What is Coram Boy about?
Coram Boy by Jamila Gavin is a novel in two parts.
Set in the 18th century, it centres around the activities of the Coram Man, who takes babies from desperate mothers.
The story centres around Alexander, a wealthy young man who gives up his money to follow his dream, and Aaron, a boy raised in the Coram Hospital. Both are connected to the mysterious Coram Man and his son, Meshak.
Coram Boy includes elements of the Gothic genre.
Remember
Coram Boy is a novel in two parts.
Part One is set in 1741.
Part Two is set in 1750.
Plot overview
Timeline
Follow the timeline to revise 11 key moments from Coram Boy.
Activity
Prologue
A prologue is an introduction to a play, poem, novel or other literary work. It usually gives some background information, sets the scene or establishes the theme of the text.
Coram Boy begins with a nursemaid telling a bedtime story to a group of young children.
The story is about a woman who has seven babies, but only keeps one.
She begs the midwife to take the other six away and drown them.
The woman’s husband discovers the babies before they are drowned, raises them in secret and reveals the six young girls to his wife on their seventh birthday.
At the sight of her other six daughters, the woman drops dead.
Question
What is the purpose of the prologue?
The reader wouldn’t expect such an upsetting story to be told to young children, so the prologue is shocking and draws them into the harsh world of the novel.
It also sets up the idea that abandoning unwanted babies was common the 18th century.
The story itself A literary technique that gives a subtle hint about something that will develop later in the story. the death of Mrs Milcote later in the novel, who drops dead when she realises who Meshak is and that her grandson may be alive.
It also foreshadows the return of Aaron, who comes to sing at Ashbrook in a group of six Coram boys on what would have been Melissa’s baby’s birthday.
Part One – the year 1741
Otis and Meshak
Otis Gardiner is a scrap trader who also deals in illegal business. He takes unwanted babies and children from their parents for a fee.
The parents think the children are going to local orphanages but Otis actually sells the older children and makes his son, Meshak, bury the babies.
Otis treats his son and the children terribly. When he hears that Captain Thomas Coram is setting up an institution to care for unwanted children, he realises that he can profit from this. Otis then becomes known as the Coram Man.
Did you know?
Captain Thomas Coram was a sea captain who used some of his wealth to set up the London Foundling Hospital (known as the Coram Hospital) in 1741 as a charity to look after abandoned children.
Listening activity
"Yes, Handel was a wonderful revelation when I was thinking about writing the book Coram Boy. I mean, that in itself was an accident, because I heard of a story of 'Coram Men' that trafficked children and I said, 'Oh'. And, somebody said that 'the highways and byways of England were littered with the bones of little children.' Well these were not slave children. These were little British children and in an age when, if a child was unwanted, they were invariably dumped or trafficked."
Question
Listen to the author, Jamila Gavin, talking about the real-life inspiration for her story.
Were there really men like Otis Gardiner?
Yes, there were men like Otis Gardiner in England in the 18th century. Gavin says she was inspired to write Coram Boy when she first heard “a story of Coram men that trafficked children”.
Alexander and Thomas
Alexander Ashbrook is a student at Gloucester Cathedral. He is the son of wealthy landowners, Lord and Lady Ashbrook.
His best friend, Thomas, from a poorer family, comes home with Alexander for the summer break.
Alexander and Melissa, the daughter of the A woman employed to look after and teach children in a private home. at Ashbrook, meet for the first time and fall in love over the course of the summer.
Question
What happens next?
Otis and Meshak arrive at the Ashbrook estate to do business.
Mrs Lynch, the housekeeper at Ashbrook, offers to give Otis useful information in return for a share of his profits.
Meshak sees Melissa and thinks that she is an angel. He vows to be her guardian and protector. He is jealous when he sees Alexander kissing her.
Later, Otis and Meshak are at the docks selling children to work on ships.
Otis buys an unwanted Black baby called Toby, and takes him to the Coram Hospital, intending to sell him to a rich family as a servant.
The argument
Alexander and his father, Lord Ashbrook, disagree about Alexander’s future.
Alexander wants to study music and become a composer. Lord Ashbrook wants Alexander to become heir to the Ashbrook estate and learn how to run it. He thinks that music is a waste of time.
When Alexander’s voice breaks and he can no longer sing in the choir, his father decides it is time for him to give up music and start learning the business of the estate.
They have a fierce argument, which results in Alexander deciding to leave home and follow his dream of becoming a composer.
Listening activity
Lady Ashbrook: He wanted us to hear his composition.
Lord Ashbrook: Composition be damned. The sooner he learns his place the better. I sent word that he was to pack up his things right away. At last, I'll have my son back where he belongs.
Mrs Lynch.
Mrs Lynch: Yes, sir.
