Definitions

Unchecked power: unrestrained and unexamined power, which leads to the

development of totalitarian society in Cheshunt. Totalitarian society is
characterized by a single authority can exercise absolute control and influence
over all aspects of life. This single authority will not tolerate attempts to disobey
the orders of the society. (In this novel, the authoritarian figures are Mr Karle and
the police.)
Corrupted authority: Unchecked power will inevitably lead to the corruption of
authority where it will be abused in favour of those who hold the power. This will
initiate mistrust, lies and fear throughout the Cheshunt community.
Subterfuge: counterfeit images or perceptions that deceive and hide the truth.

Characters Against Evil

5 protagonists swear to keep faith with the othersand to cleave the chain
that binds the dark (p84)
five kids had responded to the Call... an adult who heard the CALL would
explain it away somehow and dismiss it. You couldnt respond to something
you didnt believe in. [p149]

Nathanial
-

Main protagonist
High school student

Before:
-

Lonely I couldnt relate to kids my own age. (p3)

Strained relationship with mother
Shows immaturity in Youll just up and move us in another year like you
always do. (p3) blames mother for his unhappiness and does not try to
see her perspective
Disagrees with the unquestioning obedience of normal civilians seen in
totalitarian society as seen in Cheshunt ants would make good slaves
because they obey orders...really great people [are] nonconformists (p29)
Supressed memories of violent father
o Recurrence of same nightmare the monster, its eyes full of insane
rage... its great fetid paws closed around my neck...i just stood there
letting it kill me... A little girl asked Why doesnt he run away?
Because its too frightened, my mother murmured. (p171 )

After:
-

Weakness: must face his supressed memories

o seek beyond the shadows of the past to know the truth of the future
(p83)

Children should be seen and not heard (p247), supressed memory of

father saying this as he tried to choke Nat. These words have been
haunting him since he was little words symbolize Nats weakness of
believing he does not have a voice, no one would take him seriously
(e.g. his mother would always assume the worse, even accused him of
hurting The Tod)
o Near the end of the novel Nat realises his actions, despite being an
adolescence, can make a difference at the climax battle against Mr
Karle he says sometimes you have to fight (p256)
o Also forgives mother after knowing her reasons behind moving
shows his development Its alright (p267)
Builds strong, trusting relationships with other 4 other protagonists
overcomes his sense of loneliness
o When Tod died (very traumatized), Nat turned to his four friends for
comfort Hell be sorry, Danny swore. Indian came over and put his
arm awkwardly around me. (p219)
o Without sense of trust and loyalty from his friends, Nat may have
surrendered to Mr Karle and his subordinates
o Nats circular disk symbol of completion, role is to forge the
unbreakable bonds between 5 members of the Chain
o PLOT: investigation of caretakers suicide reveals why the old Chain
failed learns from their mistakes
o First member to forgive Seth after his betrayal Seththe Chain
needs you (p255) restoration of faith gives Chain members power
to rise up against authority
o

Danny
Before
-

Nats first perception of Danny was the schools pet mad dog (p10) bad
kid who always broke the rules
Did not believe in justice: Savagely attacked by the police several years
ago after he refused to accuse his friend of a crime he didnt commit they
held me while the dog attacked me (p120)
o Happened because police had unchecked/corrupt power
o Led to Dannys belief that there is no justice Right and wrong: it was
all bullshit people made up (p122) believed the only way to
survive in society was to fend for yourself he had become an animal
so that he could survive (p122)
o Weakness: cannot let this sense of hopelessness dark flame of the
past consume him (p83)

After
-

Met Lallie who showed him you have to believe in justice to make it happen
(p123) character development
Once he realised this Danny defied Cheshunts totalitarianism by teaching
those who sided with the Kraken because they stopped believing in justice
that it was never safe to go along with those that provoked injustice

punched kid who just going along (p118) with the school patrol kids
bullying of Danny and Nat taught kid not believing in justice has its
consequences
Symbol: torch of justice bringer of justice to the world
o

Seth
-

Introduced as golden boy perfect guy ..both kids and teachers liked(p19) ,
later find out weaknesses

Before
-

Weakest member of Chain inner conflict between fighting against the

injustice he saw or being loyal to his father,
o never 100% committed to chain his body was there but his head was
somewhere else (p135)
o intoxicated during meetings
o tried to commit suicide by drowning in beach lying on his back racked
by great gasping sobs (p142) brought the chain closer together
as they discovered his problems were serious
Did not believe in himself, did not think he was strong enough to
fight against authority
o Betrayed Chain during climax, Sethlike a good obedient son
confessed everything to his father Im sorryI couldnt be what
you wanted (p251)

After
-

Symbol: silver telescope, farseeing eye must see the earth that sorrows (p
135)
o Father is police chief so he is the closest character to the evil
character in the most vulnerable position to become submissive to Mr
Karles totalitarian rule
o Must overcome weakness and believe in his own judgement instead of
being swayed by his father
Overcomes weakness when friends restore their faith in him when
they realise his importance to the chain Youre one of uswe need
younot as perfect golden boy Sethbut as Seth who can fight [the dark]
(p255)
o Seth joins hands with 4 other protagonists and completes the Chain
right triumphs over wrong
o Symbolizes: how one must have faith in themselves to be able
to change what is wrong, people must unite through trust in
order to bring about justice and stand up against unjust
authoritarianism

