1. The Cone Gatherers
BBC Class Clips

2. Characterisation of Calum and Neil
Neil and Calum argue over an injured rabbit. Neil becomes impatient and angry at Calum's sympathetic heart, and knows that interfering with the gamekeeper Duror's snares could land them in trouble. Mr Tulloch expresses his overview of Neil and Calum's personalities.
Consider themes of war and the destruction of innocence. Link Calum with innocence. Consider the relationship between the two brothers.
Why is Neil quickly irritated with his brother?
We see Neil softening towards Calum. Why does Calum promise to leave animals alone?
Consider Duror as the 'threatening force'. Who is he pointing the gun at?

3. Consider themes of war and the destruction of innocence
Consider themes of war and the destruction of innocence. Link Calum with innocence. Consider the relationship between the two brothers.
Why is Neil quickly irritated (he feels responsible and worried for Calum who is naïve to the brutality of the world). We see Neil softening towards Calum.
Why does Calum promise to leave animals alone? Inner conflict between wanting to be 'manly' and wanting to be caring.
Consider Duror as the 'threatening force'. Who is he pointing the gun at?

4. In the Beach House
Neil and Calum sit in the beach house, sheltering from the rain. They inspect some abandoned toys and discuss how attitudes towards them differ between the classes. Calum wants to take home and repair a broken doll but Neil sees this as stealing. Lady Runcie Campbell arrives and demands that they leave.
Where is class division highlighted in this scene?
How do the characters posture and tone to each other reveal their attitudes to class?
What is symbolic about the doll being broken?
Why does Calum like the doll?

5. Ask the students to identify where class division is highlighted
Ask the students to identify where class division is highlighted. (Neil's observation about the toy, and Lady Runcie Campbell wishing to distance herself from the lower-class boys).
How do the characters posture and tone to each other reveal their attitudes to class?
What is symbolic about the doll being broken? (It is representative of innocence being destroyed.)
Ask students to think about why Calum likes the doll (he is child-like and he is drawn to innocence). He also wants to mend the toy revealing his longing to help. However, here again, Calum is an outsider as he does not fit into the rules of society which sees this as 'stealing'.

6. Duror's Motivations
The inspector tells Wallace his theories as to why the gamekeeper, Duror, dislikes the cone gatherers (especially Calum). The theory that Duror projects aspects of himself that he despises on to Calum is considered. They go to Mrs Lochie who tells them how Duror began to resent his wife after she became ill and lost her looks, as he hates deformity.
Write a list of all of the different reasons suggested by the inspector.

7. Write a list of all of the different reasons suggested by the inspector (who blames Duror's diseased mind and his transferral of his perverse longings on to Calum) and Mrs Lochie (who blames his hatred of illness and deformity).

8. The Deer Drive
Tulloch relates what he saw on the deer drive to Wallace and the inspector. He tells them how Calum was distressed and tried to save the deer Duror had shot, and how Duror went into a frenzy, stabbing at the deer over and over. He believes Duror was mentally attacking something else, such as Calum, his wife Peggy and what he saw as ugly in the world.
Contrast different viewpoints of Calum - Duror hates him while Mr Tulloch sees him as brave and empathetic.
What significance does Mr Tulloch attribute to this event?

9. Theories Behind Duror's Crimes
Waiting in Lady Runcie Campbell's grand house, Wallace expresses his rage and disgust at Duror's murder of Calum. He presents his theory that Duror was out for any excuse to kill Calum, and found one when Calum's brother Neil disobeyed an order from the upper class Lady Runcie Campbell..
Consider the way in which class is presented, particularly focusing on Wallace's analysis of Lady Runcie Campbell forcing the cone gatherers to leave the beach hut. Why did she do this? Also consider the way in which Duror views class (more conservative and believes in hierarchy). Does this help explain why he killed Calum?

10. Duror <3 LRC
A montage of Duror's attraction towards Lady Runcie Campbell, whom he sees as perfect (in contrast to so much else around him that is ugly), is accompanied by a voiceover from the inspector, discussing his state of mind. Back to the drama, Lady Runcie Campbell then describes being disturbed by how Duror talked to her, and how she found Calum dead up a tree after Duror killed him.
Ask the class to make a list of all the ways Duror is surrounded by imperfection. Ask them what he finds solace in. Ask them to think about how Duror would feel if his only salvation (Lady Runcie Campbell) was threatened – does this help us to understand his actions?

11. Roderick's Opinion
Detective Wallace and the inspector quiz Roderick about his perceptions of the cone gatherers, Neil and Calum. Roderick expresses his admiration for the two brothers, his friendship with them and his dislike of Duror's and his mother's poor treatment of them. His mother, Lady Runcie Campbell, can't understand his compassionate point of view towards lower-class men, especially Calum. Wallace, however, can relate to Roderick's view.
Ask the class to consider the ways in which Roderick differs to his mother, especially in his view of the cone gatherers. Examine the ways in which he sympathises with the cone gatherers and how he views Duror's behaviour towards them. Ask the class if they agree with Wallace's assessment of Roderick's behaviour. By the end of the clip, the class should have a characterisation of Roderick and his view of the cone gatherers.

12. Issues of Class
Wallace and the inspector talk to Lady Runcie Campbell in her grand house. She reveals her husband's patronising attitude towards people from the lower classes and his belief that upper classes are objectively superior. By contrast, her son Roderick has a comparitively liberal attitude, which his parents find 'quaint'. She accuses Wallace of being a conscientious objector, but he reveals he is too injured to fight in the war.
Examine the language Lady Runcie Campbell uses towards those of other classes. What connotations are suggested? ('inferiors', 'quaint'). What pressures are placed on Roderick by his parents and does this help us sympathise with him? (His masculinity is questioned due to his belief in equality.) What pressures does Lady Runcie Campbell face? Note the pressures she describes and whether the class feel sympathy towards her: she is managing an estate in a time of war and in difficult circumstances with allegations of sexual misconduct. She may also never have experienced full independence as she talks of her husband's ideas as her own (explain the historical context of the novel when women were only just experiencing equality in the workplace).

13. Calum's Death
Lady Runcie Campbell talks to the inspector about her experience of discovering Calum's body. She sees Calum's death as a sacrifice bringing potential for a new and better beginning.
Consider the way in which Lady Runcie Campbell regards Calum. Introduce the class to the idea of symbolism. Ask them to consider the symbolic reason for blood covering her hands. Does this suggest she is partly to blame for Calum's death? She also describes a sense of pity and happiness - why does she feel these contrasting emotions? Point the class towards the religious symbolism suggested in the death of Calum whose innocence and sacrifice can be compared to Christ's. Once he gave up his life for others, our sins were forgiven bringing new joy. Lady Runcie Campbell is also seen as kneeling. What does this position suggest? Has she changed in her view towards others?

14. Conclusion
Wallace reiterates the idea that Duror killed Calum to try to cleanse his own twisted hatred of the world, as he saw Calum as embodying ugliness, which Duror couldn't stand. When this didn't work, Duror turns his gun on himself. The two detectives then leave to return to Glasgow.
Duror's motivation for killing himself and conclusion: List the reasons given as to why Duror killed himself and whether the novel's climax leaves a positive or negative message. Ask students to consider the relevance of this text to their own lives. Consider topics such as prejudice, injustice, disability, discrimination, responsibility and respect for others.