On The Black Hill

On the Black Hill is a novel similar to that of another novel, that of Sons and Lovers by D.H. Lawrence. Author Bruce Chatwin read Lawrence's published work, and (debatedly) stole some of Lawrence's ideas.

Related Topics:
Novel - Sons and Lovers - D.H. Lawrence - Bruce Chatwin

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The novel is told through the technique of flashback and portrays the lives of two twins, Lewis and Benjamin, who develop a bond that is shown throughout the novel as a very special one. Lewis is portrayed as the stronger more masculine twin, whereas Benjamin is the more feminine one, in appearance and the tasks which he does around the house. He seems to be constantly drawn to his mother's side while she is alive and there is also a suggestion of more than a brothery love toward his twin Lewis.

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Lewis is the one who wants to break free, but his efforts are frustrated by his brother's efforts.

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Chatwin also tells the reader of the brutality of what welsh farming involved, with Amos, the father of the two twins, in particular showing how his day to day job has brutalised his caring and loving attitude out to him, we see this later on in the novel where we see him hit his wife, Mary on the temple with the book she is reading - Wuthering Heights (this is significant as it is the sign of a jealous man attacking his wife with the very material that shows her intelligence and also how he feels threatened of this, as the man is supposed to be the head of the family and so, he feels anger about his limited intellect).

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On the Black Hill is a novel which portrays themes such as love, hate, social values, this is shown in the episode which results after Amos finds out that his daughter Rebecca has had an affair with, and become pregnant by that of an Irishman - his religious fanaticism forces him to throw her from the household, and she is not mentioned in the novel until that of the latter part.

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