Characters in "The History Boyrs"

Posner- is in love with Dakin. He watches and follows him. Dakin is aware and not interested. Posner is in part distraught, but also appears to enjoy the pain of unrequited love.

Dakin -is the leader of the boys. He is Hector’s and Irwin’s favourite. Posner loves him. Dakin is the most advanced of the boys – apart from Rudge he is the only one having sex. He understands the game which Irwin is teaching them to play with history.

Scripps- acts as narrator in the play. He introduces a number of the scenes, and some of the characters. His role is also to reveal the thoughts of some of the characters – both Dakin and Posner tell him things, and therefore us. This works because although Scripps observes and reports, he does not really take much part in the action. This suits his eventual career as a journalist. Scripps’s background part is emphasised by the fact that he is the one who plays the piano to accompany the other boys when they sing or play the film game.

Rudge- is the least clever of the boys. The teachers regard him as a lost cause, and are very surprised when he gets in. He is the most hardworking, as shown by the effort he puts into writing down and doing what his teachers say. This hardworking characteristic is the key to his success as a self-made man in the building industry – a career which the others look down on, but which he is proud of. He excels at sports – and points out that playing golf can be more of an asset than all the brains of the other boys.

Timms- is the class clown. He teases Irwin in particular – although it is Dakin who gets told off for it.

The other three boys- are not established as strong personalities. Appropriately they become magistrates and headmasters in their careers. They all take part in the classes and provide the quick-witted repartee which is a feature of Hector and Irwin’s lessons.