THB: Posner
● An important character in the play, THB by Alan Bennett
● Youngest of the boys and is portrayed as more innocent than the others
● Like Hector, Posner is both lonely and isolated and seems vulnerable
● Posner is open about his homosexuality and has an unrequited love for Dakin, which creates sympathy
from the audience as we feel sorry for him.
● Highly intelligent, like the rest of the boys but is also very musically talented, as he sings in multiple
scenes, showing he is also culturally educated.
● ‘Dictionary boy’ adds value to his character and is given a powerful role, therefore giving him his voice
and something to say. - In addition, it shows his eagerness to learn and to impress.
● Character is quite similar to Hector’s, both isolated and alone, and Posner goes to Hector for advice.
● Also similar in that they believe in the importance of the individual - Posner has similar morals to
Hector, remembering everything of what Hector has taught them.
● Truthful and thinks and speaks from the heart, highlighting his genuine character, which is liked by the
audience.
● Posner recites the poem ‘Drummer Hodge’ for Hector that he learnt off by heart. The poem is about
pity, loneliness and the pointlessness of war. In addition, the poet is angry about the way that the
individual is treated - and how he’s just an innocent child.
● Bennett chooses this poem for Hector to give to Posner as Posner himself is lonely and the poem is a
way of giving him some reassurance.
● In fact, the poem gives comfort to both Hector and Posner, as they are both alone, and is implying that
if Drummer Hodge can have an identity so can they. The poet uses a name and ‘Drummer’ suggests a
role or perhaps a talent, giving Posner some hope and reassurance.
● In addition, Bennett gets Posner to read it alone, again highlighting his isolation.
● The fact that Posner really learns poems by heart echoes the power of his heart and his feelings.
● One could say that Posner’s hamartia is loneliness and feeling like an outsider. This could be due to his
age, as he is younger than the rest of the boys.
● Posner’s innocence and the fact that he is younger is emphasised when he offers to ride on Hector’s
motorbike with him.
● Hector rejects him which portrays that he is young and that is perhaps unwanted and different to the
others. Although it could be argued that Posner wants to go on the motorbike due to his homosexuality.
But I think that it is instead because he wants to fit in with the others and join in.
● Posner is still battling his sexuality at this point and I would say his homosexuality does not define him
in this play.
● When the boys discuss Hector’s journeys on the motorbike, where he fondles the boys, Posner says
‘Because I was late growing up I am not included in this type of conversation’ which highlights his is left
out and not included in the banter.
● Posner is in love with Dakin and watches and follows him.
● Dakin is aware of this and not interested which creates empathy for Posner as his feelings are clear to
the audience.
● Posner is also naive and quite unaware but the other boys pick it up, ‘Posner envied Dakin… that this
envy might amount to love does not yet occur to Posner’ which also isolated him from the rest of the
boys.
● However, later on he then recognises this and knows the love is unrequited. He wants Dakin to love
and wants to go to Cambridge as he says ‘If I do Dakin might love me. Or I might stop caring.’ Which
shows how this has affected him, how much other people mean to him and also his self-confidence.
● An important character in the play, THB by Alan Bennett
● Youngest of the boys and is portrayed as more innocent than the others
● Like Hector, Posner is both lonely and isolated and seems vulnerable
● Posner is open about his homosexuality and has an unrequited love for Dakin, which creates sympathy
from the audience as we feel sorry for him.
● Highly intelligent, like the rest of the boys but is also very musically talented, as he sings in multiple
scenes, showing he is also culturally educated.
● ‘Dictionary boy’ adds value to his character and is given a powerful role, therefore giving him his voice
and something to say. - In addition, it shows his eagerness to learn and to impress.
● Character is quite similar to Hector’s, both isolated and alone, and Posner goes to Hector for advice.
● Also similar in that they believe in the importance of the individual - Posner has similar morals to
Hector, remembering everything of what Hector has taught them.
● Truthful and thinks and speaks from the heart, highlighting his genuine character, which is liked by the
audience.
● Posner recites the poem ‘Drummer Hodge’ for Hector that he learnt off by heart. The poem is about
pity, loneliness and the pointlessness of war. In addition, the poet is angry about the way that the
individual is treated - and how he’s just an innocent child.
● Bennett chooses this poem for Hector to give to Posner as Posner himself is lonely and the poem is a
way of giving him some reassurance.
● In fact, the poem gives comfort to both Hector and Posner, as they are both alone, and is implying that
if Drummer Hodge can have an identity so can they. The poet uses a name and ‘Drummer’ suggests a
role or perhaps a talent, giving Posner some hope and reassurance.
● In addition, Bennett gets Posner to read it alone, again highlighting his isolation.
● The fact that Posner really learns poems by heart echoes the power of his heart and his feelings.
● One could say that Posner’s hamartia is loneliness and feeling like an outsider. This could be due to his
age, as he is younger than the rest of the boys.
● Posner’s innocence and the fact that he is younger is emphasised when he offers to ride on Hector’s
motorbike with him.
● Hector rejects him which portrays that he is young and that is perhaps unwanted and different to the
others. Although it could be argued that Posner wants to go on the motorbike due to his homosexuality.
But I think that it is instead because he wants to fit in with the others and join in.
● Posner is still battling his sexuality at this point and I would say his homosexuality does not define him
in this play.
● When the boys discuss Hector’s journeys on the motorbike, where he fondles the boys, Posner says
‘Because I was late growing up I am not included in this type of conversation’ which highlights his is left
out and not included in the banter.
● Posner is in love with Dakin and watches and follows him.
● Dakin is aware of this and not interested which creates empathy for Posner as his feelings are clear to
the audience.
● Posner is also naive and quite unaware but the other boys pick it up, ‘Posner envied Dakin… that this
envy might amount to love does not yet occur to Posner’ which also isolated him from the rest of the
boys.
● However, later on he then recognises this and knows the love is unrequited. He wants Dakin to love
and wants to go to Cambridge as he says ‘If I do Dakin might love me. Or I might stop caring.’ Which
shows how this has affected him, how much other people mean to him and also his self-confidence.
