The Butcher Boy

Under a tangle of briars by the river, a 12-year-old Irish boy named Francie Brady hides in a shelter he built with his friend Joe. He thinks about a woman named Mrs. Nugent, who he hates. Some sort of trouble has occurred, and Francie thinks Mrs. Nugent is responsible.

Francie thinks about how his troubles first started. He recalls Mrs. Nugent’s son Philip arriving at school dressed in expensive clothes, having come from a private school in London. Philip has a large comic book collection, which impresses Francie and Joe. They eventually decide to steal the comics during a visit to Philip’s house. They laugh about it afterward, believing it is harmless and planning to return them if asked.

Soon after, Mrs. Nugent confronts Joe’s family and then Francie’s. Francie overhears her insulting his family, calling them pigs and blaming Benny Brady’s drinking for their situation. Benny is Francie’s father. Francie’s mother, Annie, defends her family to Mrs. Nugent. However, she also gives Francie a beating once Mrs. Nugent is gone. Afterward, she apologizes to Francie and tells him how much he means to her. She blames her nerves for her anger and says she will not hit him again.

In the aftermath of this incident, Francie becomes closer to Annie. He often offers to run errands for her, and they sit together in silence. One day, after a town celebration, Benny returns home drunk. Francie listens from the landing as his parents argue. Benny blames his own failures on his upbringing and accuses Annie of never supporting him. He breaks objects in the kitchen while she accuses him of drinking away every opportunity. Francie does not intervene, even though he feels he should. The next day, Annie acts cheerful and gives Francie money for sweets. He finds the shop closed and returns home to discover her standing silently in the kitchen with a chair knocked over.

Soon after, Annie leaves the house saying she needs to prepare for a party but does not return. Later, Mrs. Connolly and other women bring her home after finding her standing for hours outside a shop. She is eventually taken away for mental care. Francie and Joe joke about Annie being towed away like a car in need of repair. After this, Francie and Joe spend a lot of time at the river together. One day, Francie’s television breaks, so he simply watches the blank screen. Benny tries to fix it but ends up smashing it in frustration. He curses the man he bought it from and then falls asleep.

Francie leaves the house and walks through town. He runs into Mrs. Nugent and Philip on the street. Mrs. Nugent makes a nasty comment to Philip about Francie, implying he allowed Benny to hurt Annie. Hearing the comment, Francie stops them and pretends they must pay “the Pig Toll Tax” to pass. When Mrs. Nugent tries to walk past him, he holds her sleeve. However, eventually, he lets her go, as tears form in her eyes.

In the days following Annie’s hospitalization, Francie visits the local shop where several women are gossiping near the groceries. When they ask about his mother, he jokes that she is in the garage getting serviced and will soon be home to bake for his Uncle Alo’s Christmas visit. He explains that Alo, who lives in London, will be arriving on Christmas Eve and staying for two weeks. The women begin praising Alo’s success, recalling his fine clothes and good job. Francie eagerly joins in, claiming that Alo has a high-ranking position with 10 men working under him. He then shifts the conversation to the Pig Toll Tax, saying Mrs. Nugent refused to pay and will not be let off so easily next time. The women seem amused but nervous, and as Francie leaves, he sees them whispering behind the window.

Back at home, Annie returns from the hospital full of energy. She begins cleaning obsessively, moving rapidly through the house, baking cakes, and playing a record called The Butcher Boy on repeat, which she claims is the greatest song ever made. The lyrics describe a depressed woman who ultimately dies by suicide after a butcher boy treats her poorly. She tells Francie they will never be looked down on again and insists that the Bradys will show everyone they are just as good as the Nugents.

In the days leading up to Christmas, Annie continues baking for Alo’s visit, filling the house with so many cakes that Francie jokes they can barely move. One afternoon, Francie sees Mrs. Nugent and Philip. When Mrs. Nugent spots Francie, she looks frightened and avoids him. At the river, Francie and Joe talk about Alo and imagine the party that will take place. Francie fantasizes about walking through town with Alo, ignoring Mrs. Nugent as she begs for his attention. On the nights before Alo’s arrival, Francie lies awake, dreaming of how proud they will be, how envious the town will become, and how everything is finally about to change.