Black and Blue

1
Black and Blue

• Rebus

2
Rebus Name

• a puzzle where you decode a message consisting of
  pictures representing syllables and words
• He is trying to solve puzzles
• He, as a character, is a puzzle

3
Violent

• Rebus occasionally is violent
• Rebus reached out a hand until it touched the
  mans forehead, faith-healer style. Then he
  pushed, not very hard. But there was no
  resistanceRebus was kneeling in front of
  Shand, hauling him up by the front of his
  shirt.
• Here his behaviour seems controlled but at other
  times he acts angrily

4
Third Person Limited Narration

• Rankin uses this technique to show the reader
  things from Rebuss point of view
• And help us empathise with him
• Yes, Craigmillar was a choice posting. (p6 )
• Another comedian, another waste of time. (p7)

5
Music

• Throughout Rebus thinks of songs and song titles
  which are relevant at that time
• P27, Pet Shop Boys Its a Sin. Segue to the
  Glimmer Twins Fool to Cry.
• 1968, Bible Johns first victim. To Rebus it
  meant Van Morrison, Astral Weeks. 1969, victims
  two and three the Stones Let it Bleed.
• Music helps him make sense of the world

6
Rebuss Thoughts

• It gnawed at Rebus, as it had at so many before
  why would Bible John leave such a good witness
  behind? ...Why had he been so reckless? Had he
  been taunting the police..? ...Australia, Canada,
  the USA? (p96)
• We see Rebuss thought process as he tries to
  work things out

7
Music

• P27 Pet Shop Boys Its a Sin. Segue to
  the Glimmer Twins Fool to Cry.
• 1968, Bible Johns first victim. To Rebus it
  meant Van Morrison, Astral Weeks. 1969, victims
  two and three the Stones, Let it Bleed.

8
Victims

• The way a lot of them saw it, when you worked a
  murder investigation, your client was the
  deceased, mute and cold, but still screaming out
  for justice. It had to be true, because
  sometimes if you listened hard enough you could
  hear them screaming. Sitting in his chair by the
  window, Rebus had heard many a despairing cry.
  One night, hed hear Angie Riddell and it had
  pierced his heart, because hed known her, liked
  her. In that instant it became personal for
  him. (p51)

9
Ghosts

• all the victims he couldnt help and would never
  be able to help. (325)
• surrounded by loss
• All the ghostsyelling at himbegging
  himshrieking. (381)
• He feels haunted by the people he cant help
• Why me? (18)
• He sounds like he has had enough of the police
  but it is like an addiction he needs his job

10
Redemption

• the act of delivering from sin or saving from
  evil
• The closing words of the novel suggest he may be
  able to move on ...pulled open the cupboard
  and lifted out the newspapers and cuttings.
  Dumped the whole lot of them into the bin.
  Grabbed his jacket and took that walk.

11
a man who is not himself mean

• When Maclay calls Mitchison Spike he replies
  His name was Allan Mitchison
• He is fiercely loyal to the few people he has
  respect for he didnt want Gill fucking up.
  He could see this was important to her (114)

12
A man of honour

• He sees it as his duty to fight for Justice
  the gigwas his Mitchisons reward and
  memorial.
• Ill see if I can do better, Rebus said.
• He does not compromise, when Ancram says Wake
  up to reality. This isnt a linoleum floor, big
  squares of black and white.
• No, its grey silk suits and crisp green
  cash.
• He hates the way other policemen are more
  interested in money and promotions than the truth

13
The best man in his world

• Rebus sides with victims and underdogs
• P256. He empathises with the protestors Rebus
  had half a mind maybe more than half to throw
  the torch over the side.
• The torch is to be used to cut through the chains
  they have chained themselves to the oil rig
• Pp321-322 He reminisces about a homeless man
  called Frank, one old guyRebus saw every
  summer.

14

• He wants to pay his respects to Johnny Bibles
  victims
• P276 Ancram all this interest is because
  you once bought a prostitute a cup of tea?
• Her name was Angie Riddell. Rebus paused.
  She had beautiful eyes.
• He insists on seeing everyone as a person with an
  identity, not just as a statistic or a
  stereotype.

