Gavin's parents

Gavin’s mother

Gavin’s mother is a secondary character in William Boyd's story, “Killing Lizards”.

Outer characterisation

Her outer characterisation tells us that she is a beautiful woman (l. 52) with short and thick reddish-brown hair (l. 46). It is possible that she is an actress – this is not explicitly stated but suggested by her telling Gavin that she is going to a rehearsal for a play (l. 55), although this could also be an amateur dramatics work (put on by non-professionals as a hobby). As Gavin later discovers, she is having an affair with an unknown man. Her favourite glasses have pale blue lenses and candy-pink frames (ll. 148-149), suggesting that she dresses in a feminine way. She is also a smoker (ll. 46-47).

She goes shopping with her daughter Amanda (ll. 12-13), but the story suggests that she does not spend time with her son as well: “He wished she bothered about him more, did things with him as she did with Amanda.” (ll. 63-64).

Inner characterisation

Gavin’s mother’s inner characterisation is constructed through her son’s perspective on her and through her actions and language.

When we first encounter Gavin’s mother, she is brushing her hair in front of her dressing table, in her bedroom: “She bru...