"The Brother in the Land" All Acts/Scenes Summary

Read the Act/Scene-wise summary and keypoints of "The Brother in the Land" by Robert Swindells.


Since this site is getting so many views from my fellows, I decided to review all the novels/play scripts in my past classes. Now I'm working on the act wise and scene wise summary of "The Brother in the Land". Please wait, it's in progress...

 

 Theme of the Playscript:

 The book is similar to “The Lastling” with a theme of maturity and realization with the story of Danny. It also shows the realities of life, as in difficult situations, it is instinct of humans to turn to "every man for himself" and so this way even a man has to put his "brother in the land" (to kill your own kin) to survive. There are also themes of love, and also despair, and also letting go of something very valuable to you (like how Danny let Ben go). Also the book shows how humans destroy each other with such a destruction like the nuclear bomb (if you read "What the Author Says" on Page 5 of the playscript, you will get the same idea in detail).

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ACT I:
Scene 1:  The scene takes place in a shop belonging to the Lodge family in the town of Skipley, consisting of Danny Lodge, Ben (his little brother), Mary (his mother) and Richard (his father).

 The shop is a general store (selling normal household items) and at the time there is a threat by the Russians that they will drop nuclear bombs on the area (there is only a threat; the characters are not expecting it at all). When the scene starts, Danny is narrating his life story, and it is clear it is not a happy story (something bad WILL happen). A friend of Mary, Mrs. Troy is with her son, Craig (same age is Ben, 5 years old) and they are discussing the prices. This shows that the prices are rising due to the threat and that people are ready to stack up food items for a long time, and the shop owners are taking advantage. The Government is also recommending stacking up food and Mrs. Troy asks for big bottles of water. But the shop is out of them and Mary reassures her that there will be no bombing. Then Danny comes in with a broken Game Boy, and in this scene we know he dislikes his brother and considers him a nuisance, and right now he doesn’t appreciate him.  Then the women talk about Old Kershaw’s Farm, which shows that they have already started suspicion of each other and the actions of the Government, and they are scared inside. When Mrs. Troy leaves, Mary and Richard talk. The conversation shows that they are stashing the big bottles for themselves, and have already started the “survival of the fittest” in which the best supplied man survives. Danny continues introducing everyone. He shows his hatred for Skipley and he doesn’t appreciate it at all.

 Scene 2: The scene takes place in the school where Mr. Rhodes (the PE teacher) is giving a presentation on how to survive if the bombing ACTUALLY happens and the seminar is called "Protect and Survive".

 Danny’s hatred for Rhodes is already mentioned in the previous Scene. Rhodes tells the audience about some drills and how to survive (setting up camp, waiting for help, supplies, shelters, radiation sickness, etc). He emphasizes on the Warning Sirens. The students are not taking the assembly serious at all. They are laughing and making cat-calls. This shows they do not believe the threat and try to show it makes no difference to them. But Rhodes puts them down by telling them the deathly consequences, and the audience calms down, but they are still unaware the catastrophe and the sadness of death and despair and are still not serious.

Scene 3: The scene takes place in the school break where the students are still making fun of the assembly and normal life is going on.

 The students are still making fun of the assembly and don’t care about the bomb threat. Sophie (a friend of Danny) invites Danny to a birthday party and not Andrew. This shows that life for most of the people is going as per usual routine and they don’t worry about the future, they are only living in the present. 

Scene 4: Kershaw’s Farm. The rumors of Mary and Mrs. Troy are true. A Civil Defense Team has been set up (“Civil Defense Team” protects civilians from natural and other disasters).

 The setup of the CDS (Civil Defense Team) shows that the bombs are a serious matter and the mass (the people) is unaware of the private matters. A serious lecture is taking place between the army members on how to survive radiation, how to get supplies, how to come outside, etc, by Renton (the medical officer). Weirdly, the CDS only keeps these demonstrations to themselves. If they had wanted the rest of the town to survive, wouldn’t they have told the people? This shows they only want to survive themselves and don’t care about the other people if they survive or not. This conversation goes on until suddenly the lights go out and a siren (Warning Siren) goes out and it is clear the bombs are on their way. 

ACT II:

                        (Before the scene starts) Danny had been staying in school that day in detention. He had been the last to leave school (as he had been delayed). On his way home, it starts raining heavily so he takes refuge (protection) in a small shelter (place where you can take refuge during the bomb attack) near Kershaw’s Farm. Then the nuclear bombs fall. He is very scared and sleeps (due to fatigue). When he wakes up he sees the glow of the warning sirens and alarms on the hill. He sleeps again and after waking he suspects that he has radiation sickness.

