Kelman presents Harrison as lacking innocence as he involves
himself with drugs. We see this when he is involved in a game with some other
children where they dare a child to lick the “crack spoon”. Harri firstly is
witness to ‘egging on’ the child to lick the “crack spoon”. The “crack spoon”
contains hard drugs and is symbolic of the rife drug abuse and use of drugs by
gangs – both in taking but also selling etc. The fact that the children are
exposed to the remnants suggests that they are not at the epicentre of the drug
and gang culture, but that they can’t escape it and also ingest some of it. Harrison
is not a stupid boy, evidence of this is shown throughout, so he is aware of
the dangers of the spoon yet does nothing to prevent the child from licking it.
For the reader it is a terrifying moment, made all the more terrifying by the
children’s lack of alarm. It also hints at the soon to be addicted youngsters
to the gang culture. Kelman is portraying the harsh and terrifying realities of
urban life where drugs are also present. Harri’s lack of action or care to stop
what he knows is a dangerous thing shows he lacks innocence.
Kelman presents Harri as lacking innocence due to his
constant passivity in the face of gang culture and, at times brutal violence.
Kelman presents teenagers as criminals in Pigeon English as
they have detailed knowledge of how to stab people.
