Cal (novel)
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"Cal" is a 1983 novel by Bernard MacLaverty, detailing the experiences of a young Irish Catholic named Cal, who is involved with the IRA.
[edit] Plot
Through the course of the book, Cal must come to terms with taking part in the murder of a reserve police officer by his friend Crilly, an operation for which he was the getaway driver, while at the same time trying to fend off the murderous anti-Republican "Orangemen". Making things even worse, Cal finds himself falling in love with the slain man's wife, Marcella.
The most notable characteristic of this novel is that it has five chapters, similar to all traditional tragedies including that of Romeo and Juliet, a tragedy itself. This is because the story of Cal is in itself, tragic as his down fall is due his own mistakes
Cal’s lack of self esteem is due to the death of his mother who thought a lot of him, when she was gone he could only think of himself in a bad light. Another factor adding to Cal’s initial unhappiness is being the only Catholic on a Protestant estate and being part of the hated minority in Northern Ireland. There is also the fear of Crilly, an acquaintance from school, who works for the IRA wants Cal to help. Cal has no job as he cannot stand the smell of the abattoir contributing to, in the general opinion, his feeling of weakness and inferiority. Cal shows his self hatred and depression in a number of ways for example swearing at himself “You big crotte de chien”. It also shows through his hatred of his name 'he hated his name' we are told. When looking in the mirror, he turns away, not looking at himself and when seeing Marcella with her daughter Lucy, he feels hatred towards himself and says this is a pure love that he felt bad looking at. This hatred also manifests itself in the form of giving himself love bites which is thought to be his way of self harming. Cal’s self hatred is intensified by his feelings of guilt at what he has done adding to the importance of the incident. He feels sick thinking of his involvement in the murder “He felt that he had a brand stamped in blood in the middle of his forehead which would take him the rest of his life to purge”. This feeling of guilt goes on to lead him to accept his arrest and treatment “grateful that at last someone was going to beat him within and inch of his life” which pulls him away from Marcella and is what makes this incident very important.