 Scene 1: Danny is up and makes his way home. All around him he sees destruction. In the book, it says that “he cleans his body with his sweatshirt” according to the speech of Mr Rhodes in the assembly. This means that during the assembly he was non-serious, and now he has to face that situation, and act accordingly.

Danny is walking on the street towards his home. The bombs have destroyed everything. The people who made it to the shelters have survived. Danny sees Andrew’s father, Mr Bukowsky, who has gone mad. Here the definition of spacer is implied (a spacer is a person who has gone mad after the bombs).

Scene 2: Danny has reached his home and tries to find his parents and family. It turns out that he feels they are the only people he wants to see the most right now. He goes into the cellar and sees Ben sleeping. Then his father comes, and tries to kill him (he doesn’t know it is Danny).

 His father finds out that it is Danny and embraces (hugs) him. Then Danny tells him what happened to him (already explained). Danny finds out that his mother has died and he first he ignores it as if he didn’t care. Then he goes into denial (denying something that has happened to you) because he realizes he cannot survive without her. Then he finally lets go and accepts the sorrow and lets it overtake him.

Scene 3: The Civil Defense Team is still in the bunker and is in shock and panic of the bomb.

Councillor Walker (a woman) is in denial of the bombs and is crying. Frank Finch (the Commissioner; highest ranked amongst the CDT) tells her that the bombs have actually happened. We find out that even the CDT was completely unprepared and unaware of the bombing. Various sergeants (Lightfowler, Stroud and Laycock) are talking to each other and it shows that they are planning something selfish.

Scene 4: The survivors of Skipley have gathered to get supplies from a camp set up by the Civil Defense Team. Danny and Andrew are waiting in a line at the community well for water.

Danny and Andrew talk to each other about their fathers. Andrews’ father (Mr. Bukowsky) has lost his mind due to shock and has become a spacer. This may have happened because he lost more than only his wife unlike Danny’s father. Then a new character, Kim, is introduced. In this scene, we find out Kim's character traits:

·         She is fearless and brave.
·         She is cunning and clever.
·         She does anything to survive.
·         She is very serious.
·         She is not afraid to kill.
·         She is very strong and fast.

Kim has some food in a sack and is running from two of her old schoolmates, Chris and Tracey. There is a fight where Kim wins and Danny takes her away, but Kim stops and tries to kill Chris. Danny stops her as he doesn’t want violence. This shows that Danny still doesn’t know the realities of life, like the plans of Civil Defense Team, and that people have started killing each other for food, etc. We see that he is still innocent and immature when he reveals to Kim that he has a shop and has stored food.

Scene 5:  The Civil Defense Team is holding their first public official announcement in front of the residents of Skipley.

Sergeant Stroud is making the announcement. We find out that the CDT has made their headquarters and civil hospital at Kershaw's Farm. He announces help for injured citizens and the people are really happy.

Scene 6:  The scene starts at the hospital of Kershaw's Farm (it is called Medical "Wing" because it is part of their headquarters now).

Renton is addressing a group of survivors. Andrew approaches him and asks him for help for his father, who is a spacer. Renton refers to Mr. Bukowsy's injury as serious and Andrews' as unserious. Meanwhile Commissioner Finch and Councillor Walker had been talking in the background. They move into focus and we see what they say. When Finch refers to "as strong as you or I" and the following sentences suggest they both have an evil plan in mind that is "rather drastic (very unexpected/extreme)" which the others don't know about. And furthermore, after the rest of the sergeants enter, Finch changes the subject as he doesn't want the rest of them to know. The sergeants bring forward news of MASADA (Movement to Arm Skipley Against Dictatorial Authority) which is a resistance (rebels). Renton reports about the number of sick and injured which is 35. Finch argues that the limit had been set to 20. There are no medical supplies in the camp of the CDT and Renton argues that he cannot heal the people without supplies. Then Finch says that "he will take care of the situation..." If a doctor cannot heal people without supplies, what will a normal Commissioner do? Then we find out that he takes two soldiers with him and kills the injured people. In the end of the scene, the medical sign turns red as a sign that instead of helping people, the CDT is killing them. From here we know the evils plans of the CDT.


Scene 7:  The Civil Defense Team has set up food rations (supplies) for the citizens. The characters are standing in a line for the able-bodied citizens; the rest of the people (spacers, injured, sick) are in another line.