Characters Working for Evil

Mr Karle

Posses unchecked power dictator of totalitarian society that is

Cheshunt
o Has dictator-like qualities strict, orderly temperament office was
square and paledesk set exactly at the centre of the room, one chair
behind one chair facing it (p27)
o dislike of anyone going against his regime dont swim
upstream Nathanial. There is no room for salmon at Three North (p30)
o hypnotic description of eyes eyes...the shade of a sea before a
stormthe whole universe [was] shifting and the only safe steady
things were Mr Karles eyes emphasises his ability to control
people
o Established curfew, the Gathering, the Community Committee together
with the police uses to ascertain his control over Cheshunt
o [Mr Karle] knows just about all there is that goes on in Cheshunt
(p78) key feature of a totalitarian society is that the citizens are
constantly being watched for signs of rebellion (reinforces theme)
o control perhaps with good intentions can lead to the corruption
of power There is control and orderunity and obediencebut the
outside world is constantly bleating about human rights and freedom of
choice when chaos reigns (p248)

fear induced by consequences of breaking curfew everybody acted

like they were afraid they were being watched...as if they feared they were
being followed. (p7)
fear from not joining gathering/obeying his orders school patrol kids
bullying Nat on playground, you better do what they want (p98)

Police
-

Corrupt authority, spies for Mr Karle

o Portrayed as cruel, unapproachable figures (common perception of
unfair authoritarian figures) face like a bull terrier (p58)
o When Nathanial goes missing and comes back home instead of acting
relieved that he was safe, the two policeman immediately labelled
him as a delinquent gave Nat an ultimatum to straighten [himself]
out or the [police] will do it for [him] (p59) police are purposely
looking for a reason to punish Nat so they can keep him in line (typical
of totalitarian society)
Cannot be punished by law because they are the law
o When Danny filed a complaint against the police he pleaded guilty
because the police investigate the complaints themselves (p121)
and whod take the word of a couple of punk kids over a cop? (p119)
o Position of power makes the immune to the law and any form
of punishment example of how corrupt authority can go
unpunished for a long tie

YAF Conventions
First person narrative teen protagonist/perspective
o highlight development challenges formation of stronger
identity by overcoming weaknesses/ insecurities
- Nats self-reflective thoughts I generally got the feeling [my mother]
preferred work to spending time with me(p146)
o saw the true battle greater chain be forged(p253) between the
5 protagonists establishing faith in each other a sign of
development
o Can see how other protagonists develop and the challenges they
overcome [Danny] suddenly seemed kind of heroic to me (p123)
- Antagonist is an adult/society power of youth
o Youth who answer the Call (who take it upon them selves to provide
justices during times of injustice) idealist minds were not yet
corrupted the chaos and misery in the world believing was
something kids could do better than adults (p149)
o an adult who heard the Call could dismiss it (p149) adults
didnt believe their actions could provide justice uses this as a
justification for going along with the group that causes injustice
- Adult characters in background
o Focus on main adolescent protagonists more relatable to young
adult readers, perhaps taken more seriously in their quest to abolish
injustice
-

Nathaniel's first person narrative acts as far more than merely a device to help
the reader "relate" to the central character; the immediacy of his voice is
essentially linked to Carmody's exploration of the nature of evil. Evil in The
Gathering is an independent force that infects ordinary people; or rather, that
ordinary people allow themselves to be infected by. Carmody shows it to result in
the kinds of ills that are genuinely of concern to young people; domestic
violence, child abuse, police brutality, the failure of parents, guilt. The force of
evil that exists in Cheshunt is not explained as it may have been in a purer
fantasy tale as some supernatural force deliberately and malevolently interfering
with human society (and it should be pointed out that although Carmody draws
on devices from it, The Gathering is not fantasy). This evil simply is, and it is
manifested when it finds those willing to act on its behalf. In The Gathering, this
usually happens when those with a perceived authority; police, teachers,
parents, allow their power to dominate and become corrupted. Nathaniel's
struggle to understand both the nature of this evil and its place in his own history
is actually more significant to The Gathering than the specific details of "goodies
and baddies", or the mechanics of the evil.

PLOT
This is certainly not to imply that the plot of The Gathering is insignificant or
uninvolving. To the contrary, elements of the plot such as Nathaniel's
investigation of the murder of the school's caretaker some decades earlier, and
the mystery surrounding his own family are not only intriguing in themselves, but

reflect back onto the novel's concerns with the nature of evil and the impact of
the past on the present.
-

The main protagonists struggles against the authority figures

Nathanials investigation of the school caretakers death several years ago
nature of evil and impact of the past on the present

Subterfuge
-

Mother thought Cheshunt is a good and safe neighbourhood.

Subterfuge only character who looks perfect but carries one of the
biggest burdens

Closing statement
- Isobelle Carmody scrutinizes the dire consequences of an unchecked power and
corrupt power through her depiction of Cheshunt as an totalitarian society. Fear,
mistrust and subterfuge spread throughout the town. However Carmody uses
adolescent protagonists to combat this totalitarian society in the hope that
young people will acquire the courage and incentive to prevent its development
in todays society. so bad but along these lines