Why do you think Susan Hill chose, I'm the King of the Castle as the title for the novel?
At first glance a book entitled, 'I'm the King of the Castle,' might make a potential reader envisage a novel about petty power struggles between two young children, who know nothing of the evil in the world around them. As the reader looks closer and becomes engrossed within its pages, their eyes are widened to a malevolent nature, which can exist and flourish even in the young. At this point the title, 'I'm the King of the Castle' becomes much more than an innocent childish rhyme.
One of the possible reasons that the title was chosen is its implications of possession and dominance. Through out the book, as Kingshaw becomes more psychologically withdrawn he has a greater need to find objects and people that are ultimately his.
Hoopers Inlet, Papanui Inlet, and sheep
I'm the King of the Castle (novel)
King of My CastleThe emphases on, 'I'm' in the title stresses that there can be only one leader to rule over their domain, leaving everyone else in the metaphorical role of the little rascal. At first with Fielding Kingshaw is the King and his friendship is unsullied by Hooper's evil intentions. Kingshaw remarks, "Fielding is my friend, mine," after deceiving himself into thinking, "It will never have anything to do with Hooper." Hooper also has a need for possession. The absence of any real love in his life compels him to control and dominate everything around him.
Structurally, at Leydell Castle where Kingshaw scales the walls, the reader is able to see one of the last true glimmers of hope. The book reaches a climax when Kingshaw screams, "I'm the King of the Castle... Fuck to you. I'm not going to fall." In this episode Kingshaw breaks free from all of...