User:Manganmr

The Butcher Boy‘s Buttsy

Buttsy, Mrs. Nugent’s brother, was a character who was occasionally in Patrick McCabe’s The Butcher Boy, although he played an important role in Francie’s story. Mrs. Nugent was the sworn enemy of Francie, and this character defended his sister by beating up Francie with his friend Devlin after Francie defaced the Nugent house. Buttsy lived in the country outside of the town, and the Nugent family constantly visited him, leaving their house empty. This character was a threat to Francie because they were so different but equally dangerous. Toward the end of the novel, after Francie murdered Mrs. Nugent, Buttsy was in the group of people hunting him down, which showed his devotion to his sister. He was introduced in the beginning of the story to foreshadow the downfall of Francie and possibly act as his foil.

Although the narrator, Francie, portrayed Buttsy as an antagonist, Buttsy was one of the most stubborn and reliable characters in the novel. Because of Francie vandalizing the Nugent’s house and then his sister’s murder, he attacked Francie and lost his temper often. The only times he was an active character in the story; he was upset and gaining revenge. The reader can infer that Buttsy is a bit of a hothead, but he is loyal to his family.