Character Analysis
(Avoiding Spoilers)
Grew Up… in faraway Britain. Although now he's located on the edge of the civilized world, which has taken a little civility from him in turn.
Living… in India in the late 19th century. Peachy has been a British soldier stationed there for quite some time. Without much conquering left to do, and on the fringe of the British Empire, Peachy is ready for a new adventure.
Profession… former colonel sergeant of the Queen's Own Royal Light Infantry. Peachy is scheduled to England in a few months. He’s not enthusiastic about returning, saying, "Home to what? A porters uniform outside a restaurant and six penny tips from belching civilians for closing cab doors on their blowsy women?"
Interests… money, smuggling, conning, swindling, and blackmailing. And he shares the same interests with his ne'er-do-well partner, Danny Dravot. Together, they have come up with plans for one last, great con. They are buying 20 rifles to help a king in the remote country of Kafristan overpower his rivals so that they can oust him themselves, thereby becoming the sole rulers. Their ultimate goal is to use this plot to gain as much wealth and riches before heading back to England.
Relationship Status… in a platonic bromance with Danny. These two swindlers are made for each other. In terms of women, the two of them swear off all female attention until they accomplish their goal.
Challenge… pulling off this con and surviving the harsh wilderness of Kafristan filled with avalanches and frigid temperatures. Their ultimate plan is to train the native soldiers and drill them until the two have gained power. But that will only work if the native Indians play along with the plan.
Personality… wiley, a little seedy, and always willing to listen to Danny, who seems to be the leader of the two.
Get to Know him in...
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A robust adventure about two British adventurers who take over primitive Kafiristan as "godlike" rulers, meeting a tragic end through their desire for a native girl.
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Rudyard Kipling is one of the most magical storytellers in the English language. This new selection brings together the best of his short writings, following the development of his work over fifty years. They take us from the harsh, cruel, vividly realized world of the "Indian" stories that made his name, through the experimental modernism of his middle period to the highly-wrought subtleties of his later pieces. Including the tale of insanity and empire, "The Man Who Would Be King," the high-spirited "The Village that Voted the Earth Was Flat," the fable of childhood cruelty and revenge "Baa Baa, Black Sheep," the menacing psychological study "Mary Postgate" and the ambiguous portrayal of grief and mourning in "The Gardener," here are stories of criminals, ghosts, femmes fatales, madness and murder.
For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
