THE
DIVINER'S SON
by GARY CREW STUDY NOTES 'The Diviner's Son' is a murder mystery set in Colonial Tasmania. Christopher Mansell, the central character, is a rich [though aging and cantankerous] horse breeder whose wife and daughter have been brutally murdered. Since he was drunk on the night of the murders, and admits that he can remember nothing, it is possible that Mansell himself is the murderer. The possibility of Mansell's own guilt builds up in him to such an extent that when he has the opportunity to consult with a youth who is said to be able to speak with the dead, Mansell does so in order to learn the truth of his guilt or innocence. Abel Hawkings, the youth, is the supposed son of a fairground "faith healer" or "Diviner", Henry Jones. While Jones is a fraud, Abel actually does have the ability to communicate with spirits and in so doing opens Christopher Mansell's mind to learning the true identity of the murderer. One of the principal features of the novel's structure is the repeated interpolation of authentic historical documents relating to the careers of the Fox sisters of Hydesville, New York State. In 1848, the Fox sisters had become famous for their ability to communicate with the spirits of the dead. Later, the women were to initiate a very powerful movement called 'Spiritualism' which [supposedly] involved communication with the dead through knockings and rappings and the use of 'spirit mediums'. It is this co-relation between the world of flesh-and-blood and the spirit world that creates much of the mystery and tension in 'The Diviner's Son' - raising the question, is the spirit world any less real than the world of flesh? ACTIVITIES:
RESEARCH [a] See what you can find out about the remarkable Fox sisters and the Spiritualist Movement which they began [b] Who was Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and what was his involvement with the Spiritualist Movement? ACTIVITY:
READING Read chosen sections of the novel aloud, especially those involving direct speech, and comment on the authenticity [or "naturalness"] of the dialogue. Are there any instances where it seems forced? If so, where and why? ACTIVITIES:
WRITING [a] Throughout 'The Diviner's Son' there are numerous letters between the mother and daughter duo, Mabel and Lucy Allcott. Write another 'pair' of these letters [one from Mabel to Lucy, and one in reply from Lucy to Mabel] in which the women exchange ideas about detailed possibilities of what actually happened the night when Christopher Mansell's wife and daughter were murdered - and who the women think was responsible. Note: [1] Be sure to use the authentic 'voices' of the women and [2] Try to come up with some surprising possibilities. [b] Add another section of 250-300 words to the book telling just what is the attraction between Able Hawkings and the deceased Nettie Mansell. [c] Adopting the character of Virgil Morrissey, the confused American stable hand, write a letter home to your parents in the US telling them what has been going on here on the Mansell estate. Let them know of your hopes and fears. And even your clandestine loves … ACTIVITY: SPEAKING [DEBATE] Topic:
No belief such as the 'Spiritualist Movement' could exist today because it
would be considered too ridiculous to attract a following. ACTIVITIES:
LISTENING/VIEWING [a] Watch the movie 'The Others' starring Nicole Kidman and list any themes and images that are reminiscent of "The Diviner's Son". [b] Watch the movie 'The Sixth Sense' starring Bruce Willis. Do you see any character similarities between the boy Cole [the boy who 'can see dead people'] and the boy Abel Hawkings in 'The Diviner's Son'? [c] Choose one segment of 'The Diviner's Son' and write it in the form of a film script treatment.
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