My Name is Leon: Key Quotations (AQA GCSE English Literature): Revision Note

My Name is Leon: Key Theme Quotations

In this section, we will analyse key quotes according to the following themes:

• Childhood neglect

• Social injustice and discrimination

• Identity and belonging

• Loss

Being able to draw on key quotes to enhance your answers when exploring the different themes of the text is important when aiming for the highest level in your exam. This shows you can find evidence in the text to support your points, and can analyse what the author has done in their writing.

Childhood neglect

In My Name is Leon, de Waal explores how the neglect Leon has experienced in his childhood affects him and how he faces its challenges.

What the quotation means

• Leon has overheard Sylvia discussing a life for her and Maureen away from Birmingham, and apparently, without him

• Leon is upset, hurt and angry, reminded of all the people in his life that have left him before

Analysis 

• This shows the lasting effect of the abandonment by his mother and father on Leon:

  • From the description, that it was “deep in his brain”, we are being told by the author that this is a scarring damage that is dug into Leon’s psyche

  • Leon is immediately on the defensive and hurt, whereas some may have thought more logically

  • Leon has too much experience of pain to think rationally

• We can also see that Leon has anger not far below the surface:

  • Leon usually appears quiet and sweet, but moments like this reveal how much hurt and anger he has repressed

  • Leon feels rejected here, and is tired of it

  • In the past, he has accepted it because he loves his parents, but it’s frustrating for him to find another person is willing to come into his life and then discard him for something better

• This could also be de Waal showing us how Leon remembers, subconsciously or otherwise, that Carol chose others over him

What the quotation means

• Leon is blaming himself for the predicament of being in care and being unwanted by Maureen, or so he thinks

• He thinks that, if he had cared for Carol better, he would not be stuck here

Analysis 

• Due to the fact that he often had to care for Carol, rather than his mother taking the caregiver role, Leon has internalised it as his fault that the family is separated:

  • He blames himself for Carol being seen as too unwell to care for him and Jake, which then means he blames himself for what happens to him and his brother

  • This could be the author showing us how the trauma in a child’s life before they are taken into care stays with them, even as others feel that part of their life is over

• Leon also doesn’t understand that, as the child, he should not have been the caregiver:

  • Carol did not engender a typical and healthy parent/child relationship

  • Unable to care for him, Leon not only had to care for himself and for Jake, but also Carol

• This could also be de Waal reminding us that children do not know better in these situations:

  • They don’t have positive caregiving experiences to compare them to

What the quotation means

• Carol has been sleeping in all day and not looking after the boys, so Leon stays home to care for Jake

• His mother also isn’t making him go to school, or taking him, so Leon just stops going

Analysis 

• Leon might not care, and wouldn’t complain about not going to school, but this is a clear sign of neglect:

  • With Carol not taking control of his care and his needs, things start to slip through the cracks as Leon prioritises Jake

  • This is de Waal showing the reader the simple things that children in these situations miss:

    • Leon is also missing out on key development at his age by missing school 

• This also shows that Leon is making adult decisions in the household:

  • It is correct to put Jake’s wellbeing over Leon’s schooling, but not a choice that should be occurring

  • Without Carol looking after either, Leon has to miss school or his brother might be in danger

• Missing school is also something that will do long-term damage:

  • While he can be fed and cared for, the disruption to his schooling will affect his social, emotional and intellectual development within a system that has no means to help him catch up

What the quotation means

• Leon does not enjoy having to care for Jake and look after himself

• He is tired by the responsibility and the work, as well as likely somewhat malnourished 

Analysis 

• It is rare in the narrative that Leon shows resentment or anger towards his mother, but this shows us that he isn’t happy:

  • As someone who never complains, even Leon is unhappy about how tired he feels

  • It shows the wear this is having on him, physically in his tiredness, and mentally with his anger

• It is a burden to look after Jake:

  • This shows why a child should not be caring for a baby, as it is overwhelming for young Leon

• This is also a pressure point that leads to Leon and Jake going into care:

  • Leon could handle looking after himself and hiding as many of the issues as possible, but also caring for a baby is too much for Leon

Social injustice and discrimination

In My Name is Leon, the author addresses and offers a commentary on many different issues of social injustice and discrimination. Some are direct — insults and comments — while some are indirect, like Mr Devlin’s mistrust of the police. 

