Duck Feet: Kirsty Campbell

• Kirsty Campbell is the protagonist of Duck Feet.
• In Part Wan of the novel, Kirsty is in S1 and around twelve years old.
• The story follows Kirsty throughout her time at secondary school, at the fictional Renfrew Grammar. A host of minor characters also appear throughout the story.
• Kirsty is a bright, curious and responsible young person. She is the hero of our story, but she is still a flawed character.

The final Scottish Set Text exam paper at National 5 focuses only on section one ('Part Wan') of the novel Duck Feet, covering Kirsty's First Year at school.

Looking for some quick revision? Try an interactive quiz for National 5 English.

Throughout Part Wan of Duck Feet, Kirsty is shown to be an ambitious and responsible character. She is naturally curious and open-minded, and shows incredible emotionally maturity for her age.

Kirsty is bright, witty, and takes great pride in her achievements at school. Pride also leads her to feel a deep sense of embarrassment when she struggles to overcome academic challenges.

Chapter Two ('Mumbo Jumbo')

Kirsty agonises over poor scores in French; she wants to do well but finds it difficult. She worries about consequences of failure (including school-based punishments and angering her parents).

Ah got four oot a twenty fur ma French listenin test an Madame Bonnie wrote SEE ME in red pen at the bottom ae ma jotter. Ah wis pure crappin masel in case ah got another puni cause if yi get three in the wan term the teacher usually phones up yir parents.

Kirsty uses a humorous metaphor when she says she is "pure crappin masel". This phrase is a common expression that adds a comedic tone, but the underlying message is that Kirsty is really worried about her French test results. A "puni" was common 1990s and 2000s school slang for a "punishment exercise", meaning extra work given by teachers as punishment for poor behaviour or effort.

Kirsty aspires to success and she is not afraid to work hard for this. This is demonstrated by a conscientious approach to school and a willingness to secure part-time work.

Chapter Wan ('Duck Feet')

The novel starts with Kirsty explaining that she can't swim but is going to start swimming lessons with the school. Despite really struggling at first, Kirsty perseveres and swims "a breadth wi oot the airm bands". This shows her ambitious and determined spirit from the outset. She goes on to receive a bronze medal "FOR OUTSTANDING PERSONAL ENDEAVOUR"

Chapter Twenty-Six ('After School')

Kirsty is keen to get a part-time job ("Ah want an after-school job.") which would give her some independence and a chance to earn an income.

Ah quite fancy masel as a paper lassie cause it's good exercise an it's no exactly rocket science

Her dad would prefer she focused solely on her school work but later in the chapter, her dad "gied in" and she gets a job delivering papers.

Ah wis dead excitet aboot it.

Kirsty's enthusiasm towards work shows her aspirations for success.

Unlike her boundary-pushing peers, Kirsty tends to follow the rules:

• in school
• at home
• in social settings

She usually takes responsibility when she has made a mistake.

Chapter Five ('Aw Grown Up')

There is a contrast between Kirsty's behaviour and Charlene's at the school dance. Charlene and Kelly Marie show up late, drunk and smoking. Kirsty is clearly against their actions and shows her responsible nature when she tells Charlene:

Cigarettes are disgustin

However, when Charlene and Kelly Marie are rude to Harpreet and call her names, Kirsty fails to stick up for her friend and Harpreet leaves upset, showing that Kirsty can still be immature and make mistakes.

Ah wis tryin tae convince [Harpreet] tae come back up tae the school but really ah couldnae care less if she wantet tae jump aff the Erskine Bridge

Kirsty uses hyperbole when she says she doesn't care if Harpreet jumped off a bridge, as she clearly cares a lot about her friend. Kirsty is more responsible than Charlene and Kelly Marie but she is still capable of making thoughtless and childish statements.

Chapter Six ('Scrooge')

However, in this chapter, set at Christmas. Kirsty tells the reader that "Harpreet's fell oot wi me". Despite this, Harpreet gives Kirsty a card and gift, showing her kind and giving nature. Kirsty realises the error of her ways from the previous chapter and phones Harpreet.

Ah tolt her ah'd missed her. […] Ah said, Ah'm sorry fur whit happent.

Having the courage to own up to her mistakes and apologise shows that Kirsty is willing to take responsibility for her actions.

Where Kirsty does not fully understand the rules of a particular social situation or have knowledge of a topic or issue, she will seek out answers through research or questioning. Kirsty wants to understand how different people feel and think.

Chapter Three ('Social Dancin')

In this chapter, Charlene ignorantly misrepresents Harpreet's faith (Sikhism). Harpreet is unbothered and explains why she can't take part in social dancing: "in Punjabi culture it's seen as taboo fur boys an girls tae dance together")

Unlike Charlene, Kirsty has an open mind and is excited to learn more about her friend's culture.

Ah thought whit Harpreet wis sayin wis dead interestin

Chapter Four ('The Rules')

When Kirsty is having lunch with Harpreet and her sister Navdeep, she doesn't know what is in their lunch box but approaches the situation with an open mind.

Ah'd a roll an cheese wi tomata, an Harpreet an Navdeep had these triangle pastry things. Whit's that yiv got, ah said. Harpreet said, D'yi want tae try one - ma mum made them - thir called samosas. She cut wan in half fur me an ah took a bit, they wur a bit spicy but nice

This highlights Kirsty's curious and non-judgemental spirit and that she is open to learning about different cultures. This is juxtaposed with Charlene's response. She refers to the food as "foreign stuff" and makes a disrespectful comment about the smell.

