Locked Inside the Walls, But Outside the Family

Despite what his parents and the rest of his family think, Ben is a human like the rest of them. Yet because he fails to fit the description of the "perfect" child, they assume he is dangerous and insist on isolating him from the others. Throughout is childhood, he continually finds himself locked in his bedroom all alone, with no human contact to comfort him. Anger and resentment towards his family slowly build up inside of him, causing his temper tantrums and uncontrollable behavior. Yet he is sill just a child that needs a little love and guidance, instead of his constant seclusion from others. This is why I feel that the fourth cover is the best fit for the novel. It depicts a child (Ben) standing alone inside a window, with a look of boredom and depression on his face. This represents how Ben is barred in his own bedroom when his family does not want to deal with him. "Heavy bars were put in, and there Ben would stand on the sill, gripping the bars and shaking them, and surveying the outside world, letting out his thick raucous cries. All the Christmas holidays he was kept in that room" (Lessing 60). It can also represent how Ben is locked away in an insane asylum where there is no hope for any of the patients. He is also socially secluded because he is different than the other children. Finally, the boy in the picture is yearning for a way out, just like Ben is. Once Ben finds friends among the gang, his time spent at home steadily decreases.