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Context Statement

I chose Jennifer Johnston’s book Fool’s Sanctuary because as well as enjoying it when I read it, it looked at a subject that I have always been interested in - Ireland.

For my analytical component I decided to look at how people view war, and how war affects them. To look at this I went through the main characters and see how the theme related to them. I did not find it difficult to get enough ideas for this from the book but getting some information on it from another source was difficult. Towards the end though I found some articles that helped me.

For my creative component I looked at the war in more detail. For this I decided to have a conversation between two people. Originally my setting was with two people fighting -one from the IRA and one from the British Army - but because they both had their guns pointing at each other they had to fight with words. Although they would have both been passionate about their views it was difficult to go into any detail without it seeming out of context. Instead I changed the setting to a radio presentation with two people of opposing views discussing the war.

Analytical section - Fool's Sanctuary

One of the themes that Jennifer Johnston deals with in her book Fool’s Sanctuary is war. Within this theme she looks at how people view war, and how war affects different people. In this book Johnston shows the war in a bad light. Miranda, Mr. Martin and Cathal all support the IRA, or believed in a "free" Ireland and all lost something important to them. Andrew and Harry who were fighting against the IRA , and thought that Ireland should not be free had nothing that was very important to them taken away. Although Andrew was basically unable to visit his immediate family again he had not done so in years before, and in this visit where the story takes place he had arguments with his father, Miranda said that he should not have come, and he himself said that he hated Ternon.

Cathal is the most rational character at Ternon. Unlike the other characters he sees things for what they are and does not try to hide from the mistakes he does not want to face up to. The main fault in his character lies in the way the he does not always think ahead, or at least not until it is too late. This is shown when he comes back from telling the IRA about Andrew and Harry staying at Ternon and stands outside thinking about whether or not he should tell them what he has done.

In the end Cathal owned up to his mistake. As well as showing his strong conscience it also showed that he does not let emotions influence his judgement and values. While standing out in the rain he was Harry comforting Miranda. He could well have taken this as being something more than what it was and let the IRA come and kill Andrew and Harry. Cathal’s conscience is shown to be really strong, and it is the reason that he was able to give up his life.

The way that Cathal changed his mind about what was the right thing to do shows the irrationality of the war. Cathal supports the war strongly enough to be a member of the IRA, and it was this loyalty that led him to tell them about Andrew and Harry. When he changed his mind and told Andrew and Harry about what he had done it showed Cathal’s love for people. Cathal could see that as important as Ireland being free was to him it was more important that innocent people not be included in this war, and that the peace at Ternon should not be destroyed. This shows that the war is irrational through the way that although the cause might be good they might be going about getting it the wrong way, or at least should not be so extreme and should not be free had nothing that was very important to them taken away.

Fool's Sanctuary

"What do you think England should do John? Keep control of Ireland, or let it become its own country." the radio presenter said, as his voice crackled into the radios of the people in Ireland.

"I think that England should let Ireland become its own country. What is England gaining by keeping it in its control? That is apart from the loss of life," said John. The question had obviously been rhetorical John had just published a book saying why England should let Ireland become a separate nation.

"Do you think that Ireland will be able to bully one of the greatest empire in the world with a handful of men?" said Patrick, the other guest on the show. He was a lieutenant in the British Army, one of the brightest young men in the army.

"What do you mean by greatest, Patrick?"

"I mean that it is one of the biggest, most powerful."

"If England is such a big empire what difference will letting a small nation with only a handful of men living here be free of its rule?"

"If England let Ireland be a free nation who do you think would run it? Do you really think that Ireland would do better being governed by the trigger-happy people that are fighting for its freedom."

"Who said anything about it being ruled by the people who are fighting against England?"

"If England let Ireland rule itself who do you think would have control. It would be the people in charge of the fight against England. Do you really think that they would give this up."

"Not necessarily, but Ireland would be ruled under a democracy. If the people in charge abused their power they would be elected out like in any other nation."

"Yes, but if they were able to force England out of Ireland then they would be able to keep control if they were elected out or not."

"Despite what you may think the members of the IRA are not fighting for the sake of it. They are fighting because they love Ireland, and the believe that it can be better ruled under Irish rule. If the people who would gain control of Ireland abused their power then these people, the ones who gave control to Ireland in the first place, would fight to get these people out. The people in power would not have anyone left to support them."

"Alright then. What is so bad about being ruled by a powerful country. What makes it worth the lives of innocent people, who are just doing their job?"

"Firstly because the English had no right to be here in the first place."

"That was hundreds of years ago. Ireland is like a part of England now."

"The fact that it was hundreds of years ago that England took over Ireland is even more reason that Ireland should be free of England. Ireland has one of the richest cultures in the world. Under English rule it is only deteriorating. The sooner that Ireland takes over control of itself the sooner that its culture can be restored."

"What makes you think that it couldn’t be kept under English rule?"

"Well it hasn’t so far has it. The majority of Irish people can’t even speak their own language."

"This is all very well but you have made it into a challenge of England. What happens if they step down now. They’d show the rest of the world that they can’t handle a small island of people."

"That is not what they show the world. They would show the world that they can live up to mistakes they made in the past. They would show the rest of the world that they are not stubborn, and that they are mature enough to acknowledge that because Ireland is a small part of England, and that the loss of life that keeping Ireland is causing is not worth keeping it."

"We would also show the rest of the world that we are irresponsible, letting a country of innocent people be ruled by people who are willing to use those sort of tactics to get what they want. Also it would be these same people setting the laws, who’s to say that they won’t set them to suit themselves."

"It’s not going to be just one or two people setting them. There would be dozens, and are you trying to say that they wouldn’t be a good man among them. Anyway like I said before the people are not rebelling out of some whim. They are rebelling because they love this country, they want what’s right for it. If it was ruled by people who were hurting, doing damage to the country do you think that they would stand by and let it happen. I think that Ireland has already proven that they are willing to fight for what is best for their country."

"It all comes down to whether or not this freedom is worth the bloodshed that obtaining it is causing."

"Alright, I think that were going to have to leave it there. Thanks very much for coming on Patrick, and John."

"Anytime.’ They said in unison.