What Is Michael Fayn's Relationship In Spies

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Michael Frayn’s novel Spies, a wartime story describing two childhood friends, shows their developing relationship over time. Stephen Wheatly and Keith Hayward, through the novel, undergo a change in the dynamic of their friendship. This becomes clear when examining key and important passages throughout the novel. Stephen goes from being mostly a follower of Keith to overtaking him and leaving him behind. Keith doesn’t like this developing character we find Stephen to be because he enjoys appearing superior to Stephen.
In the beginning of the novel we see the sinister side of Keith and assume that his role in the friendship is the leader, as we read from the narrator, who is elder Stephen, “I followed him past Trewinnick” this shows the adherent …show more content…

Keith is seen to have an abundant wealthier background as we read from Michale Frayn's description of Keith, “His grey socks are neatly pulled up to half an inch below his knees, and brown leather sandals are neatly buckled.” This shows that Keith is much more of a smart looking young lad than Stephen showing the differentiation between their friendship. This makes Stephen feel below Keith because of the difference in social class, later on, Stephen will find his own voice and be more independent, this is Michael Frayn showing the childhood world of inferiority. There is a big difference in the social status of the two boys. Keith goes to the 'right local preparatory school' and wears yellow and black which are the 'right' colours whereas Stephen wears green and black and goes to the 'wrong' school. This social class reflects on their relationship. 'He was the officer corps in our two-man army. I was the other ranks- and grateful to be so.’ This shows Stephen knows his position in their friendship and is gratified with it, also it sounds like Stephen understands his place in their relationship and knows has respect for Keith as he relates it to an ‘officer’ and ‘ranks’. Stephen is allowed to go around to the Haywards and seems to envy them which makes him feel like they are the perfect family and longs to be like them ‘Auntie Dee yet another ornament to the Hayward family’. Here Michael Frayn is showing the nature of perception, how a child views

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