Plot Synopsis and Character Analysis of Avi's "Crispin: The Cross of Lead" - Page 2
© Irene Tanner-Yuen
By the time Crispin and Bear reach the town of Great Wexly, Lord Furnival has died, and the search for an heir has begun. Master and apprentice find themselves constantly hiding and running from Aycliffe's men. Avi ties together the two mysteries - the identity of Crispin's father and that of Bear - by blending myths, history, and aspects of coming-of-age stories. By making the main story (Crispin's) subjective, the narrative engages the reader with details, emotions, and language that may be foreign to a modern reader.
The most important historical figure in the pages of Crispin is John Ball, a peasant priest. Crispin is bewildered by John Ball, but he learns to understand why men would fight for a society where "'no man, or woman either, shall be enslaved to any other, but stand free and equal to one another." While Crispin ponders John Ball's words, Bear is overcome and taken by Aycliffe's men.
Crispin and Bear's Character Transformations
In the end, Crispin learns the truth of who his father was. Where before he was timid and cowering, Crispin finds the courage to take action. Bear is also much changed since they first met: at first cynical and gruff, he comes to care for Crispin. When Crispin frees Bear from Furnival's palace cellar, Bear, fearing the worst may happen, admits that he loves Crispin like a son.
The final lines of the book speak of Crispin's freedom from class expectations, and from his true lineage. They also speak metaphorically of the revolt that is already underway in England, though whether Bear and he will continue in the cause is ambiguous. Crispin's journey takes him from being Asta's son, to an outlaw, to the itinerant Crispin, and finally the highborn Crispin. The life he ends up choosing includes music, a father figure in Bear, and his true self.
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