Trainspotting

by

Irvine Welsh

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Johnny Swan Character Analysis

Johnny Swan is a dealer who earns the nickname “Mother Superior” due to how heroin users like Rent Boy and Sick Boy come to him to cure their withdrawal. Johnny falls so deep into his addiction that he recklessly shoots heroin into an artery and has to have his leg amputated as a result. Seeing Johnny with one leg, still addicted, helps convince Rent Boy that he needs to get out of Scotland and avoid becoming like Johnny.

Johnny Swan Quotes in Trainspotting

The Trainspotting quotes below are all either spoken by Johnny Swan or refer to Johnny Swan . 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:
Addiction and Society Theme Icon
).
Kicking Quotes

The sweat wis lashing oafay Sick Boy; he wis trembling. Ah wis jist sitting thair, focusing oan the telly, tryin no tae notice the cunt. He wis bringing me doon. Ah tried tae keep ma attention oan the Jean–Claude Van Damme video.

Related Characters: Rent Boy (speaker), Sick Boy, Johnny Swan
Related Symbols: Heroin
Page Number: 1
Explanation and Analysis:
Blowing It Quotes

Funny thing wis, jist before this, ah remembered boastin thit ah’d niver OD’d in ma puff. Thir’s a first time fir everything. It wis Swanney’s fault. His gear’s normally cut tae fuck, so ye always bung that wee bit mair intae the cooking spoon tae compensate. Then whit does the cunt dae?

Related Characters: Rent Boy (speaker), Johnny Swan , Alison
Related Symbols: Heroin
Page Number: 188
Explanation and Analysis:
Home Quotes

—It’s the fuckin best. You ken the Mother Superior, Rents. Ah believe in the free market whin it comes tae drugs. Ah’ve goat tae gic the NHS its due though. Since ah hud this pin oaf n went oan the maintenance therapy ah’ve started tae believe thit the state kin compete wi private enterprise in oor industry, n produce a satisfyin product at low cost tae the consumer.

Related Characters: Johnny Swan (speaker), Rent Boy
Related Symbols: Heroin
Page Number: 310
Explanation and Analysis:
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Trainspotting PDF

Johnny Swan Quotes in Trainspotting

The Trainspotting quotes below are all either spoken by Johnny Swan or refer to Johnny Swan . 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:
Addiction and Society Theme Icon
).
Kicking Quotes

The sweat wis lashing oafay Sick Boy; he wis trembling. Ah wis jist sitting thair, focusing oan the telly, tryin no tae notice the cunt. He wis bringing me doon. Ah tried tae keep ma attention oan the Jean–Claude Van Damme video.

Related Characters: Rent Boy (speaker), Sick Boy, Johnny Swan
Related Symbols: Heroin
Page Number: 1
Explanation and Analysis:
Blowing It Quotes

Funny thing wis, jist before this, ah remembered boastin thit ah’d niver OD’d in ma puff. Thir’s a first time fir everything. It wis Swanney’s fault. His gear’s normally cut tae fuck, so ye always bung that wee bit mair intae the cooking spoon tae compensate. Then whit does the cunt dae?

Related Characters: Rent Boy (speaker), Johnny Swan , Alison
Related Symbols: Heroin
Page Number: 188
Explanation and Analysis:
Home Quotes

—It’s the fuckin best. You ken the Mother Superior, Rents. Ah believe in the free market whin it comes tae drugs. Ah’ve goat tae gic the NHS its due though. Since ah hud this pin oaf n went oan the maintenance therapy ah’ve started tae believe thit the state kin compete wi private enterprise in oor industry, n produce a satisfyin product at low cost tae the consumer.

Related Characters: Johnny Swan (speaker), Rent Boy
Related Symbols: Heroin
Page Number: 310
Explanation and Analysis: