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Nofel am fwlio a Streic y Penrhyn.
Novel about bullying and Penrhyn Quarry Strike.
Genre: ffuglen hanesyddol / historical fiction
Gwerth addysgiadol/educational value: ◉◉◉◉◎
Negeseuon positif/positive messages: ◉◉◉◎◎
Themau trist,anodd/upsetting, tough themes: ◉◉◎◎◎
Trais, ofn/violence, scary: ◎◎◎◎◎
Iaith gref/language: ◎◎◎◎◎
Rhyw/sex: ◎◎◎◎◎
Hiwmor/humour: ◎◎◎◎◎
Her darllen/reading difficulty:: ◉◉◉◎◎
Dyfarniad/Rating: ★★★★☆
Dyma glasur o nofel fer hanesyddol oedd yn rhan o gyfres hynod o boblogaidd, Cyfres Cled. Dwi’n cofio ei ddarllen am y tro cyntaf ym mlwyddyn 5 (amser hir yn ôl) ac mi fyddai’n hoffi rhoi spin i’r llyfr bob hyn a hyn. Dwi’n siŵr mod i wedi ei darllen degau o weithiau erbyn hyn!
Nofel wedi’i gosod ar ddechrau’r ugeinfed ganrif (1900-1903) yn ardal Bethesda yng nghyfnod cythryblus streic fawr chwarel y Penrhyn. Mae’r nofel yn glyfar gan ei bod hi’n plethu stori ddiddorol ar iard yr ysgol gyda ffeithiau hanesyddol am y streic yn effeithiol. Bron eich bod chi’n dysgu hanes heb feddwl! Mae defnydd yr awdur o ddetholiadau byr o lyfrau lòg (dyddiaduron) ysgolion lleol y cyfnod yn rhoi blas go iawn o sut oedd bethau. Mae’r awdur wedi creu'r stori o amgylch y pytiau yma ar ôl gwneud gwaith ymchwil yn Archifdy Caernarfon.
Mae Guto’n dioddef yn yr ysgol oherwydd Robat, y bwli, sy’n pigo arno’n ddiddiwedd. Yn ogystal â bod yn ddifrifol wael yn y gwely a’i frodyr yn ddi-waith ar ôl streicio o’r chwarel - teg fyddai dweud bod bywyd yn anodd i’r teulu! Un person sydd wastad yno i Guto yw ei ffrind gorau, Defi, sy’n barod i’w amddiffyn rhag y bwli.
Yn dilyn ffrae rhwng y gweithwyr a pherchennog y chwarel, Lord Penrhyn, mae nifer o’r dynion wedi penderfynu streicio. Gan nad oes pres yn dod i mewn, mae bwyd yn brin a chaiff y streic effaith fawr ar y gymuned leol, sydd wedi’i hollti’n ddwy. Ar un ochr, mae’r streicwyr, sy’n trio gwneud safiad i gael hawliau gwell, ac ar yr ochr arall, mae’r dynion sydd wedi penderfynu dychwelyd i’r gwaith gan dorri’r streic. Y Bradwyr.
Wrth i amser fynd yn ei flaen, a’r streic anodd yn parhau, gwelwn newid mawr yn Guto, ar ôl iddo sefyll i fyny i’r bwli. Newidia Guto o fod yn hogyn gwantan ac eiddil, i fod yn hogyn cryf, cyhyrog ac yn arweinydd newydd y giang. Treulia’r giang hwnnw lawer o amser yn gwneud bywyd yn anodd i blant ‘y bradwyr’ a trist yw gweld Guto’n troi’n raddol i fod yn fwli ei hun.
Beth fydd ymateb y bwli newydd pan fydd o’n clywed fod tad ei ffrind gorau wedi dychwelyd i’r chwarel ac wedi bradychu’r dynion eraill? Mi fydd yr hogia’ eraill yn disgwyl i Guto ddysgu gwers iawn i Defi....
Mae iaith y nofel yn hawdd i’w darllen ac mae stori bwlio Guto a helynt y chwarel yn gweithio’n dda gyda’i gilydd. Roeddwn i’n hoffi’r darnau Saesneg lle mae’r athro’n siarad sy’n atgyfnerthu sut oedd pethau bryd hynny. Strict iawn o gymharu â heddiw!
Stori ddiddorol a phwysig, sy’n ein dysgu am gyfnod trafferthus iawn yn hanes Cymru ac yn esbonio tarddiad y dywediad “nid oes bradwr yn y tŷ hwn.”
Oeddech chi’n gwybod fod y streic wedi cael gymaint o effaith andwyol ar y gymuned, fod nifer o drigolion yr ardal yn gwrthod mynd i Gastell Penrhyn, hyd heddiw!?
Mwy am y streic:
This is a classic short historic novel that was part of a hugely popular series, Cyfres Cled. I remember reading it for the first time in Year 5 (a long time ago) and I often like to give it another spin every now and then. I'm sure I've read dozens of times by now!
A novel set in the early twentieth century (1900-1903) in the Bethesda area during the turbulent time of Penrhyn Quarry's great strike. The novel is clever in that the author interweaves an interesting schoolyard story with historical facts about the larger strike going on in the quarry. It’s almost as if you’re learning about local history without realizing! The author's use of short selections from the Log books (diaries) of the local schools of the period gives a real flavour of how things were. These are peppered amongst the pages; Brenda Wyn Jones created the story around these snippets after carrying out research at the Caernarfon archives.
Guto suffers at school because of Robat, the bully, who picks on him endlessly. As well as being seriously ill in bed and his brothers finding themselves unemployed after striking from the quarry - it would be fair to say that life was tough for the family! One person who is always there for Guto is his best friend, Defi, who is always there to protect him from the bully.
Following a row between the workers and the wealthy quarry owner, Lord Penrhyn, many of the men decided to strike. With little money coming in, food is scarce and the strike has a major impact on the local community, which is effectively split into two. On one side, the strikers, who are campaigning for better pay and conditions, and on the other side, the men who have broken the strike by returning to work. The Traitors, or ‘bradwrs’ as they were labelled.
As time progresses, and the strike continues, we see a major change in Guto, after he stands up to the bully. Guto changes from being a frail and weak little boy to being a strong, confident new leader of the schoolyard gang. That gang spends a lot of time making life difficult for the children of ‘the traitors' and it’s sad to see Guto gradually turning into a bully himself.
What will the new bully's response be when he learns that the father of his best friend has returned to the quarry and betrayed the other men? The other lads will expect Guto to teach Defi a lesson he won’t soon forget…
The novel’s language is easy to read and both the bullying storyline and the quarrymen’s struggle work well together. I liked the English language bits where the teacher speaks which reinforces how education was back then. Very strict compared to today!
An interesting and important story, which teaches us about a very troubled time in Welsh history and explains the origins of the saying "Nid oes bradwr yn y tŷ hwn.” [there is no traitor in this house]
Did you know that the strike has had such a detrimental effect on the community, that many residents of the area refuse to go to Penrhyn Castle, to this day!? Read more here.
More about the strike:
Cyhoeddwr/publisher: Gwasg Gwynedd
Cyhoeddwyd/released: 1998
Pris: Triwch siopau llyfrau, elusen neu lyfrgell.
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