My Boy Jack
Introduction + Context
Plot Summary
Detailed Summary & Analysis
Act 1, Scene 1 Act 1, Scene 2 Act 1, Scene 3 Act 1, Scene 4 Act 1, Scene 5 Act 1, Scene 6 Act 1, Scene 7 Act 1, Scene 8 Act 2, Scene 1 Act 2, Scene 2 Act 2, Scene 3 Act 2, Scene 4 Act 2, Scene 5
Themes
All Themes Bravery, Duty, and Honor Parental Expectations Patriotism and the British Empire Loss and Resilience
Quotes
Characters
All Characters Rudyard Kipling John “Jack” Kipling Carrie Kipling Elsie “Bird” Kipling Guardsman Bowe Guardsman McHugh Guardsman Doyle Major Sparks Colonel Pottle Mr. Frankland Josephine Kipling
Symbols
All Symbols The Pince-Nez The Dead Pigeon
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My Boy Jack

by

David Haig
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Colonel Pottle Character Analysis

Colonel Pottle is an official at the Army Medical Board, where Rudyard takes Jack for a physical examination to determine if he can serve in the army. While his colleague, Major Sparks, inspects Jack, Pottle eagerly talks to Rudyard about cars and about writing, since he’s a big fan of his books. But when Sparks and Pottle discover Jack’s severe nearsightedness, they tell Rudyard that they couldn’t possibly let the boy into the army. They would have been happy to bend the rules in this regard if Jack’s sight were a little better, but this is simply out of the question. Rudyard, for his part, calls Sparks and Pottle “spineless” and promises to write an angry letter to their superiors.

Colonel Pottle Quotes in My Boy Jack

The My Boy Jack quotes below are all either spoken by Colonel Pottle or refer to Colonel Pottle. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Bravery, Duty, and Honor Theme Icon
).
Act 1, Scene 2 Quotes

SPARKS. […] this is very severe myopia ...we couldn't possibly… (He turns to POTTLE for help.)

POTTLE. Not possibly. There are very strict guidelines.

SPARKS. I think [Pottle] would agree, we were prepared to, um, stretch a point…very keen to stretch a point, but…

POTTLE. There has to be a limit.

SPARKS. I'm sure you understand.

RUDYARD. Yes I understand, but his spectacles are extremely effective.

SPARKS. But if he should lose them he'd be a danger to himself.

POTTLE. And to his men.

Related Characters: Major Sparks (speaker), Colonel Pottle (speaker), Rudyard Kipling, John “Jack” Kipling
Related Symbols: The Pince-Nez
Bravery, Duty, and Honor Theme Icon
Parental Expectations Theme Icon
Loss and Resilience Theme Icon
Page Number: 16
Explanation and Analysis:
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Colonel Pottle Quotes in My Boy Jack

The My Boy Jack quotes below are all either spoken by Colonel Pottle or refer to Colonel Pottle. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Bravery, Duty, and Honor Theme Icon
).
Act 1, Scene 2 Quotes

SPARKS. […] this is very severe myopia ...we couldn't possibly… (He turns to POTTLE for help.)

POTTLE. Not possibly. There are very strict guidelines.

SPARKS. I think [Pottle] would agree, we were prepared to, um, stretch a point…very keen to stretch a point, but…

POTTLE. There has to be a limit.

SPARKS. I'm sure you understand.

RUDYARD. Yes I understand, but his spectacles are extremely effective.

SPARKS. But if he should lose them he'd be a danger to himself.

POTTLE. And to his men.

Related Characters: Major Sparks (speaker), Colonel Pottle (speaker), Rudyard Kipling, John “Jack” Kipling
Related Symbols: The Pince-Nez
Bravery, Duty, and Honor Theme Icon
Parental Expectations Theme Icon
Loss and Resilience Theme Icon
Page Number: 16
Explanation and Analysis:
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