Divided City

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The main characters are young boys called Graham, a Protestant supporting Rangers. Joe, a Catholic supporting Celtic, and a young asylum seeker named Kyoul. Glasgow is a divided city. Catholics and Protestants; Celtic and Rangers. Stumble down the wrong street at night, and you might not find your way home again.

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Graham’s Granda Reid is a proud Orangeman who wants Graham to march in the big Orange Walk which is coming up. Graham’s parents have always resisted pressure to make him take part when he was younger saying he should make his own mind up when he is old enough. However, this is the year he must do so. Joe’s family members are equally committed to upholding their Catholic traditions. When I finished this book, I was a bit puzzled. I still couldn't understand, that the whole city is divided into two parts, having different religions, different traditions, different football teams... If there are so many differences, what connected these groups? Why there are living together? At the end of Reglan Street nearest the playing fields, huge shadows danced. The outline of the hunters – distorted and elongated against the bright floodlights used for night games on the football pitches. Graham saw them gather together, become one monstrous creature, then break apart. Their twisted shapes thrown out ahead of them as they came. Seeking. Searching.Essence of Glasgow is what this book is about. The cover speaks eloquently of the division in the city - Protestants on one side, Catholics on the other. It is a difference that spreads out from religious belief to take in every aspect of life: school, work, and most especially football. The Celtic/Rangers matches and the Orange marches highlight this gulf, and Breslin has cleverly and economically built her more intimate story of two friends around these more public events. If he began to run the gang of boys would think he was running from them – might mistake him for the one they were after. His heart was hammering. He didn’t want involved in this. the main characters (Joe and Graham) are two young boys who love football. they both play football and they are the two best football players of the team.

Template for Worksheet - LT Scotland

A wonderfuly successful stage version of DIVIDED CITY took place in May 2011 and January 2012 in sell-out shows. The production was a joint Youth Music Initiative project created and funded by The Citizens Theatre, Graham pressed himself against the door, glad of his skinny frame. The remainder of the gang came down the street, veering onto the pavement as they spotted him. That we can accept each other for who we are and that we can be allowed to have different views and opinions is very important. But to realise that we can we work together and be greater than the sum of us as individuals for all that is even more.

Nevertheless, I was so deeply impressed by this book, because it was written brilliantly. Of course, I admired the football match descriptions and the teenagers' dreams of them playing in the World Cup final. Of course, I was nearly interested in asylum seekers problem, because this is urgent problem nowadays.

DIVIDEDCITY - Education Scotland

From either side the dark openings of the tenement building mawed at him. It was the beginning of May and fairly light at this time in the evening. But even so . . . Graham glanced around. The sky was densely overcast and shadows were gathering. He shouldn’t have lingered so long after football training.The book is very easy to read. It has a good plot which moves along at a good pace. The book is well constructed and well written. The author uses language which is easy to understand without making the book simple and boring. A 'must read' for all teenagers and adults!