What the quotation means

• Mr Devlin is angered by the insinuation that an Irishman like him must be a terrorist

• Tufty labels Mr Devlin as aligned with the IRA, that “you Irish people” set off bombs

Analysis 

• This is an example of the feeling towards many Irish people throughout the Troubles, but especially after the IRA bombings occurred:

  • In both fear and ignorance, people are grouped together by others, and all looked on as the same

  • It would be very typical of the time the book is set in for this to be the attitude of someone like Tufty, and many others

• We are also being shown that discrimination does not exist just in white majority people:

  • The author is reminding us that — especially in this charged political climate — even minority groups sometimes have prejudiced views

  • While Tufty experiences plenty of discrimination of his own, he is still liable for lazy generalisations and stereotypes

  • This is also a way for de Waal to show us how readily people throw out such insults:

    • Tufty knows there is no evidence that Mr Devlin is linked to the IRA

What the quotation means

• This is part of Tufty’s poem, ‘Ode to Castro’, that speaks of Tufty’s feelings about mistreatment and discrimination towards Black people, especially in the UK

• Tufty is caught between Castro’s more militant thinking and Mr Johnson’s more peaceful ideas, but doesn’t think himself a fighter 

Analysis 

• For Tufty, this is his way of working through his thoughts and feelings

• He is expressing what he thinks of his plight and that of Black people in the UK:

  • It is an interesting juxtaposition by the author, with the talk of being a warrior contrasting with the reading of poetry

  • It could be de Waal showing us that Tufty feels torn between his thoughtful nature and the feeling he may need to literally fight for his cause 

  • It also shows how foolish it is to label people as warriors while ignoring their ability to create art and poetry, and be considered and sensitive:

    • Racism is dehumanising, whereas these are entirely human pursuits

• It also highlights how Black people are grouped, and how they feel forced into action:

  • None of the protestors wants to be out protesting, but they feel they must

  • The poem speaks of expectations and ideas placed on Black people, and any act of being a warrior is forced on them

• Equally, it is a simple message from Tufty and from the author:

  • Racism is undignified and speaks of feeling better and more worthy than others

  • Tufty is reiterating that Black people have dignity, and that they deserve to be treated with the same dignity and worth as anyone else

What the quotation means

• The police are claiming that Castro has resisted arrest, and people should move along

• The narrative suggests strongly that Castro has not resisted arrest, but the police are brazen, happy to lie about it to cover, knowing they will not be questioned

Analysis 

• While there are other racist and discriminatory comments, this quote highlights the power of the police:

  • These police officers are happy to lie in front of the public and act unlawfully, without fear of consequences

  • This is an example of the power police could wield over Black people, making their behaviour appear lawful, with no reproach 

• It should be remembered that these officers came to visit Tufty and Castro, and that they did not find them doing anything illegal or unlawful:

  • They feel emboldened to go out into the community and incite anger, so they can force arrests

  • Even without cause, they are happy to lie

  • They feel above the law

• The examples of systemic racism are many, especially in this chapter and incident alone, but the power they wield is as damning as their racist words:

  • They are not only confident to act inappropriately, but confident they will be covered and supported by their superiors and by the legal system

  • De Waal is showing how even good behaviour is not enough to keep the police from accosting Black people:

    • This prejudice is suffocating, meaning Black people were likely always on edge

What the quotation means

• Maureen is angry at the social worker for splitting up Leon and Jake

• She is frustrated that the colour of Jake’s skin matters in this instance, and that the social workers consider it a positive that Jake has found a home while Leon hasn’t

Analysis 

• People are aware of the flaws of the system:

  • This is racism from within the system, even if it is hard for social services to control

  • Life is harder for Leon simply because he is Black:

    • Through no fault or action of either child, Jake’s circumstances are improved, and his outcomes would appear much more positive

• De Waal is showing us that the care system is harder for Black children:

  • She may also be doing this to show us that social workers are working to get children into new homes and do not think about the consequences of those left behind

  • In such a role, although it is bad for Leon, there is reason to celebrate it working for Jake:

    • De Waal may also be showing us that it isn’t the system’s fault but a wider societal issue; social workers cannot force those adopting to behave differently

• De Waal could also be highlighting how impersonal the care system can be, with Maureen, an emotive person, struggling with the difficulty of splitting the two siblings:

  • Social services are less emotive and have to make tough decisions

  • It could also highlight how fast they are to act, rather than slowing down the process, especially with Maureen happy to care for both

Identity and belonging

The novel tracks Leon’s journey to find a new sense of belonging and a stronger grip on his identity through a traumatic and stressful time in his life. De Waal links Leon to characters with different ideals and backgrounds to compare and contrast to Leon, as well as giving a wider picture to different people living in 1980s Britain. 

