The Twelfth Day of July
‘The Twelfth Day of July’
Task: Explain how Kevin and Sadie change by the end of the novel
‘The Twelfth Day of July’ is a book by Joan Lingard. This book is about the discord between the Catholic and Protestant religions. It centres on the characters of Kevin McCoy, who is Catholic, and Sadie Jackson, who is Protestant and how their friendship develops despite the religious bigotry which affects the country they live in. The Twelfth Day of July is a celebration in Northern Ireland, for Protestants which started in the 18th century celebrating the ‘Glorious Revolution’ and the victory of Protestant King Billy over Catholic King James II at the Battle of Boyne in 1690.
In the first chapter the book is set in a Protestant street. We are introduced to Tommy and Sadie Jackson who are already looking forward to the celebrations of the 12th of July which is a Protestant commemoration day. Before dinner Mr Jackson asks his children why this is such a special day, the children reply to their father that King Billy was a great man who rode on a white horse, he then asks them ‘who is a bad man?’ and the both shriek with ‘The Pope!’. The Jackson’s house doesn't look like any other house in the street because of a painting which is on the side showing a mural of King Billy.
Tommy and Sadie go to Mrs McConkey’s shop to choose new decorations for their street when they arrive at the shop their friends Linda and Steve are already in Mrs McConkey’s buying decorations. While in the store they meet a red haired boy from another street, they strike up a conversation with him and he declares to the group of friends that his street will be the best decorated street on the 12th of July. The friends disagree with the red haired boy and make a bet with him, they will need to choose a winner and Sadie suggests asking the minister to decided who has the best street, the prize for the winning street will be ‘ten bob’.
In the chapters that follow we meet Kevin McCoy, a catholic boy who is
Task: Explain how Kevin and Sadie change by the end of the novel
‘The Twelfth Day of July’ is a book by Joan Lingard. This book is about the discord between the Catholic and Protestant religions. It centres on the characters of Kevin McCoy, who is Catholic, and Sadie Jackson, who is Protestant and how their friendship develops despite the religious bigotry which affects the country they live in. The Twelfth Day of July is a celebration in Northern Ireland, for Protestants which started in the 18th century celebrating the ‘Glorious Revolution’ and the victory of Protestant King Billy over Catholic King James II at the Battle of Boyne in 1690.
In the first chapter the book is set in a Protestant street. We are introduced to Tommy and Sadie Jackson who are already looking forward to the celebrations of the 12th of July which is a Protestant commemoration day. Before dinner Mr Jackson asks his children why this is such a special day, the children reply to their father that King Billy was a great man who rode on a white horse, he then asks them ‘who is a bad man?’ and the both shriek with ‘The Pope!’. The Jackson’s house doesn't look like any other house in the street because of a painting which is on the side showing a mural of King Billy.
Tommy and Sadie go to Mrs McConkey’s shop to choose new decorations for their street when they arrive at the shop their friends Linda and Steve are already in Mrs McConkey’s buying decorations. While in the store they meet a red haired boy from another street, they strike up a conversation with him and he declares to the group of friends that his street will be the best decorated street on the 12th of July. The friends disagree with the red haired boy and make a bet with him, they will need to choose a winner and Sadie suggests asking the minister to decided who has the best street, the prize for the winning street will be ‘ten bob’.
In the chapters that follow we meet Kevin McCoy, a catholic boy who is