use of violence by powerless, mob rule + consequences

• in context of this deeply suspicious + defensive frame of mine, crace shows reader how quickly prejudices can lead to violence + thus make justice difficult to achieve
• ’armed…with sticks and staves’ (ch2, p.g.17)


  villagers angrily stride toward new temporary encampment w/ makeshift weapons
• ‘strike the dwelling on its roof’ (ch2, p.g.23)

  ‘the blood was marking her cheeks like tears’ (ch2, p.g.27)

  brooker higgs act of violence leads to wound on beldam’s head
• ’mob’ (ch2, p.g.26)

  ‘dark feathers’ (ch2, p.g.23)

  ‘poacher-arsonists’ (ch2, p.g.25

  villagers appear in great numbers, intimidating especially to lone, injured woman

  despite evidence they ate blackbird, not dove, local prejudice has already lead to their condamnation
• ’in the pillory…one week’ (ch2, p.g.30)

  punishment of men is wholly unfair, an example of what happens when prejudice is allowed to overrule any due process

  men don’t get chance to protest
• search thoroughly until ‘culprit - here they mean mistress beldam - is caught or driven far away or the victim of an accident’ (ch9, p.g.147)

  after slaughter of willowjack + imprisonment of local women, villagers demonstrate xenophobic attitudes again

  determined to prove to master that outsiders are solely to blame + will search for her
• ’i never was a local tree…I’m no great sacrifice’ (ch9, p.g.143)

  villagers ready to sacrifice wt easily, due to him not being born in village despite having lived there for 12 years

  their willingness to make scapegoat of him adds to his desire to protect himself + keep knowledge gained to himself- shows how prejudices damage own security
• ‘a hundred angry, waspy fists are hurting him’ (ch11, p.g.171)

  in state of restless anxiety about women held prisoner in manor house, villagers assault groom (symbol of ej) since powerless to affect ej himself
• ’it is not the sidemen beating me but saxons rogerses’ (ch11, p.g.181)

  wt is assaulted in course of villagers’ attack on groom

  expresses sene of betrayal and loss, complete severing of all his ties to villagers + community
• ’throw us at the mercy of a less forgiving outside world. one that will not rest or let us rest until its duty has been done, until its justice has been satisfied’ (ch11, p.g.172)

  ironically their expression of rage works against them, confirming their powerlessness in this unequal society

  although, when provoked, the villagers can act violently, it doesn’t help them
• ’shake their fists - politely’ (ch9, p.g.151)

  ‘his only answer to their questions was a shrug. it was as if their worries were of no account’ (ch10, p.g.155)

  the futility of their attempt to see k or even ej

  not allowed to see them, as they are unavailable + are fobbed off by steward