What the quotation means

• Leon is reminded of his father’s vocabulary and language being a bit different to that of others

• He is also reminded that he has not seen his dad for a long time

Analysis 

• This quote shows the separation Leon feels from his father, both in terms of distance and the time since they saw each other, but also culturally:

  • He links it to a word — “neck-back” — that his father would use that he doesn’t think is a real word

  • He also noticed that his dad would pronounce Carol’s name differently and would use phrases he didn’t recognise from others

  • It shows not only that Leon is removed from his father, which affects his feelings of belonging, but also from a linked identity, as he sees him as different and feels how they have lost their link

• That Leon finds these phrases odd and different shows that he does not feel any of his father’s West Indian heritage as part of him:

  • Leon has no connection with either parent, with his mother absent and in care, and his father a distant memory

  • He is mixed-race, but clearly has little link to Black culture and his Black identity

What the quotation means

• Leon is comforted by Tufty’s presence, his physical contact, and his concern

• Contact can be a sign of affection and connection, and he lacks connections in life, especially male ones

Analysis 

• This quotation highlights how little affection and care Leon has received in his life:

  • He is instantly warmed by Tufty giving him contact and showing him concern

  • It is rare that people show concern for Leon, especially in his eyes, as he feels ignored by social services

  • Carol was self-involved, and did not recognise with concern how Leon was looking after himself, her, and later Jake

  • Without realising it, he shows here that he has desperately needed it, and clings to it immediately when someone he barely knows shows warmth and affection

• Leon has few male role models in his life, and none with consistency:

  • Leon wants to be loved, and he wants to be guided, which Tufty is offering in some form here

  • Leon also struggles under the weight of unwanted responsibility in his life, and is relaxed as it feels like someone is taking charge:

    • Leon is finally treated like a child and feels comforted by it

    • He can’t explain why, because he isn’t used to appropriate relationships

What the quotation means

• Leon’s shed, that he has claimed rather than been given, is a mess and Leon thinks to himself that Maureen would not approve

Analysis 

• By thinking of, acknowledging and understanding Maureen’s reaction, even though she isn’t there to give it, we see that Leon is finding a sense of identity and belonging:

  • This moment hints at Leon beginning to internalise Maureen’s influence, showing how her presence is shaping his sense of family

  • What he is recognising here is a motherly reaction to a child’s messy room, which is the kind of appropriate mother/son interaction he never had with Carol

  • For once, Leon is having similar thoughts and pressures to other children his age

• The use of language is also interesting:

  • Not only is the word “pigsty” not the kind of thing Leon says, he also goes on to say she’d want it “spick-and-span”

  • This is a sign of Maureen’s influence on Leon and how easy it is to influence young people

  • In terms of finding belonging, this shows Leon is becoming part of Maureen’s family and taking on her influence

  • His changing vocabulary shows this, that he is forming a bond and a family with Maureen

What the quotation means

• Leon is explaining to Jake who he is and how they are related

Analysis 

• Leon’s identity is tied to being a big brother to Jake:

  • That he separates the words with full stops and capitalises both “Big” and “Brother” shows how important it is to him

  • De Waal could be showing how the syntax relates to Leon’s view of himself:

    • By capitalising and expressing “Big” and “Brother” in the same way as he does his name, the two parts of his identity can be seen as important as the other

    • It could even be argued that Leon puts his status as big brother before his name to show that, to him, being a big brother is more important

    • This could foreshadow how Leon puts Jake first, but also neglects his own care and needs

• That this is set out right from the start of the narrative shows that this is an important aspect of Leon’s identity:

  • As the author introduces us to the plot and Leon as its protagonist, Leon’s role as a big brother is outlined immediately

  • This bond and relationship defines the narrative, so this is a level of foreshadowing from de Waal about how important this relationship will be to the text

Loss

All of the characters in My Name is Leon struggle in some form with loss in their lives. It is what drives Leon’s story, starting with the loss of his childhood, then his mother, and finally his brother.

