Saturday, August 18, 2007

Tin Soldiers 11 CH Eng

Michael and Benny have a lot in common - they are both thugs who have viciously attacked another human being because they belong to a different group. Am I right or are there very real differences between Michael and Benny?

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think Michael was very similar to Benny before he was bashed, they both had issues with their fathers and were both hostile towards Ahmad at the soccer match even before Ahmad had done anything and they both jumped strait away to the conclusion that Ahmad bashed Michael just because it made sense. In saying this though after Michael was bashed he realised that he seemed to be more open minded and less aggressive and stopped blaming his problems on his father. Oh and just for the record i think Michael was just to wrapped up in himself and just needed to get a life and stop feeling sorry for himself, it would have saved a lot of that sentimental rubbish.

chucker said...

Toughen up you mean! Don't know who you are - can you leave me a name. Mrs Hucker

Anonymous said...

Michael and Benny both have problems with their fathers and both resent them. They are very similar in their anger however Benny just has the bulk to back it up. After the realisation that it was Benny's "friends" who bashed up Michael, Michael had a complete attitude change and became all saintly eyed about it. It did not excuse what he did to Ahmad and it did not excuse the way Benny behaved towards Hussein. Benny's "Big Gorilla" persona seemed to draw scrappers towards him where as Michael just doesnt really seem to care and doesnt mind being walked all over and just bottles it all up and then bawls his eyes out. I like Bennys approach better.

chucker said...

Interesting! Obviously big boys don't cry!

Anonymous said...

Well i just posted a comment and it didn't stay i obviously did something wrong. i just figured it out.

Michael and Benny are similar but there is one major difference that I noticed Benny gave into his demons whereas Michael fought his and won. Michael also resolved most of his conflicts with George but as far as we know Benny hasn't even tried to resolve his conflicts with his father. Benny's anger is also shown in more violent ways than Michael's especially after Michael got bashed. After Michael got bashed he became more shy and reclusive and found other ways to resolve his conflicts and release his anger.

Alex

Chantelle H said...

At the start Michael was very much like Benny. after Michael got bashed hes not like Benny any more then Michael faces his fears that Bennyshasnt done and needs which he needs to do

Anonymous said...

i think michael and benny were very simular at the start of the book.
Michael and benny were both very angry boys who have physically beaten up others because of there race.

Micael changes though.
Michael faces his faars and sorts out his problems to be a better person and not end up like his angry father.

i think Benny also has to change and face his fears before he does something worse than what he is already doing.

Anonymous said...

I COMPLETELY DISSAGREE MRS HUCKER! michael and benny are so different yes they have similarities for example michael may have begun to follow the pattern like benny of being violent and ceptic but i think it is thanks to bennys behaviour (or rather his crew) when they bashed michael that michael snapped out of it. i think thug is a strong word that shud decribe lenglthy behaviour.i do not beleave that michael was a thug, he could have become like benny with his thug like behaviour but he diddnt. He was just a boy with issues let damaged after the bashing (and i think it is for the better considering the way he was heading!). i see benny as a possible instigator of michaels behavior, mayb he was poorly diciplined as a child ? haha

Emma 11aw

Anonymous said...

Am I right or are there very real differences between Michael and Benny?
There are very real differences that set apart Michael & Benny, (despite the obvious 'daddy issues'). It takes a man to start from scratch & re-learn those essential motor skills, even if they are as simple as writing your own name.
I think Micheal has a better approach to life in comparison to Benny. Benny felt pure fear & needed to act on Michaels beating in order to stop himself from feeling helpless. In saying this, I cannot entirely blame Benny for his actions. Benny reacted in the only way he knew. I don't think Benny totaly understood that what he was doing to others was in no way different to what had happened to Michael, that set him, Benny, in a spin.

Michael found the strength (and the right friends) to get him through. Although Michael's father, George, cannot be entirely to blame for the way Michael behaved at the very beginning of the book, he needs to wake up & realise that he is affecting Michael immensely.

chucker said...

I don't know who you are but you certainly express some great ideas.