Lord Ashbrook: Get George. I want the removal of every instrument in the house. My son has come home. I don't want him to have the slightest distraction from his duties from now on.
Alexander: No, father. No.
Lady Ashbrook: William. Show some forbearance. Please don't. This will kill Alexander.
Alexander: Why father? Why? Why are you doing this to me? Isn't it enough that you bundled me away from Gloucester, without even giving me time to say goodbye to Thomas? How could you?
Lord Ashbrook: I think it's time you learnt where your duties lie and who's in charge here. Even if I have to beat it into you.
Alexander: No, papa.
Question
Listen to this short extract from 'Coram Boy' of Lord Ashbrook telling his son that he cannot continue his studies in music.
What are the reasons for Lord Ashbrook’s decision?
Lord Ashbrook thinks Alexander “belongs” at home.
He thinks music is a distraction to Alexander.
Lord Ashbrook thinks Alexander needs to learn where his duties lie.
Lord Ashbrook thinks that Alexander needs to learn who is in charge of the Ashbrook family.
The baby
Before he leaves, Alexander and Melissa spend the night together. After Alexander has gone, Melissa realises that she is pregnant. She tries to keep it a secret, but Mrs Lynch suspects the truth and lets Otis know.
When Melissa’s baby is born, Mrs Lynch suggests to Melissa’s mother that they should send the baby away. They tell Melissa her baby has died, and hand the baby over to Otis, the Coram Man.
Question
What happens to the baby after it is handed over?
Meshak has been watching over his "angel" and knows that the baby given to Otis by Mrs Lynch is Melissa’s.
Otis orders Meshak to bury the baby, but Meshak decides he needs to protect his "angel’s baby" instead. He takes the baby to Coram Hospital.
Part Two – the year 1750
Aaron and Toby
Aaron and Toby are seven years old and have been raised in the Coram Hospital, where Thomas now works as a tutor. Aaron, who is musically talented, is apprenticed to a musician and is tutored by Alexander, now also a musician.
His old friend Mish (formerly known as Meshak) worries about being separated from Aaron. Toby is sent to work for Mr Phillip Gaddarn (formerly known as Otis Gardiner) as a servant.
Question
What happens next?
Gaddarn treats Toby terribly. He makes him dress in exotic clothes when they have company and treats him like a pet or a curiosity. Gaddarn also whips Toby. These racist attitudes were not unusual in the 18th century and are explained further in the Coram Boy Context guide.
Toby discovers that Gaddarn has been selling children into slavery. A secret passage leads from Gaddarn’s house to the docks, where the children are sold.
The Coram choir, including Aaron, sings at Gaddarn’s house during a party. Alexander recognises Gaddarn as Otis Gardiner, the Coram Man. However, Thomas tells Alexander that he believes that Otis Gardiner was executed seven years ago after the remains of babies were found in the Ashbrook woods.
Recognition
Alexander decides it is time to reconcile with his family and takes the Coram choir to perform at Ashbrook. Aaron’s appearance reminds Melissa’s mother of the baby she gave away, who she assumed had died because of the discovery in Ashbrook woods.
However, when Melissa’s mother recognises Mish as Meshak, Otis Gardiner’s son, the shock of this realisation causes her to drop down dead.
Mini quiz
Coram Boy includes a number of characters who either change their names or aren’t aware of who they really are.
Have a go at this quiz to check that you know who is who.
Mish runs away with Aaron
Mish fears that Aaron will be taken from him when they realise that Aaron is the son of Alexander and Melissa. He runs away with Aaron, heading for his father’s house in London.
When they arrive, Gaddarn realises that Mish’s presence might lead to him being revealed as Otis Gardiner. He locks Aaron and Mish away and plans to take them to the docks to sell as slaves. Toby realises Gaddarn’s plan and escapes to Thomas to get help.
Question
How does the novel end?
Toby, Alexander and Thomas come to save Aaron and Mish, but they are unsuccessful.
Aaron, Toby and Mish are all put on a boat, headed for America, and Gaddarn kills Thomas.
Aaron and Toby jump overboard and make their way to Ashbrook House where Aaron reveals himself to be Alexander and Melissa’s son.
Meshak stays on the boat. He eventually returns to England and his life and peaceful death are described in the A section at the end of a book, after the final chapter, that acts as a comment or conclusion..
Quiz
Test your knowledge of the plot of Coram Boy by Jamila Gavin by taking this multiple-choice quiz.
GCSE English literature revision podcasts. audio
Whether you're at home or on the go, listen to these podcasts by Bitesize and BBC Sounds to refresh your memory of key texts.
More on Coram Boy
Find out more by working through a topic
- count2 of 5
- count3 of 5
- count4 of 5
- count5 of 5