What the quotation means

• Mr Devlin finds the carved doll he made of his son inside Leon’s rucksack

• With his son gone, this doll is a representation of him that Mr Devlin has a sentimental attachment to

Analysis 

• Mr Devlin does not speak of his family much and is reserved emotionally, but has an outburst about this:

  • It shows that Mr Devlin has attached emotional significance to the doll, as if keeping it means his son is not completely gone

  • This suggests that Mr Devlin is still struggling with the pain

  • This is further evidenced by his drinking, and the dishevelled demeanour that changes when he starts dating Sylvia

• Mr Devlin is also hurt that it is Leon, of all people, who took the doll:

  • As a man we see without friends and who keeps his emotions close to himself, he has opened up to Leon, and it would not be unreasonable to suggest this is the first time he has done this for a long time

  • He is hurt that a child he has shown affection to has betrayed his trust

  • This makes him feel his loss more, having seen Leon with the same fondness he would show his own child, and the children he used to care for

What the quotation means

• Leon has been sick and tries to fall asleep to positive thoughts, which lead him to a memory of his mother covering him in a blanket and putting him to bed

• He then wonders what is happening in that bed now, as he has moved and will never go back

Analysis 

• Leon’s anxiety over what has happened to his family and how his life has changed becomes overwhelming:

  • This is a very typical reaction to anxiety, with his breathing intensifying

  • Leon is too young to understand it, but knows he does not like it

  • De Waal may have included this as a reminder that it may be a long journey for Leon to happiness

• There is also the possibility that de Waal includes this episode to comment on how the care system, and those observing it, look only at results and do not deal with the trauma children face:

  • It is possible that this is a comment on how children are not cared for properly once they are in the system

  • Leon is facing up to serious unresolved trauma

• This also shows us the stress that moving a child from their home can cause

What the quotation means

• After months of holding his anger and sadness in, with a few physical outbursts like destroying his room and the bathroom, Leon finally cracks under the pressure and lets out his frustrations

• He shouts and screams at both Tufty and Mr Devlin after being caught in the shed at night

Analysis 

• Leon has lost so much in a short space of time, as well as having his childhood taken from him:

  • Tufty and Mr Devlin do not even know about Leon being in care and that he has a brother, so this is not truly a reaction to them

  • This is a signal of how much hurt Leon feels, and how he has held together this anger and sadness since he left his home

  • Leon has been focused on how he could find his brother and see his brother for months

  • The loss has stayed with him throughout, even as people assume he is moving on and the care system has not shown interest in him for some time

• This outburst comes after hearing Maureen and Sylvia discussing a future without Leon:

  • He is hurt at the idea that he is not important to Maureen and will lose another person whom he loves

  • It sends him spiralling into anxiety, and that brings him back to the trauma of losing Jake and Carol

What the quotation means

• Leon meets Carol for the last time in the story, on a bench by the river

• It appears that Maureen has set up this meeting to help Leon get some closure about his situation from his mother

Analysis 

• De Waal is showing us a healthy way we can see loss:

  • Closure with Carol may be good for Leon

  • This signifies that Leon is starting a new chapter of his life

  • By losing the idea of bringing his family back together as one and realising Carol will never be his caregiver again, Leon can let go of it and look forward

• It is also significant that this moment gives Leon a healthy goodbye, with de Waal showing us how much better this is than the other separations in the novel:

  • Without warning, he was taken from his home when social services got involved early in the narrative

  • Then Jake was adopted, with no explicit warning that Jake would be leaving without Leon

  • He had to read the notes of a care worker to see that Carol was unwell and would not be given her children back

  • He also overheard the conversation where he thought Maureen was leaving him

  • For the first time, he is told directly and given a chance to process it, which then leads to him running to his mum, giving and receiving love, and experiencing a nice goodbye

Sources

De Waal, K. (2016), My Name is Leon, Viking