15
Relatively poor man

• His obsessive nature and unconventional methods
  mean that he has lost out in both his career and
  personal life
• P225 he thinks that the bouncer at Burkes will
  see him as a middle-aged lush, a pathetic figure
  in a cheap suit.
• P361 There was music, and there were books,
  but neither in great quantity nor of great
  quality. The clothes were utilitarian, one
  jacket much like another. No shoes. He found
  that bizarre in the extreme. Did the man possess
  only one pair?

16
Lack of respect

• He has no respect for the establishment. This is
  why he is posted to Craigmillar at the start of
  the novel Hed upset some people, people who
  mattered. They hadnt been able to deal him a
  death blow, so had consigned him to purgatory.
  (6)
• He is unimpressed by his own bosses and those
  made rich by oil
• P173 he steps into the life where Minchell
  waits with a slight bow

17
He will take no mans money dishonestly

• The officers from Glasgow are corrupt
• P76 Rebus thought of the fancy suits everyone
  seemed to be wearing, the good watches and shoes,
  the general air of prosperity and superiority.
• It was west coast dirt.
• Rebus shows total contempt for this

18
A proud man

• P373 He Jack Morton might have changed
  become a yes man, a pencil-pusher, a careerist
  but John was the same as always.
• He does not want to change

19
A lonely man

• sometimes if you listened hard enough you could
  hear them screamingOne night hed heard Angie
  Riddell and it had pierced his heart, because he
  had known her, liked her.

20

• Pp189-190 Rebus had always found relationships
  with the opposite sex difficulthis job had
  proved more seductive, more all-consuming than
  the relationship.
• Notice word choice like seductive.
• Even Bible John, when he searches his flat felt
  the loneliness of his life

21
Rude wit

• P179 ..interested in leasing one oil tanker?
• Where would I park it?
• Can I ask you something, Major? Why did you
  name your oilfield after an oatcake? (p209)

22
Obsession

• He feels empathy with Kayleigh Burgess
• She needs a break, he thought, as in a rest. But
  she was obsessed with her job...He thought of a
  story World War One, Christmastime, the
  opposing sides emerging from their trenches to
  shake hands, play a game of football, then back
  into the trenches, picking up their guns again.
  (151)
• He compares their lives to a war with only
  temporary respite possible

23
A disgust for sham

• Rebus is unimpressed by Ludovic Lumsden and his
  attempts to impress Rebus
• He describes the fanciest hotel room hed ever
  been in as a bit rich for my taste (167)
• When Lumsden suggests he can use his position to
  get certain privileges Rebus does not commit
  himself. (p169)

24
In search of a hidden truth

• Rebus is motivated throughout not by
  self-interest or furthering his own career
• But by getting justice
• Rebus saw her picture again Angie. Hoped she
  was getting ready to rest. (462)

25
The Dark Side

• The problem lay somewhere inside him...Rape was
  all about power killing, too, in its way. And
  wasnt power the ultimate male fantasy? And
  didnt he sometimes dream of it, too? (p190)
• Here Rankin makes clear the parallels between the
  criminals and Rebus,
• And by extension all men
• Violence and cruelty are in everyone

26

• Rebus was fidgeting. He wanted to be flippant,
  ironic, his usual self (324)
• This is an admission that the humour he uses is a
  defence against his feelings getting the better
  of him
• However here he runs away from accusations that
  he wrongly convicted Lenny Spaven.
• He walks away and when Jack tries to stop him
  they fight
• And then he started crying. Crying for
  himselfmost of all for Elsie Rhind and all her
  sisters, all the victims he couldnt help and
  would never ever be able to help. (p325)
• He gets out all the feelings he has been bottling
  up, letting him sleep without alcohol

27
Meeting Bible John

• Pp179-181
• They seem to hit it off
• Ryan Slocum says Why do I still come to these
  things? and downs whisky

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Links

• http//www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/art
  icle1760235.ece
• http//www.twbooks.co.uk/authors/starless.html