"Goodnight Mr Tom" by Michelle Magorian. Write about how each character has influenced Willie's life and personality.

Essay by xoxamarxox September 2004

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Task: Willie Beech's life and personality has been influenced by his mother, Mr Tom and Zach in the novel, "Goodnight Mister Tom". Write about how each character has influenced Willie's life and personality. Which of these characters, in your opinion has had the greatest influence on Willie?

A novel that I have read and enjoyed is "Goodnight Mister Tom" by Michelle Magorian. The novel takes place during World War 2. The novel deals with themes such as death, war and child abuse. It is about a called Will who is evacuated from his home in London to Little Weirwold, a village in the country. When he arrives, he is very shy but over time, he learns to open up. Then suddenly he is called back to London because his mother is sick, she locks Will and his sister Trudy in a cupboard and leaves them there to die.

Mr Tom gets suspicious since he hadn't received any letters from Will so he goes to London looking for him. When Will returns to the village he is unwell. Zach waits for ages to Will, and he says it's worth the wait!

Mrs Beech has had a bad influence on Will. I know this because at the beginning of the novel we find out that she is strict and religious.

"Mum said she was kinder to him than

most mothers. She only gave him soft beatings"

The authors good word choice "soft beatings" shows me that Mrs Beech hit her son but not as hard as other mothers hit their children. I felt sorry for Will getting beatings off his mother.

Seeing as Will received beatings off of his mother this put his self- esteem down which didn't make him very out going which made him very...