From the looks of it, Danny and the other boys think that the CDT is giving the good food to the injured people so they can get better. This point is proved wrong when Ken goes to the other line, eats the food, and dies later on (Danny explains this later in Act 2, Scene 9). Later, Charlie (friend of Danny) tells Danny that people have now started "badger-hunting". This is actually a trick. We will soon find out that Charlie is calling normal people "badgers". This shows that now people are treated like animals. The sense of humanity has finished, and Survival of the Fittest has started. Danny is still innocent and he is easily tricked by Charlie.

Scene 8:  Danny and Charlie are on their way to hunt "badgers" (people). Danny is still dumb and doesn't realize that they are going to hunt people. They reach the mansion of Sophie Cartwright (Act I, Scene 3).

They reach Sophie's mansion. Danny still thinks they are hunting for badgers. Charlie urges Danny to insert a smoke device into a shelter made by Sophie's family. He already has all the necessary equipment and tactics with him e.g the club, smoke-device, which shows that he is experienced at this and has done this before. The smoke forces the Mr. Cartwright (Sophie's father) out of their shelter. Suddenly, Danny hits Charlie and takes the gun. Now he is in charge (Danny still hasn't recognized Sophie's father). He demands supplies, and the Cartwright family comes out. Danny becomes hard-lined (very aggressive). Sophie comes forward and Danny is taken aback. She asks if this is the way he was accepting "her invitation" (for her birthday party). Danny asks when her birthday was. This shows that people have even forgotten the date and time during the "Survival of the Fittest." Also, when Sophie tell her father about Danny, Danny replies, saying, "He can't help you Sophie..... not this time." Which shows that money is unimportant now. Then Danny runs away. Charlie gets shot by Mr. Cartwright and Danny drops the bag and runs, startled.

Scene 9: Danny is back in the shop with Ben and his mother's dead body. He is still in disbelief of the event that happened with him.
Danny is angry at himself for falling for the dumb badger trick. He is explaining the event to Ben. After reading his words, we learn the Danny has become more and more hard-lined and aggressive. Meanwhile, Ben talks to his dead mother and "tells" her that soon the soldiers will arrive to "take her somewhere". Danny then goes on to explain how the guards have left the people in delusion by:

1. Not arriving to even pick up the dead bodies.
2. Putting poison in the spacer's food line.
3. Sometimes switching the lines of the able-bodied and the spacer's (i.e. making random people die) just for fun .

This shows how cruel and lazy the guards have become. When Danny replies "Badger bolognaise, mate" to Ben's question about food, we learn that Danny has also become more sarcastic.

Suddenly, an armored car comes by outside. Richard (Danny's father) goes outside to check, thinking the soldiers had come over to collect the dead bodies. He starts to speak loudly with the soldiers as a warning to Danny, so Danny and Ben hide behind a wall. 

One can assume that Mr. Cartwright had told the soldiers about the shop after Danny's incident, however we are not sure. But much to Richard, Danny and Ben's dismay, the soldiers are there to collect the food by force. This shows how evil and corrupted the establishment had become. They abduct Richard in the armored vehicle. However, as they are about to leave...

 The armored car explodes! It was an attack by Rhodes (Danny's old teacher), Branwell (leader of MASADA), Mike and Maureen. Danny and Ben are horrified at the death of their father who was in the vehicle. Danny tries to resist but Rhodes puts a gun to his head. He later recognizes Danny, and Danny wishes he was dead.  While the other characters salvage food and items from the destroyed vehicle, Branwell has a discussion with Danny. He explains the Hebrew saying "He who places his brother in the land is everywhere" which has multiple meanings, out of which one is that when you bury your own brother in Earth, there is nothing worse that can happen hence you are ready for anything. According to Branwell's words, however, we can infer that it means that once people bury their loved ones in the ground, their blood (the relative) becomes part of the entire Earth hence THEY are also part of the entire Earth now.

Branwell tries to coerce (lure) Danny into joining MASADA but is unsuccessful and soon leaves.

Scene 10:  We are introduced to the Shadow Man and the Shadow Chorus. A bit of detail about them is given on Page 96 ("The Shadow Chorus") but in simple words; the Shadow Chorus represents the hazy part of Danny's life events and provides some extra support. The Shadow Man, however, narrates the events of Danny's life in the form of poetry, as if he is the one telling the real story.

Panging hunger and aching hearts measure these long and lonely hours. A cold and desolate destination.

