The Blackthorn Key

Throughout the novel, Christopher is consistently rewarded for showing loyalty to those he loves. In return, he learns about his responsibility toward them and theirs toward him. Master Benedict is an especially important character in this regard. He takes his duties toward Christopher seriously, asking him about the lessons he is learning from the very first day. Over time, he earns Christopher’s loyalty through his wise nature and his kindness. He further demonstrates his responsibility toward Christopher when, injured, he asks if Christopher would have chosen a different life. Christopher’s negative response seals his fate, showing that loyalty between Master Benedict and Christopher is mutual. Although Oswyn’s relationship with his apprentices is decidedly more negative, it further demonstrates the strength of the master/apprentice relationship. This latter example shows why responsibility toward those who trust us is important, as it is easy to lead them astray.

Christopher’s relationship with Tom further illustrates the importance of this theme in the novel. While it would be understandable if Tom chose to abandon his friend—who at various points is wanted for murder, fleeing the law, and experimenting with dangerous substances—he never does. Tom helps Christopher find a place to hide when Lord Ashcombe is looking for him, and Tom eventually stops Wat from hurting Christopher further, using his rolling pin. Tom’s loyalty to Christopher saves him. 

Even Christopher’s relationship with Bridget the pigeon shows how the balance of responsibility and loyalty is beneficial. Christopher looks after the pigeons while Master Benedict is alive. When Master Benedict is murdered, Christopher worries about them and begs the Guild to let him look after them. However, the Guild is irresponsible, and the valuable pigeons set free. Nevertheless, Christopher’s good deeds come back to help him as Bridget finds him again. Not only does she provide him with companionship, but she also helps lead him to the crypt where Master Benedict experimented with the Archangel’s Fire. Christopher’s responsibility toward Bridget—and her loyalty toward him—provide an important key in solving the mystery.

As an orphan who has obtained a good position as an apprentice, Christopher is uniquely qualified to observe the societal institutions at play around him. His position is precarious. By its nature, his power relies upon his master’s authority and power. When Master Benedict dies, Christopher quickly loses this social position. This is represented physically when the Guild bars him from the apothecary shop. Though this has been his home for years, Christopher is now homeless and without a place. While institutions like the master/apprentice relationship have a great deal of value, the narrative also shows them to have a darker side.

This dark side is most clear in the representation of the Apothecaries’ Guild. Members of this institution plucked Christopher from the orphanage, giving him a more comfortable life and a future profession. It is unsurprising that he turns to them when his master is murdered and as he attempts to solve the mystery. However, it soon becomes clear that this trust is at least in part misplaced. Oswyn, the very man who chose Christopher to become an apprentice, is the ringleader of the apprentices who committed the murders. The corruption in the Guild is clear in other instances, as well. Christopher has a hard time gaining entry to the Guild Hall on his own, showing their exclusivity. Furthermore, Stubb illustrates early on that greed and a love of power characterize at least some in this profession. Even those who are not outright evil, such as Sir Edward, nevertheless are unwilling to risk much for the powerless. This becomes clear when they attempt to place Christopher in another profession at the end of the book.

Similarly, the monarchy appears in different lights throughout the novel. As the primary representative of the king, Lord Ashcombe illustrates the ways in which the king’s power can be used for both good and evil. At the end of the book, he tries to assist Christopher in bringing Oswyn to justice. Although he is injured in the process, he later restores Christopher to his position as apprentice, despite the Guild’s wishes. He further assures Christopher’s financial and professional future. Nevertheless, he also persecutes Christopher at various points in the book, believing him to be the murderer. In doing so, he assaults Tom, who is innocent. Nobody is capable of standing up to the king’s power and surviving, so Lord Ashcombe has an incredible amount of liberty. In this sense, he represents the crown whose power is behind him.

Christopher’s ability to create gunpowder in the book’s opening scene immediately illustrates his cleverness. However, throughout the book he is challenged to balance his natural gifts, including a sharp mind and a courageous nature, with thoughtfulness and wisdom. In this sense, the novel emphasizes both the power of knowledge and the responsibilities that come with it. 

As an apprentice, Christopher has had the opportunity to learn a great deal from Master Benedict. Throughout Christopher’s education, Master Benedict has pushed his limits, teaching him ciphers, languages, and other necessary knowledge to become an apothecary. Nevertheless, Christopher remains somewhat impetuous, not always thinking through the consequences of his actions. Even after his death, Master Benedict continues to teach Christopher about tempering this courage with knowledge and thoughtfulness. For example, it is only through significant work over a long period of time that Christopher decodes his final cipher. 

When Christopher learns that his master actually had the recipe for the Archangel’s Fire, he realizes what a heavy responsibility this knowledge is. In the wrong hands, the Fire has the power to impose the will of a small group of people on the rest of the country, due to its military uses. As a future apothecary, Christopher learned right away that the role comes with responsibilities. However, it is not until this powerful secret lands in his hands that the full weight of the responsibility lands on him. He realizes that as the keeper of this knowledge, he must protect it from those who would misuse it at all costs. Thus, he hides it even from Lord Ashcombe, who has proven kind to him. This act shows that in the end, Christopher is up to the challenge of becoming an apothecary, with all of the power and responsibility this role requires.