Chapter Twenty-Three ('Space')

When Wully McCoy's cousin's girlfriend, Lesley Ann, dies from a drug-related incident, there are many different reactions to the death. Wully is angry (he throws a chair at a teacher), Tommy Campbell laughs, and there is gossip spread amongst the students: "Charlene an Laura Kyle wur pure whisperin an starin right at Wully as if he'd jist grew horns."

Again, Kirsty shows herself to be a non-judgemental and empathetic character. Her father refers to Lesley Ann as a "junkie" and Kirsty defends her:

She's no a junkie, ah said. Well whit is she then. […] Right whitever, ah jist said. It pure dis ma heid in when he says things lik that as if he pure knows everythin.

Kirsty is mostly respectful of adults but can get frustrated when they make prejudicial or narrow-minded comments, especially her father.

Kirsty often exhibits an emotional maturity beyond her years. She is intuitive, able to understand the actions or sentiments of others immediately without need of further explanation.

Chapter Fourteen ('Circumstances')

For example, she intuitively understands that Charlene’s cruelty and attention-seeking stems from learned behaviours. Kirsty knows that Charlene desperately craves social status and to be seen as important because she is starved of this appreciation at home.

Ah also felt sorry fur her cause ah knew she only treatet other folk the way her family treatet her.

Understanding that Charlene behaves badly because of her background and home life is incredibly perceptive for a girl in S1.

Overall, Kirsty is a good friend deserving of reciprocal kindness and support. She recognises the suffering of others, comes to accept difference, and would never set out to hurt anyone.

Chapter Fourteen ('Circumstances')

Charlene repeatedly behaves poorly and shows herself to be a bad friend to Kirsty but Kirsty understands this is because of her difficult home life. When Chris asks Kirsty why she is still friends with Charlene, she says:

ah didnae really understaun it either but ah've been pals wi her fur that long ah cannae imagine whit it wid be like tae no be hangin aboot wi her.

Kirsty is clearly a caring and loyal friend who is willing to see beyond Charlene's challenging behaviour.

Chapter Twenty-Two ('Left')

Unlike Kirsty and Charlene, Kirsty and Harpreet have a good friendship throughout most of Part Wan so when Harpreet and her family move to Penrith, Kirsty is really upset.

Ah'm pure guttet

However, we see the strength of this friendship and Kirsty's loyalty and kindness.

Ah wrote another letter tae Harpreet this afternoon an ah tolt her aw aboot whit's been happenin in school […] Ah jist didnae want Harpreet tae feel left oot.

Kirsty continues to be a thoughtful friend despite the distance between them.

Chapter Twenty-Eight ('The Mad Hoose')

Kirsty's loyal and kind nature is highlighted again when Charlene is hospitalised, Kirsty visits her in hospital and expresses concern for her health and wellbeing.

Ah feel really bad fur Charlene cause it cannae be very nice stuck in that place away fae aw yir pals

Despite how Charlene has acted in the past, Kirsty can look beyond this behaviour and treat her with kindness.

Kirsty is a teenager operating on the fringes of an adult world. Throughout Part Wan there are several examples where she exhibits incredible naivety, ignorance, self-centredness, and misguided assuredness.

She often uses inappropriate or derogatory language alongside her peers or uncritically repeats sentiments of adults.

Chapter Two ('Mumbo Jumbo')

Kirsty does not enjoy her French class but channels this in an immature way. She calls her teacher, Madame Bonnet, names and makes nasty comments about her appearance:

Madame Bonnie's built lik a clothes pole an she's always got on this massive orange skirt doon tae her ankles that makes her look lik she's wearin a three-man tent.

Kirsty uses two similes here to make derogatory comments about her teacher. This is immature and reminds the reader that she is still a teenager, even if she does show maturity in other areas of her life.

Kirsty uses similes to describe her teacher's appearance in a negative way. She compares Madame Bonnet's physical stature to "a clothes pole" and says her clothes make her look "lik she's wearin a three-man tent."

These similes tell us Kirsty thinks Madame Bonnet is very thin and that her clothes are too baggy for her. They add a comedic tone to this section but also reveal a less kind and thoughtful side of Kirsty.

Learn more about similes and why writers use them with this short National 5 English video.

Chapter Eleven ('Support')

Kirsty repeats a sectarian phrase she has heard her father use in the context of football. She has no idea that it can be construed as offensive to Catholics (like her mum).

She pure went aff her nut at me earlier on cause ah went an said somethin aboot the Pope; it wis ma da that said it first anaw

Though she recognises and reflects on outrageous or uncalled for behaviours of others, she is fearful of being a social outcast and rarely articulates her true feelings. This makes her a realistic (and relatable) teenage voice.

Kirsty can also be judgemental, though her judgements are never entirely without a degree of consideration.

Chapter Eighteen

Kirsty shows a judgemental side to her personality when her father gets a job cleaning toilets.

Ah don't know why ma da had tae take a job as a toilet cleaner. How could he no've been a road sweeper or a windae washer, or how could he no've jist took the job wi Iqbal

Kirsty defends her father to her friends but it is clear that she feels a level of judgement or prejudice towards the job he has taken on. In her mind, being a cleaner is something to be ashamed of and she would prefer he took a different kind of job. However, it is unclear if this is really how she feels or if it is a result of her friend's negative reactions.

Therefore, Kirsty Campbell is a flawed character, but her spirited nature and dogged determination make her a hugely sympathetic one too. This is a Bildungsroman, or coming-of-age story, and we watch with interest as Kirsty gets to grips with herself, her people, and her community.

Revise characters in Duck Feet by Ely Percy with interactive quizzes for National 5 English.

Information and support

If you, or someone you know, have been affected by issues for young people, the following page contains a list of organisations and information that may be able to help: Information and Support: Bitesize