A primary troublemaker who initially defies authority through fighting, smoking, and disrupting lessons. Saunders spots his potential and encourages him. After being wrongly targeted for excessive caning by a colleague and initially rejecting an apology, Harkness eventually reconnects with the teacher and is convinced to believe in his own future capabilities.
Gregory uses his institutional authority to inflict excessive punishment on Harkness.
After being locked in the toilets, Gregory selects Harkness for punishment and strikes his twisted left hand roughly ten times with a cane.
Saunders is Harkness's teacher and tries to guide his development.
Saunders is placed in charge of Harkness's class and later identifies particular promise in the boy.
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