On the Terraces by Peter Ho Davie

"On the Terraces" by Peter Ho Davies is a moving story about the lives of two brothers and the culmination of their hollow relationship as the eldest brother succumbs to AIDS. The story touches on many aspects of relationships and by using football Davies tells his story in a much deeper way than could be understood just by an explanation of events. He uses football to draw a parallel between the brotherhood of team spirit and two brother's bond of blood. As the story is told from the younger brother's point of view, it gives you a different perspective as to how one searches for understanding during troubling times. This "outside looking in" perspective allows you to relate to the younger brothers struggle and suggests a lot about his thought process. His struggle for understanding is often aided through both brother's loose connection to football. While the youngest does not have much interest in the sport, just as he has no interest in men, it is a means to an end which will help him on his way to understanding. Davies shows that the easiest ways for the two to relate on any level is through football, this is highlighted at several different points throughout his story.

The story begins without a mention of football for a few pages. The initial pages slam into you the reality of the moment which the younger brother is living in. It touches on the hard truth of the situation they are in by addressing the all too real situation that is developing. The story opens with "My brother lies in a Midlands hospital dying of AIDS and I can't think of a single thing to say to him" which immediately robs you of the chance to think positive or optimistically about the situation. Davies immediately gives you the sense of urgency involving the situation, if there is any progress to be made, it must be done soon. As the paragraphs go by, it sets up a setting that is familiar to many, the lonely hospital. With nothing to do and plenty of unfamiliar people around, time passes slowly. You are forced to dwell on things to pass time. This sets up the basis for the younger brother to be able to explain his feelings on his relationship with his brother.

Football is first introduced when the older brother is awakened and asks the younger one to record the football game for them to watch together. The story transitions immediately into the first time the younger brother saw his older brother in the hospital. It then mentions the second time and their interaction during that period. The youngest had broken his brothers leg after shoving him out of anger, which stemmed from the him seeing anti-gay messages directed at his brother on the bathroom walls at school. This disconnect is something that is consistent throughout the book, his struggle for understanding has never been easy.

Throughout this story we see football as connecting the two brothers. It is subtle, but the youngest brothers biggest leaps of progress toward understanding come through football. Even to the very end of the story the brother is using it as a means to connect to his late brother. An interesting symbol is the broken foot which appears after the mention of the older brother asking for a recording of the football game. While the older brother's foot was broken there was no connection being made, this is shown by the younger's inability to sign the brothers cast.

"I couldn't think of anyting to write on all that whiteness...I had no idea what to write. I had carved graffiti on desks at school with my compass point....But I couldn't think what to write on my brother's cast." This is a reflection of how the broken foot, disconnects the two brothers. Their inability to relate is made obvious here. This disconnect is in stark contrast to the brotherhood and warmth that surrounds the terraces during football matches. The two never connected on that level, they never had that warm feeling between each other. The older brother would rely heavily on football for his sense of happiness and wholeness, this would draw him away from his brother who at the time was too young to attend the matches. Their inability to relate is only being driven further apart by the football matches. As it brings the older brother his happiness and sense of well being, it comes at the expense of their relationship. This is not to lay blame on either of the brothers, given their