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Rent Boy
Begbie, whose real name is Francis Begbie and who also sometimes goes by “the Beggar,” is part of Rent Boy’s friend group, although no one in the group likes him very much. Begbie is a violent bully, always looking for an excuse for a fight and often disappointed when the other person backs down from his challenge. He has a child with his ex-girlfriend June but refuses to get involved and act like a father. This represents the continuation of a cycle—Begbie’s own father is a frequently drunk old man who hangs out by Leith’s abandoned train station. Although Begbie is one of the few characters in the group who doesn’t use heroin, his behavior is even more erratic than theirs (partly due to his heavy drinking). During crimes and schemes, Begbie is extremely paranoid, although even he doesn’t realize at the end of the novel that Rent Boy is planning to betray him during a heroin deal and walk off with the money. Begbie represents the violent dark side of life in working-class Edinburgh, and his constant presence in the friend group, despite everyone’s dislike of him, represents how difficult it is to avoid this dark side.
Begbie Quotes in Trainspotting
The Trainspotting quotes below are all either spoken by Begbie or refer to Begbie. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Relapsing
Quotes
Myth: Begbie’s mates like him.
Reality: Begbie’s mates fear him.
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Kicking Again
Quotes
Rents picks up a stane and flings it at the squirrel. Ah feel likes, sick, ma hert misses a beat as it whizzes past the wee gadge. He goes tae pick up another, laughin like a maniac, but ab stoap um.
Blowing It
Quotes
He wis ma felly. Ye eywis think it’ll be different, thit ye kin change. Thum, thit ye kin make a difference.
Exile
Quotes
The guys are looking embarrassed, really shit up by the crowd that’s developed. It’s sortay like, feeding off itself.
Home
Quotes
—Ah well, ah’ll leave yis tae it. Keep up the trainspottin mind! He staggered oaf, his rasping, drunkard’s cackles filling the desolate barn. Ah noticed that Begbie seemed strangely subdued and uncomfortable. He wis turned away fae us.
It wis only then ah realised thit the auld wino wis Begbie’s faither.
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Exit
Quotes
No. He had to stay in control, There was too much at stake. There was everything at stake. There is nobody looking at Begbie though. Those who are not oblivious to him, can feel the vibes he is giving out. They employ that special talent people have: Pretending nutters are invisible. Even his companions won’t meet his gaze.
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Ironically, it was Begbie who was the key. Ripping off your mates was the highest offence in his book, and he would demand the severest penalty. Renton had used Begbie, used him to burn his boats completely and utterly. It was Begbie who ensured he could never return.
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Get the entire Trainspotting LitChart as a printable PDF.
Begbie Quotes in Trainspotting
The Trainspotting quotes below are all either spoken by Begbie or refer to Begbie. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Relapsing
Quotes
Myth: Begbie’s mates like him.
Reality: Begbie’s mates fear him.
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Kicking Again
Quotes
Rents picks up a stane and flings it at the squirrel. Ah feel likes, sick, ma hert misses a beat as it whizzes past the wee gadge. He goes tae pick up another, laughin like a maniac, but ab stoap um.
Blowing It
Quotes
He wis ma felly. Ye eywis think it’ll be different, thit ye kin change. Thum, thit ye kin make a difference.
Exile
Quotes
The guys are looking embarrassed, really shit up by the crowd that’s developed. It’s sortay like, feeding off itself.
Home
Quotes
—Ah well, ah’ll leave yis tae it. Keep up the trainspottin mind! He staggered oaf, his rasping, drunkard’s cackles filling the desolate barn. Ah noticed that Begbie seemed strangely subdued and uncomfortable. He wis turned away fae us.
It wis only then ah realised thit the auld wino wis Begbie’s faither.
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Exit
Quotes
No. He had to stay in control, There was too much at stake. There was everything at stake. There is nobody looking at Begbie though. Those who are not oblivious to him, can feel the vibes he is giving out. They employ that special talent people have: Pretending nutters are invisible. Even his companions won’t meet his gaze.
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Ironically, it was Begbie who was the key. Ripping off your mates was the highest offence in his book, and he would demand the severest penalty. Renton had used Begbie, used him to burn his boats completely and utterly. It was Begbie who ensured he could never return.
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