Unknown. Uncertain. This dry and hardened heart,

Starved of love, starved of hope

In search of consolation.
Which means that the people have become desperate and hopeless after the bombs, just like the town itself. The poem relates to Danny's current and long-term situation.
Danny is very tired and sets Ben down.

The scene switches to Stroud's announcement. The last line of the announcement, "If you fail to register, you will forfeit your rights as a British citizen." is completely against normal behavior of an army of the British people. It shows that the CDT has become corrupt and is technically enslaving the people just for its benefit.

Meanwhile, Danny and Ben are woken up by Kate and brought into the barn.

ACT III:
Scene 1:  Danny and Ben had been walking in search for help. Danny was in disgust of the situation in the world and of Rhodes (because he had killed Danny's father).

Branwell (who has already met Danny in the previous scene) welcomes them and tells him about MASADA. Kim's sister, Kate, is introduced. Danny says that "there has been already too much fighting", meaning that he is sick and tired of the deception and lies of the world and just wants everything to stop. Then Danny sleeps and dreams. The Shadow Chorus comes in and plays a role. They act like savages (which represents the evil in the world) while Danny fights them with flowers (this is nothing to laugh about, he is doing it because it represents that he is trying to counter evil with good). The flowers are then taken away from him. Then his mother and father enter (REMEMBER that this is still a dream!), and he is welcomed warmly by them. This shows that he still remembers them and needs them. He also wants peace to break out. Then when his parents leave and he wakes up, the person he sees is Kim, which means that he needs Kim to survive. Kim invites him to the canteen of the MASADA.
                   
Scene 2:   Councillor Walker is conducting a choir with soldiers singing in the choir. After they finish, the crowd cheers.
Finch cheers the choir and his own Councillor Walker. But While cheering them up, he also admits or reminds them that the past few months were very harsh and they didnt get the time to celebrate for even a single moment. But after saying this, he is thankful for most of the things that are at least happening for their betterment. He says that they would be managing the farm so that they have something to feed on ( REMEMBER that food was hard to get during the war ). Finch also announces that he had found beverages in Old Man Kershaws cellar and also said that they would be opening some for the appreciation of the hard ships the soldiers had done.

Scene 3: At MASADA. The People are singing "Silent Night". Danny Enters ( on the stage ) and talks to the audience.
Danny says that they had been living with Branwell for ages. Danny is sure and says that the Skipley survivors have grown food in the farm and have poisoned the well so that people work for them. Kim enters. Danny fancies ( likes ) Kim, so he wants to asks her out ( But remember, he doesn't ask her out YET ). The romance stays for a while and finishes when Kim says that she took part in the Ambush. Danny reminds her that the ambush is deadly but the only reaction of kim was that " We Need More Weapons" which means that they needed more people.
Scene 4: This takes place in the Ambush. Rhodes ( Leader ) is talking with his team about the ambush plan. He had 4 grey,Plastic Bowls.
Rhodes had a plan of laying those plastic bowls on the road to trick the vehicles. Kim is surprised to see Danny and Danny asks a question to Rhodes: "What if they drive around the vehicle". The answer was simple: "Run". The Shadow chorus APC (appear on the screen) making an armoured vehicle shape. The plan was working fine and the Ambush was able to kill 1 soldier. But the plan Backfired and Danny and Kim were caught.
Scene 5: Kershaw's Farm. Danny is tied up and is beaten. Walker and Sergeant Griffiths enter.
In this scene, Danny is only asked questions. Walker wants to know what he was doing with the Ambush and hits Danny so he speaks up. Danny Simply said that he wanted to burn some biscuits as Mice had ate it ( So was it a lie or not? I will leave it up to you ). Finch knew that Danny was of no use and scolded Griffiths and Walker. Finch ordered Griffiths to release Danny.
Scene 6: Kershaw's Farm. The Compound. There is a wooden post and Griffiths Ties Danny to it. An executioner enters. Griffiths was sure that Danny was telling the lie and assured Danny that he could not fool me ( Griffiths ). Griffiths thumps ( A light punch ) Danny on the stomach and told Danny that if he had told the truth, he would have lived. Griffiths Nods the executioner and tells him to kill him. A slow drum beat starts when he picks up the gun. Suddenly a sound is heard " BOOM ". Danny Slumps Down. ( A question, Does He Die Or No ? I will leave it up to you ).


