Childhood

Banville's lead character and narrator in The Book of Evidence often refers back to his childhood and the childhoods of other characters. He describes his as a fractured sort of existence with two parents who for the most part ignored him. He starts and stops stories about his childhood. Sometimes the stories are leading to fears, and other times they are leading to violence.

Montgomery says that he has a fat, angry character, Billy Bunter, inside him who comes out when Montgomery can't control him. Bunter was the victim of taunts, and he comes out to avenge these scars. Montgomery says that Bunter took over and killed the girl.

The prisoner also talks of a lost innocent child within him. This child is fearful and sensitive, but it is a ghost that no one sees. Readers don't know whether they can believe the narrator, but these child personalities...