Spies by Michael Frayn
Spies by Michael Frayn is a story about a young boy named Stephen Wheatley. The book is narrated in flashback as Stephen recounted his growing up in the close. His childhood was a normal one, and he and his one friend engaged in the mischief of young boys. Convinced that Keith’s mother was a spy, the two boys decided to spy on her too. What started as a small game for the boys turned out to a giant conspiracy that saw two families’ devastation. It was the cause of the two best friends’ breakup and the start of a new friendship. The story follows Stephen from his naïve boy days to the man who he became after.
The theme of coming to age plays a significant role in the development of the story. The story begins with Stephen, who worshipped the ground his friend Keith walked on. The glaring difference in the social status of the two families was a source of insecurity for Stephen. He was often bullied in school, which made him feel even worse. The first few chapters paint a boy who could not think for himself and needed his friend. Even when Stephen knew that Keith was wrong, he did not correct hem. An example is when he misspelled the word private, Stephen went along with the idea. When Keith said that his mother was a German spy, Stephen hopped on the bus with no question. As the book progressed, things start to change, and Stephen began his transition to adulthood. The first step was when he smoked a cigarette with his new friend Barbra. He felt relieved from his obligation from Keith.
Stephen also goes through sexual awakening during his transition. One of the most significant points in a young person’s life is when they become sexually aware. After kissing Barbra in the hideout, Stephen began looking at women differently. He began associating softness with Barbra and Keith’s mother and started looking at her differently. Stephens’s transition to adulthood came with so many dark secrets that he had to keep. He became a confidant to Keith’s mother. Suddenly, he was thrown from their make-belief spies stories to a hard reality for a young man to handle. From a timid boy, Stephen became a man who could stand up against Keith’s father. From a boy who could keep a secret, Stephen was able to keep the silk scarf a mystery even with a knife to his throat. However, as much as Stephen changed, even in his old age, insecurities and self-doubt were part of him. Throughout the book, there are moments he cannot trust his memory.
Masculinity is another theme explored in the book. Violence is associate with being a man. Stephen grew up knowing that his father was not a man enough because he did not go to war like the rest of the men. People who were war veterans were hailed in close. Men like uncle peter, who was a bomber, was a hero. When Stephen compared his father with Keith’s father, his father always fell short because he was not a violent man. The boys grew up glorifying violence such that when Keith’s father threatened Keith, sheen thought it was a sign of manhood. Keith, on the other hand, started to take after his father. He threatened Stephen with a knife to his throat, just like he had seen father do to the mother. Men who were gentle and loving like Stephen’s father were seen as less than. It was later in life that Stephen come to know that his father was a German spy.
Spies by Michael Frayn is an intriguing story about secrets and families. It is a self-discovery story of Stephen Wheatley. It gives a glimpse of how secrets can ruin a whole family and friendships.