ACT IV:
Scene 1: Maureen and Mike are sitting with Ben.
Maureen and Mike start a conversation about Kim having some kind of relationship with Danny. They thought that Kim loved Danny but Mike said that it wasn't their age. Kim enters and says that Mike also went out with Maureen. Muareen and Mike wanted to save Danny from Kershaws Farm for their sister ( Kim ) but Kim refused. Suddenly Branwell enters and he brings Danny and Craig along as well but they are severly injured. Kim feels very bad for Danny and is sure the soldiers did that to him. Mrs Troy says that Danny saved their lives, when they went to see a Well ( a place where water is found ). The well was surrounded by Goths. Danny then Introduces Branwell. He was the one who gave shelter to Ben and Danny when the shop was being raided. He also introduced Rhodes and said he loved to kill. Everyone leaves so that Kim and Danny could get some free space. Kim asks about the situation in the farm and Danny told her how he was about to die and he was chill with that. Danny said that he was happy he was going to die because he would see his parents again and would see Kim again. Kim tries to ask Danny out but both of them cant and they get in a fight about being crabby. In the end they start to blame each other.
Scene 2: Kershaws Farm. Ill people are working on the field, Sergeant Grifiths is looking after them. A worker Mrs Norton collapses and her husband and 2 Children help her up.

After Mrs Norton collapses, Mr Norton goes to Griffiths. But Griffith does not let him take her to a Doctor and he has to wait till sun rise. Dumperton tells Griffith to let them go but he doesn't. Dumperton was asked about his wife and he says that his girlfriend left him. Grifiths was also asked about his marriage and he was about to tell him when Mrs Norton collapses and eventually dies. Mr Norton wants them to take her to the doctor but their kids also gave up. Mr Norton blames the death on Griffiths. (This scene is an indication that maybe the CDT really are Purples)

Scene 3: Kershaws Farm. Renton is talking to Maureen and Mike.
Mike and Maureen are asked where they had lived and they said they moved from places to places but they also said that they were sick of it. Renton invites them to the farm, only on 1 condition, they would have to work for their food ( which meant they had to work on the farm ). Renton warned them that it usually gets cold at the farm. The thing Mike and Maureen are shocked about that they were trying to grow crops. Renton tell them about Councillor Finch, who was the leader of the farm and he was very healthy, and he tells them about Walker, who is the second in command. He tells them that she loves to get rid of people.
Scene 4: The MASADA team is discussing Danny's capture. The try to make him recall the details of the important spots in Kershaw's Farm. That will help them plan their next attack.
Rhodes is discussing an elaborate plan to infiltrate Kershaw's Farm. Until now, the team had only planned the attack till outside of the gates. Now Danny proceeds to recall the internal mapping of the area from his memory. Rhodes keeps interrupting him, trying to prove his "superiority" in combat knowledge, but Branwell soon puts him down.

ACT V:

Scene 1: MASADA are singing. Mike and Naureen are putting this show as a celebration. Kim gets angry on Danny and moves away from him. Danny goes to Kim and tries to console her when suddenly they hear a helicopter fling that says that it will come back tomorrow to rescue them. Upon seeing this, they become very happy

Scene 2: The Helicopter comes back and the captain asks them how they ended up here. They tell the captain about everything that happened. The Captain (Thiery) starts questioning them. Captain Thiery further says that the location they were in was under Captain Thiery's command and thus he Confiscates their stuff and says that they must wait their turn as groups like theirs are all over Europe.

ACT VI:

Scene 1: The image of a Cafe appears on the screen. It was a Shabby place and thus Danny says that this cafe was up to no good (as in Profit) even before the bombs. Ben says that his stomach hurts, therefore they enter the Cafe.

Scene 2: Inside the cafe, Kim is looking into the trap door while Ben is on the other side of the cafe. Danny goes to the Trapdoor (which is locked) and tries to kick it open. He manages to open the Trapdoor after several attempts and yells out that there are a lot of resources in it. Suddenly Rhoades enters and grabs Ben! Danny comes out of the Trapdoor and tries to get to Rhoades but he takes out his gun and points it to Danny's head. Rhoades then throws Ben to the floor and starts mocking Kim and Danny. Ben gets hold of a Tin and throws it towards Rhoades. It hits Rhoades's head causing him to Stand unconscious for a few seconds. While Rhoades is standing unconscious, he fires his gun which unfortunately hits Ben and both of them die. While looking at Bens body, Danny has flashbacks of him and Ben (His brother) having fun.

 

Completed by Sohaib Bazaz & Founder of NormalBeaconite