Frances manipulates Ryan’s memory of Tommy
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Frances probes Ryan's feelings about the discarded gift and uses the opportunity to suggest the gift might be his dad's way of expressing remorse. She then claims to have researched Tommy and expresses disbelief at the crimes he was convicted of, appealing to Ryan's memory of Tommy's smile and kind face.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Calculatedly empathetic, masking her true intentions behind a facade of concern and kindness. She is deeply invested in undermining Catherine’s narrative and shaping Ryan’s perception of Tommy.
Frances, posing as the kind and attentive teaching assistant Miss Wealand, initiates a private conversation with Ryan in the secluded reading area. She skillfully manipulates him by first establishing rapport, then subtly questioning Catherine’s authority and reframing Tommy’s Scalextric set as an act of remorse. Her body language is encouraging and confidential, creating an intimate space for her to plant seeds of doubt in Ryan’s mind. She risks exposing her true agenda by sharing her personal research on Tommy, implying his innocence and kindness.
- • Undermine Catherine’s authority and narrative about Tommy’s guilt
- • Shape Ryan’s perception of his father as remorseful and kind
- • Plant seeds of doubt in Ryan’s mind about Catherine’s version of events
- • Tommy is not as guilty as he’s been made out to be (based on her ‘research’)
- • Ryan deserves to know the ‘truth’ about his father, even if it contradicts Catherine’s story
Conflicted, emotionally open, and increasingly influenced by Frances’ perspective.
Ryan is seated in the reading area of St. Mark’s Junior School, choosing a book when Frances initiates the conversation. He is initially hesitant but opens up about his birthday gifts, including the Scalextric set from Tommy. Frances’ probing questions make him reflect on his feelings about the gift and his father, revealing his internal conflict between wanting to play with the Scalextric and his loyalty to Catherine. His emotional state shifts from confusion to curiosity as Frances reframes Tommy’s actions as remorseful.
- • Understand why Catherine threw away the Scalextric set
- • Reconcile his desire to play with the gift with his loyalty to his grandmother
- • His father might genuinely regret his actions (as suggested by Frances)
- • Catherine’s reaction might be overly emotional (as implied by Frances)
Indirectly portrayed as remorseful (by Frances’ framing) and potentially innocent (contradicting Catherine’s narrative).
Tommy Lee Royce is not physically present but is the central subject of the conversation. Frances uses him as a tool to manipulate Ryan’s perception, framing him as remorseful and kind. Ryan’s memories of Tommy’s ‘kind face’ are evoked, and Frances’ research into his case is presented as evidence of his innocence. Tommy’s influence looms large, even from prison, as Frances’ words plant doubt in Ryan’s mind about his father’s guilt.
- • Influence Ryan’s perception of him (through Frances’ manipulation)
- • Undermine Catherine’s authority and narrative about his crimes
- • He is capable of remorse and kindness (as per Frances’ argument)
- • His imprisonment may be unjust (as per Frances’ research)
Absent but implied as distressed and fearful (based on Ryan’s description of her reaction to the gift).
Catherine is not physically present in this event, but her actions and emotional state are central to the conversation. Ryan mentions that Catherine threw the Scalextric set into the bin, which frames her as overprotective and emotionally reactive in Frances’ manipulation of Ryan. Her absence allows Frances to exploit Ryan’s confusion and desire for the gift, subtly undermining Catherine’s authority and narrative about Tommy’s guilt.
- • Protect Ryan from Tommy’s influence
- • Maintain control over Ryan’s perception of his father
- • Tommy is a dangerous and manipulative figure who must be kept away from Ryan
- • Ryan is too young to understand the full extent of Tommy’s crimes
Clare is not physically present but is referenced indirectly through Ryan’s mention of the birthday cakes she and Winnie made. …
Daniel is not physically present but is referenced through Ryan’s mention of the £20 gift he received. His absence underscores …
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
Ryan’s elbow pads, knee pads, and helmet are mentioned briefly as part of the list of gifts he received for his birthday. Frances does not focus on these objects, but they serve as background context, reinforcing the idea that Tommy sent Ryan a full set of protective gear—symbolizing his supposed care for his son’s safety. Their mention, though peripheral, contributes to the broader narrative of Tommy’s attempts to insert himself into Ryan’s life, even if indirectly. The objects are not physically present in the scene but are evoked as part of the larger pattern of gifts.
The reading book Ryan selects from the shelves serves as a neutral, contextual prop in the scene. It grounds the interaction in the mundane setting of the school’s reading area, providing a pretext for Frances to approach Ryan under the guise of a casual conversation about his reading choices. The book itself is not the focus of the dialogue, but its presence reinforces the idea that Frances is engaging Ryan in a seemingly innocent, educational setting—masking her true manipulative intent. The object symbolizes the facade of normalcy behind which Frances operates.
The Scalextric set is the central object of manipulation in this event. Ryan mentions it as one of his birthday gifts but reveals that Catherine threw it into the bin. Frances seizes on this detail, reframing the gift as an act of remorse from Tommy rather than a manipulative gesture. She suggests that the set’s high cost and Tommy’s limited prison resources make it a meaningful apology. The object becomes a symbolic battleground in the conflict between Catherine’s protective narrative and Frances’ manipulative reinterpretation of Tommy’s intentions. Its physical absence (having been discarded) makes it a powerful absentee presence in the conversation, driving Ryan’s emotional conflict.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The reading area of St. Mark’s Junior School is a secluded, quiet space where Frances strategically engages Ryan in a private conversation. The absence of other students or teachers creates an intimate atmosphere, allowing Frances to manipulate Ryan without interruption. The shelves of books and comfortable seating contribute to the illusion of a harmless, educational setting, masking the true nature of their discussion. The location’s seclusion is crucial—it enables Frances to probe Ryan’s feelings about Tommy and reframe the Scalextric set as an act of remorse, away from the watchful eyes of Catherine or other authority figures.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"Catherine stating that Tommy wants to cause conflict between them LEADS to Frances using the opportunity to emotionally manipulate Ryan about his discarded gift insinuating Tommy is sorry."
Key Dialogue
"FRANCES: Did you have a nice birthday? Yesterday."
"RYAN: Yep. It were okay. / FRANCES: What did you get? / RYAN: Skateboard. Elbow pads, knee pads, helmet. New football. Twenny quid off me Uncle Daniel, thirty quid off me Grandad and me Auntie Ros, that’s fifty quid. Winnie across made me a cake as well as me Auntie Clare, so that’s two cakes. And I got a Scalextric. But. Me Granny put it in t’bin."
"FRANCES: Why? / RYAN: Cos it were from me dad. / FRANCES: Oh no. / FRANCES: And how do you feel? About that. / RYAN: I dunno. I really wanted to play with it. But I could see how upset she was."
"FRANCES: Perhaps. I don’t know. It’s his way of trying to tell you all how sorry he is. About what happened. / RYAN: D’you think he is? / FRANCES: Well why else would he send it? I don’t think they get very much money. In prison. It must have meant a lot to him to do that. / FRANCES: - after that last conversation we had. I googled your dad. And I can’t believe he was responsible for half the things he was sent to prison for. / RYAN: Why? / FRANCES: Because he has such a kind face."