shows John’s
expectations of power/control.
Chris is now in sole control – strong
woman – new choices in life.
John’s funeral
“Oh father, I didn’t KNOW…she minded
then…all the fine things of him…he’d
never rested working and chaving for
them, only God had beaten him…”
Gibbon highlights with the death of
John comes the death of the traditional
Scottish man who would do anything to
provide for his family.
Chris & Ewan Marry
"he took her close to him, and they
were one flesh, one and together"
“living off my meal and my milk, you
Highland pauper!”
Chris has matured into a woman and it
seems she is meant to be with Ewan.
Chris still feels in charge of the farm but
this undermines Ewan - Link to him
leaving for war?
Chris & Ewan's confrontation
“She took pleasure in being
herself…cooking and baking and
running to the parks with the piece for
Ewan”
Positive relationship contrasts with
later behaviour of Ewan
“He’d grown sick of it all, folk laughing
and sneering at him for a coward”
There is a sense that Ewan feels the
need to be a true man.
“like a beast at a trough”, “strange
swaying figure”, “beast-like mauling”
The brutalising impact WAR has on
humans - men.
Chris has sex with Long Rob
"a man to love her, not such a boy as
the Ewan that had been"
Chris has matured sexually and in her
view of what she values in a man.
Death of Ewan - Sadness, regret – Chris
"What have they to do with my Ewan,
what was the King to him, what their
damned country"
Impact of war on family/community. It
is not their concern but their lives are
hugely influenced by the events.
Ewan’s love for Chris – his desertion
“he’d made her that promise that he’d
never fail her…he’d to try to win to her
side again, to see her again”
Epilude – The Unfurrowed Field
 War memorial - Emphasis on
the end of an era with the loss
of Blawearie’s men.
“In the sunset of an age… they went
quiet and brave from the lands they
loved…though seldom of that love
might they speak”
Even though Ewan knows he has no
chance of getting to Chris he feels he
must try. He belongs at Blawearie.
Various examples of changes to
community and farming life.

Grassic Gibbon suggests impact of
the war and modernisation of
farming on the community.
Strength of Chris as a character
“Chris Tavendale alone never shed a
tear…they’d the last of the light with
them up there…maybe they didn’t need
it…you can do without the day if you’ve
a lamp quiet-lighted in your heart.”
Birth of young Ewan
Ewan goes to war
Ewan's treatment of Chris when he
returns on leave
Emphasis of the strength and maturity
of Chris despite the torment she has
faced. There is a sense that life is
uncertain BUT Chris always has hope.