Alan Sillitoe

8 Pages 2114 Words

n’t think he has a mind or any will of his own. Smith points out, “the governor cannot make an X-ray of our guts to see what we are telling ourselves” (Sillitoe, 10), concluding the governor doesn’t catch on to what he is doing until it’s too late. But, Smith determines that “He can see further in the likes of the governor can see in him” (Sillitoe, 13), because he knows the governor doesn’t care one bit about the person running the race, but only about winning the race.
Smith’s version of honesty, being true to one’s self and having integrity, is not what the governor considers honesty, that is respect to others’ property and abiding by the laws of society.

Seventeen-year-old Smith is an “outlaw” serving his time at Borstal, a reformatory in England, the warden, who referred to as the governor or as the in-laws, has chosen Smith to be a long distance runner.
Smith thinks that his kind, the outlaws, are at war with the governors kind, the in-laws and he says, “ the in-laws and outlaws just don’t see eye to eye, that is how it stands and how it will always stand (Sillitoe, 8). “ The governor is training Smith to race for the Borstal Blue Ribbon Cup for Long Distance cross-country Running (All England); but Smith, even though he likes running he has no intention of trying to win the race or change his way of life. In fact he says, “I’ll tell you now, I haven’t finished making all my false moves yet, and I dare say I won’t unt...