Judy was a bright, valiant and vivacious young 13 year old. Although she used these qualities exceedingly well and to her benefit it was her love that made readers grow to call her their favourite character.
Walking 77 long miles along a dirty road that looked like rubble, with no money whatsoever is how Judy Woolcot made her trip from boarding school back to her home. It was an excruciatingly long trip that resulted in her laying bedridden with consumption. Death shadowed her every step and haunted her at every corner she turned. Although she was fortunate enough to be able to spend most of her cold nights in a cottage she still had the misfortune of spending two of them on the side of a chilly road with only a single jacket to shelter her. Her love for her family though brought her to tackle these hardships and find her way home.
Meg Griffin
Judy - On Lookout
Judy Dispensing ChocolateJudy Woolcot was "ÃÂthe light at the end of the tunnel' and "ÃÂthe angel from above' to her family. Without her everything was chaotic. Bunty turned to hitting a horse and lying to express his anger, having no one else to listen to him and Meg turned to bad influences such as Aldith who told her that her waist was too big and she ought to wear a corset. Judy kept the family together and her absence made the Woolcot family realise how much they valued her and her love.
On her return Judy, at first, had to stay in an old shed in order to keep away from her father. During this period of time her six brothers and sisters cared for her to the best of their ability. They tried very hard and even went to the extremes of climbing a cactus in order to get food for her. Although they did as much as they could to accommodate her Judy wasn't showered in luxuries and still had hardships to deal with. She had to sleep on itchy straw and there was no heating or cooling whatsoever to meet her needs. The thing that shone brightly through Judy though, whilst she was in the shed, was her constant love and contentment. And then, when she was discovered and allowed into the house, gratefulness overtook any other qualities that may have been evident in her. She was exceedingly grateful. Grateful for her warm bed, grateful for her delicious food and most of all grateful for the gifts that Bunty and Pip made her. She showed her gratitude towards them but never said that one's gift was greater than the other's in fear of hurting their feelings. She was constantly showing her love towards her family.
Although throughout "Seven Little Australians"ÃÂ there were numerous examples of Judy's love for her family, that have been discussed, the most heart warming and sentimental example would have to have occurred at the very end of young Judy's life. It took place at a picnic that all seven children were at in Yarahappini, Esther's hometown. Whilst on the picnic Judy and General were playing a modified game of "ÃÂchasey' against each other, when a strong wind blew over a tree that wasn't particularly stable. General, at the time, was coincidentally under the tree and was threatened by its fall. Judy, who was close by, saw that General was in danger and ran with all her might in a pursuit to stop him from getting hit. The tree fell with a "ÃÂbang' that scarred the Woolcots' lives because although Judy had gotten to the tree in time and had sheltered General from it, she had been injured and broken her back. This great saga resulted in Judy dying a few hours later, on an old door that had substituted a stretcher with Bunty at her ankles and Meg by her side.
Bright, valiant and vivacious she may have been but Judy Woolcot's love was stronger than the strongest and mightier than the mightiest. It was this, and no other qualities in her possession, that bonded with readers and consequently made her become their favourite character.
Book information based on: "Seven Little Australians" by Ethel Turner
Judy Playing Mando
English: Cover of 16th edition of Seven Little Aus...
English: Hazel Rutherford and dog Bunty