Junk (novel)



Junk, known as Smack in the U.S., is a realistic novel for young adults by the British author Melvin Burgess, published in 1996 by Andersen in the U.K. Set on the streets of Bristol, England, it features two runaway teens who join a group of squatters, where they fall into heroin addiction and embrace anarchism. Both critically and commercially it is the best received of Burgess' novels. Yet it was unusually controversial at first, criticized negatively for its "how-to" aspect, or its dark realism, or its moral relativism.

Burgess won the annual Carnegie Medal from the Library Association, recognising the year's outstanding children's book by a British author. For the 70th anniversary of the Medal in 2007 Junk was named one of the top ten winning works, selected by a panel to compose the ballot for a public election of the all-time favourite. Junk also won the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, a similar award that authors may not win twice. It is the latest of six books to win both awards.

In the U.S., Henry Holt published the novel in 1997 as Smack —another slang term for heroin.

Plot summary
The novel is told in the first person, with each chapter having a different character narrating. At the beginning of the story, fourteen year old Gemma Brogan is spending time with David "Tar" Lawson, a boy of the same age. Tar is a victim of physical abuse at the hands of his father, and - as he later realises - emotional abuse from his mother. Both of his parents are alcoholics. After a particularly violent incident, he decides to run away to Bristol, even though he knows no-one there and has no money. Gemma, despite having loving - albeit strict - parents, also decides to leave home and join Tar in Bristol shortly afterwards.

In Bristol, Tar sleeps rough, interacting regularly only with Skolly, a local newsagent who takes a shine to his naive, trusting attitude. Skolly eventually introduces him to Richard, an absent-minded, vegan anarchist, who opens up abandoned houses for use as squats. Tar joins Richard and his friends - Vonny, an eighteen-year old "motherly" woman, and Vonny's boyfriend Jerry who is described as a bit useless. Between them, the young adults support Tar financially in order to keep him safe and away from his father, even though it is illegal. Gemma comes "to visit", intending to stay. Vonny is frustrated by this, as she does not see it as the same situation; they are protecting Tar, but Gemma has nothing to be afraid of and merely wants a more "interesting" life. Vonny reluctantly allows Gemma to stay for a while, but insists that both teenagers ring their families from a telephone box to let them know that they are safe. Tar is happy with their situation, but Gemma gradually grows more restless, wanting to find some people their own age.

The adults decide after a few weeks that Gemma must return home. Richard holds a "farewell" party in the abandoned house and, to Vonny's chagrin, he invites Lily and Rob, a couple whom she suspects to be on hard drugs. Gemma is enamoured with Lily from the moment she sees her. The two girls connect instantly, and Lily invites the pair to stay the night with them. Whilst they are there, Lily and Rob encourage Gemma and Tar to smoke heroin with them, and they do, believing that only smoking it won't get them addicted. The pair are subsequently invited to live with Lily and Rob, and they move out from Richard's squat into Lily's.

Tar and Gemma live with Lily and Rob for a long time, and in the early days it is all fun - they have frequent parties, shoplift to feed themselves and heat their house with fuel from skips. They know all the local squatters and drug-users, becoming particularly close to Sally, another girl their age. However, their heroin-smoking habit quickly turns into long-term addiction. As time goes on, the girls start prostituting themselves to fund their habit.

After an incident involving a friend overdosing at their house, the police arrest Tar. He is sent to a drug rehabilitation centre as an alternative to prison, and gets clean whilst simultaneously facing some of the trauma he has endured through counselling. He leaves the centre clean and determined to stay that way, but uses heroin almost immediately once arriving back at the squat.

Lily, who does not work in the massage parlours as Gemma and Sally do and instead works on the street with the protection of Rob, discovers she is pregnant. She decides to keep the baby and the five of them vow to get clean. They take a trip to Wales with the aim of getting themselves away from heroin and detoxing in a safe environment. However, the trip quickly falls apart - Rob and Sally both smuggle some heroin along with them, Tar hitchikes back to Bristol on the second day and Lily discovers Rob's heroin and injects some herself. Gemma is determined to make it through, but eventually caves once she realises she's the only one holding out. They return to Bristol, scared by what they've realised about their addictions; that they truly cannot stop just because they want to. In time, Lily has the baby and continues to inject heroin whilst the baby is breastfeeding. Rob, meanwhile, starts cottaging himself in public toilets to fund their habit. Tar has totally changed; the naive, joyful person he once was has been replaced by someone who lies to and steals from his friends and from Gemma. Both boys become dealers and undergo a traumatic experience when they arrive at a friend's house to find him and his girlfriend dead after overdosing. However, they do nothing to alert the authorities, instead just stealing their drug stash.

The catalyst comes when Gemma realises she, too, is pregnant. After a particularly vulnerable moment with Lily, who non-verbally admits she is completely out of her depth, Gemma realises that she cannot let the same thing happen to her own baby. She leaves the house in the middle of the night and phones the police, telling them the address of the house and that it's being used to deal drugs. Tar, Rob and Lily are arrested, and Tar takes the rap again, which means he is given a custodial sentence. Meanwhile, Gemma locates Vonny and asks for her help. She allows Vonny to get in touch with her parents, who come to the hospital where she has been admitted with severe withdrawal symptoms. For the first time in three and a half years, the Brogans are reunited with their daughter, who asks to come home.

Gemma ends up living back in her hometown drug-free, and gives birth to her daughter, Oona, whilst waiting for Tar to come out of prison. However, once he is released, Gemma realises that she no longer feels the same about Tar, and eventually they break up. The reader learns that Tar ends up forcing his way into Gemma's home and hits her at least once, in a bleak repetition of his own father's behaviour. Gemma has no problem staying off heroin once she has gone through withdrawal, whereas Tar finds it much more difficult and slips several times, even though he is on methadone. The story ends with Tar having a new girlfriend and seeing Oona every so often, whilst lamenting the life he lost, still craving heroin and still holding onto the hope that Gemma will one day take him back.

Characters in Junk

 * David "Tar" Lawson – protagonist, fourteen years old at the start of the book. Abused by his father, he is never proud of taking drugs but becomes a heroin addict after discovering that the drug helps him forget the abuse he has endured.
 * Gemma Brogan – Tar's girlfriend, a rebellious fourteen year old, who runs away with him. She later becomes a prostitute and a heroin addict.
 * Richard – an anarchist and left-wing activist who helps Gemma and Tar find somewhere to live. He is in his twenties.
 * Vonny – eighteen year old anarchist who lives with Richard and Jerry, and ultimately helps Gemma along the path to rehabilitation.
 * Jerry – boyfriend of Vonny, lives with Richard and Vonny in the squat.
 * Lily – a fifteen year old heroin addict who takes a liking to Gemma. She grew up in the care system and it is hinted that she, too, suffered abuse.
 * Rob – sixteen year old addict boyfriend of Lily. He has had a transient upbringing, and at some point had his two front teeth knocked out.
 * Sally – a good friend of Lily and Rob, also addicted to heroin.
 * Mr & Mrs Brogan – Gemma's parents
 * Mr & Mrs Lawson – Tar's parents
 * Skolly - a tobacconist who introduces Tar to Richard. He later pays for sexual services from Gemma, although he doesn't realise who she is.

Film, TV or theatrical adaptations
This novel has been adapted for the theatre by John Retallack (published by Methuen ISBN 0-413-73840-X).

It was made into a TV drama in 1999 as part of the BBC's Scene series for teenagers.

It has also been revised as of 2003 with the new title of Smack.

Often used as a thesis basis for drama (GCSE and A level) examinations''