Throughout our class discussion of Mojo Mickybo, we deliberated the themes of childhood innocence (or in the case of Mojo and Mickybo, the lack thereof) and the power of childhood imagination. I do not agree with the notion that Mojo and Mickybo lost their innocence once Mickybo’s Da was killed, and his death finally brought to light the Catholic vs. Protestant conflict that the two friends were going against; the notion that only direct violence to one of their families was enough to make them understand the conflict around them and draw a wedge between the friendship.
I think Mojo and Mickybo were forced to grow up without innocence – they were never innocent to begin with, which is why imagination was such a large part of their friendship and childhood. Growing up in Ireland during a time of serious civil unrest, it was impossible for Mojo and Mickybo to grow up shielded from what was going on around them. Starting from where the boys lived and the lifestyle the two boys lived, it is immediately clear that the Catholics were the poor societal class, and Protestants, the wealthy class. Even the way the adults in the play interact with them shows how unconducive life was for a child at the time.
Fantasy lets the friendship between a Catholic boy and a Protestant boy deal with the harsh reality that they live in a world of violence and abstract hate. Undeniably, their friendship is shocking and seems to be ‘illegal’ during the time. Like we talked about, their friendship is comparable to the friendship formed in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Unheard of during their times. I think the boys were astutely aware of their questionable friendship, but used their imagination to mask the societal pressures trying to pull them apart. So yes, while the death of Mickybo’s dad did inevitably drive their friendship apart, I do not believe that moment made them lose their innocence and lead to their divide. I think that the death of Mickybo’s dad made them lose their imagination and that is what ultimately led to the end of the friendship, because they could no longer deny the conflict going on around them.
Imagination is a powerful tool, and once reality sets in, there is no going back.
Whilst I agree with some of your points I must argue that imagination and childhood innocence in the context of this story are not mutually exclusive. In fact, I’d argue that the strength of their imaginations and methods of escapism were a product of their childhood innocence and their environment. Their environment playing the role of influencing the content of their fantasies and being the main reason they needed an escape, to begin with. Whilst they were not completely shielded to the happenings of the war, there is something to be said for the fact that they cannot comprehend the loss that is occurring. Once Mickybo’s dad dies, this is when reality sets in, this is when Mickybo is forced to abandon his childhood innocence as he grapples with a loss that inevitably forces one to grow older.
I would have to agree with you here, in some aspects. The light you see in a child’s eye, particularly before they reach the “age of reason” is truly a special sight to behold. I have a nephew about a year old and a niece several months younger, two of the happiest and most jolly little humans you’d ever lay eyes on. Once they are aware of the struggles that surround them, that light will begin to dim. So whilst I agree that imagination and therefore their innocence allowed their friendship to persist, I do believe that the death of Mickybo’s father was what drove them apart, not societal pressure. The boys were able to resist outside condemnation of their friendship, but when the poison infiltrated their universe, it wrought destruction, ultimately bringing their friendship to an ignominious ending. Essentially, I am saying that you are right in that their imagination allowed their friendship to flourish, but I disagree that that alone was the only thing keeping them together. Their imagination I believe could have perpetuated this friendship had it not been hamstrung from within.