Begbie, whose real name is Francis Begbie and who also sometimes goes by “the Beggar,” is part of Rent Boy’s friend group, although no one in the group likes him very much. Begbie is a violent bully, always looking for an excuse for a fight and often disappointed when the other person backs down from his challenge. He has a child with his ex-girlfriend June but refuses to get involved and act like a father. This represents the continuation of a cycle—Begbie’s own father is a frequently drunk old man who hangs out by Leith’s abandoned train station. Although Begbie is one of the few characters in the group who doesn’t use heroin, his behavior is even more erratic than theirs (partly due to his heavy drinking). During crimes and schemes, Begbie is extremely paranoid, although even he doesn’t realize at the end of the novel that Rent Boy is planning to betray him during a heroin deal and walk off with the money. Begbie represents the violent dark side of life in working-class Edinburgh, and his constant presence in the friend group, despite everyone’s dislike of him, represents how difficult it is to avoid this dark side.
Begbie Quotes in Trainspotting
The Trainspotting quotes below are all either spoken by Begbie or refer to Begbie. 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:
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Relapsing
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Kicking Again
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Rents picks up a stane and flings it at the squirrel. Ah feel likes, sick, ma hert misses a beat as it whizzes past the wee gadge. He goes tae pick up another, laughin like a maniac, but ab stoap um.
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Blowing It
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He wis ma felly. Ye eywis think it’ll be different, thit ye kin change. Thum, thit ye kin make a difference.
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Exile
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The guys are looking embarrassed, really shit up by the crowd that’s developed. It’s sortay like, feeding off itself.
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Home
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—Ah well, ah’ll leave yis tae it. Keep up the trainspottin mind! He staggered oaf, his rasping, drunkard’s cackles filling the desolate barn. Ah noticed that Begbie seemed strangely subdued and uncomfortable. He wis turned away fae us.
It wis only then ah realised thit the auld wino wis Begbie’s faither.
Exit
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No. He had to stay in control, There was too much at stake. There was everything at stake. There is nobody looking at Begbie though. Those who are not oblivious to him, can feel the vibes he is giving out. They employ that special talent people have: Pretending nutters are invisible. Even his companions won’t meet his gaze.
Ironically, it was Begbie who was the key. Ripping off your mates was the highest offence in his book, and he would demand the severest penalty. Renton had used Begbie, used him to burn his boats completely and utterly. It was Begbie who ensured he could never return.
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Get the entire Trainspotting LitChart as a printable PDF.
Begbie Character Timeline in Trainspotting
The timeline below shows where the character Begbie appears in Trainspotting. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Kicking
Victory on New Year’s Day. On New Year’s Eve, Begbie greets Stevie with a hug. But Stevie is preoccupied about how Stella back in London...
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Relapsing
The Glass. Rent Boy’s friend Begbie has a lot of problems. He’s moody and easy to make angry. The two of...
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When Rent Boy and Hazel arrive at the pub, Begbie greets them enthusiastically. June and Hazel don’t know each other well but start their own...
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Another group at the pub is being loud and obnoxious. All of a sudden, Begbie takes his glass and throws it at them, hitting one of them in the head...
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...do with the broken glass. Rent Boy, Hazel, and June slip out of the pub. Begbie already went outside in the confusion, and he and a new acquaintance from the pub...
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Rent Boy, however, knows this is a lie: Begbie’s brother got stabbed years ago and wasn’t even that badly hurt. As they walk away,...
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A Disappointment. Begbie really doesn’t like this guy who has been showing up in the pub lately when...
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Rent Boy remembers being back in school and watching with some friends (including Begbie) while Lizzy ran a race. Rent Boy and his friends were all lying in the...
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Kicking Again
Inter Shitty. Begbie wakes up with a headache, so he goes straight for two bottles of beer. Nearby,...
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Begbie goes to the pub with some friends to play pool, where he wins against Rent...
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Begbie and Rent Boy get on a train to London that’s very crowded. Begbie is annoyed...
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Just then some strangers come up and say that Begbie and Rent Boy are sitting in their seats. Rent Boy politely acts confused, but the...
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Rent Boy is very drunk and soon falls asleep, and so do the two Canadians. Begbie wakes Rent Boy up, and the two of them keep drinking. When they finally make...
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...heat and about being low on cash. He’s walking around and happens to run into Begbie and one of Begbie’s friends. Although Spud isn’t excited to see Begbie, after Begbie hears...
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After leaving Begbie, Spud stops by the unemployment office to see Gav, his friend who works as a...
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...there, and he never has problems finding women to have sex with. That night, even Begbie is there and looks like he’s getting along with a woman (all while his ex-girlfriend...
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Strolling Through The Meadows. Rent Boy points at a stain on Begbie’s pants and asks if he’s wet himself. Begbie gets indignant. Meanwhile, Sick Boy is scanning...
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Begbie and Matty leave the pub, looking like they’re ready to pick a fight with some...
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...Sick Boy tells them to either have sex already or to come help them find Begbie and Matty.
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Blowing It
...Rent Boy’s Ma starts talking about her long, intense menstrual periods, which embarrasses Rent Boy. Begbie and Sick Boy make fun of Rent Boy as a momma’s boy. All of a...
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Rent Boy and the others relocate to a new pub. Begbie is getting wound up, and Sick Boy encourages him. Sick Boy likes when Begbie says...
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...everyone he knows, Rent Boy feels alone. People at the pub start reminiscing about Spud. Begbie happens to notice June at the pub and gets mad at her for leaving their...
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...Tommy looks pale and wasted, a total role reversal of how they used to be. Begbie is on holiday, and Sick Boy has gone to France to live with a new...
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Exile
...Out. A group of people high on drugs enter a bar. The group includes Spud, Begbie, Rent Boy, Alison, and Kelly. They all drink while Kelly flirts with Rent Boy. They...
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Back in the present, everyone eventually leaves the pub. It’s still dark, but Begbie suggests getting a big breakfast. Rent Boy doesn’t want to eat meat but ends up...
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...two stoned strangers there. The women all make fun of Rent Boy, with Kelly impersonating Begbie’s voice. Rent Boy takes it with good humor and leaves to let them to keep...
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Home
Easy Money for the Professionals. Begbie makes Spud promise to keep a secret, not even telling Rent Boy. Spud and Begbie...
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There’s a knock at the door. Begbie and Spud fear it’s the police, but it’s just a short young guy who helped...
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Memories of Matty. Begbie, Rent Boy, Spud, Alison, and others have all gathered for Matty’s funeral. At a small...
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...sex with Matty a long time ago, back before either of them started using heroin. Begbie feels impotent, willing to fight over any insult to a friend but unsure what to...
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...a pub tries to get everyone to stop singing so loudly. No one listens, although Begbie glares ominously at the bartender. Rent Boy tries to distract Begbie to diffuse the situation,...
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...Boy is in France, and so it would’ve been a long trip for him. But Begbie digs in and insists Sick Boy should have come, so at last Spud gives up...
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Rent Boy keeps walking until he reaches a pub and finds Begbie already inside. Begbie greets him enthusiastically and introduces him to some other guys in the...
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Begbie tells everyone that Rent Boy is a great guy and no one should blame him...
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Begbie and Rent Boy make it to an old train station. Begbie laments that a person...
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An old drunk man comes up to Rent Boy and Begbie and asks if they’re trainspotting (watching trains), then he laughs at his own joke. Begbie...
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Exit
Station to Station. Begbie, Rent Boy, Second Prize, and Spud wait for a bus, with Begbie holding an Adidas...
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Sick Boy finally leaves Molly and joins the others. He notices that Begbie seems tense and worries about the attention that Begbie might draw if he gets violent....
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...Sick Boy tells the others he’ll just be a moment and goes to see her. Begbie fantasizes about what he’d to do Molly. At last, Sick Boy gets back on the...
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Sick Boy complains privately to Begbie that Rent Boy and Spud broke their promise to stay clean for the job. Begbie...
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Begbie’s speed kicks in, and he needs someone to talk to now that Sick Boy has...
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...support his heroin addiction). On the other hand, Rent Boy feels good—righteous even—about ripping off Begbie. In fact, Begbie may have motivated everything. Leaving Begbie behind makes Rent Boy feel like...
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