Good Night, Mr. Tom By Michelle Magorian

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Good Night, Mr. TomBy Michelle Magorian

• Literature Circle Expansion Midterm Project
• Jessica Mauer

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Introduction About the Book

• London is poised on the brink of World War II.
  Timid, scrawny Willie Beech-the abused child of a
  single mother-is evacuated to the English
  countryside. At first, he is terrified of
  everything, of the country sounds and sights,
  even of Mr. Tom, the gruff, kindly old man who
  has taken him in. But gradually Willie forgets
  the hate and despair of his past. He learns to
  love a world he never knew existed, a world of
  friendship and affection in which harsh words and
  daily beatings have no place. Then a telegram
  comes. Willie must return to his mother in
  London. When weeks pass by with no word from
  Willie, Mr. Tom sets out for London to look for
  the young boy he has come to love as a son.

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Prologue

• In the book Good Night Mr. Tom, there are many
  themes that are found throughout the book. These
  themes include
• Friendship, Family, Finding Oneself, Life, Death,
  Fitting In, Grieving, Motivation, Control,
  Freedom and Growth.
• For this Project I decided to create a collage
  using pictures and quotes found within the book
  to represent events in this book that revolve
  around these central themes.

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Collage Growth in Willie through his life
Experiences
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London Bridge Family Roots, Past Life, New
Beginnings

• London was the place of birth to Willie.
• He was born into a family with a abusive single
  mom and father who was killed in WWII.
• London bridge symbolizes the place where Willie
  was from, not only physically but mentally.
• Willie did not exist in London, he was an object
  who was constantly abused, physically and
  emotionally.
• He was kept closely within the controlling grips
  of his mother who was an over zealous believer in
  God, who felt that abuse and instilling fear into
  her children would prevent them from going to
  hell.
• Willies life began here, and probably would have
  ended here if it was not for the war going on at
  the time.
• All of the bridges that William has crossed and
  obstacles he has been faced with in his life has
  made him the person he is today.

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Socks Control

• Socks represented the control that Willies
  mother had over him though the use of physical
  and mental abuse.
• When Willie first moved in with Tom he was afraid
  to take his socks off for fear that everyone
  would see the marks of his sins (p. 31) his
  mother left all over his body.
• The abuse Willie had endured during the time he
  grew up with his mother was the only interaction
  he received from an adult.
• This method of control enabled Willies mother to
  keep him submissive, and allow her to maintain
  her role as the one in charge through the use of
  fear.

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Birthday cake Family/ Friendship

• Willie never had a birthday celebration or even a
  recognition before moving in with Mr. Tom.
• The town took Willie in as family and gave him
  all sorts of gifts to make him feel more at home.
• Mr. Tom cared for Willie and bought him new
  cloths made especially for him, something that
  Willie has never experienced.
• He was also given a book even though he did not
  know how to read, he was so grateful and
  overwhelmed by being treated so good, he
  commented in disbelief, Is it fer me to keep?
  (108)
• This birthday party was the very first time
  Willie was given any sort of recognition of being
  a friend, part of a family, and someone who is
  special and cared for.

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Paints Finding Oneself

• Willie received paints for his birthday from Tom,
  and immediately began to paint.
• He had such a natural talent, he had finally
  found something that he was good at and others
  saw it in him too.
• This ability made Willie feel self conscious at
  first, he was embarrassed to draw any positive
  attention to himself but over time, embraced his
  talent and recognition and was able to be happy
  with receiving praise for a job well done.
• Willie became proud of himself.

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Black Berries Friendship and Growth

• Willies first interaction with other children who
  were his own age was when Zack, George, Carrie,
  and Willie went berry picking.
• This was the first time Willie was able to feel
  what it was like to be around friends in a
  healthy type of play.
• In his past playing was not allowed with his
  mother, Willie had no self esteem as well as no
  friends because of his mothers strict unrealistic
  views on children.
• Interactions with friends was the beginning of
  Willie realizing his self worth as well as a
  chance to see how others really viewed him.
• His friends cared about him, and he cared about
  them

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Theater Faces Friendship/Growth

• The first play that Willie really gave him the
  confidence to go out and try new things. This
  also gave his peers the idea to not to be afraid
  to act and try new things too.
• He was beginning to come out of his shell around
  his peers.

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Nature Trail Life

• The peaceful, tranquil trails found all
  throughout the town of Weirwold if where Willie
  was given a second chance at life.
• Being brought to this town as an evacuee from
  London, he was experienced to not only the
  sights, smells, and sounds of the country, but
  also a life outside the one he left behind in
  London with his mother.
• Tom became a caregiver, mentor, and father to
  Willie. They would walk the trails to town,
  school, and even with Sammy the dog. The trails
  and untouched ways of the woods allowed Tom to
  show Willie all that was never be exposed to and
  probably never be exposed to if he was never sent
  as an World War II evacuee from London

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Ocean Waves Freedom, Purity

• The waves of the ocean represent the turbulence
  and also freedom William has experienced through
  living with Tom as an evacuee.
• He has been able to wash away all of the bad
  memories of his past and let go of the feelings
  of guilt, betrayal, and mistrust.
• This also symbolizes one of the last memories
  William has of Zack, his best friend.
• Zack was Williams first real friend in his life,
  they did everything together and learned and grew
  from each other.
• It seemed as if his mind had suddenly opened and
  all his worries, painful memories and fears were
  flooding to the surface and drifting away (p.
  258)

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Bicycle Death/Grieving

• After struggling with the death of his best
  friend Willie had finally accepted it.
• Riding his bike was one of Zacks favorite things
  to do.
• After Zacks death Willie had a lot of support
  from the many people he had met. Many offered
  helpful advice Better to accept than pretend
  that he never existed (299) said one of his
  teachers Mr. Sandertons
• Willie never learned to ride a bike until Zack
  died.
• Learning how to ride Zacks bike was a way to
  move on from the loss.
• No one can take the memories away, and I can
  talk to him when I want (305)

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Meditation Growth, Life

• At the end of the book William has been able to
  recognize himself as a son, a friend, and an
  individual.
• The ability of him to do that is shown in his
  ability to admit that he is growing up and
  becoming his own self.
• The very last sentence of the book stated by
  Willie to Tom Dad.Im growing! (318)

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Credits For Pictures

• Paints
• http//images.google.com/images?svnum10hlenlr
  qpaints
• Birthday Cake
• www.dragons1.k12.ar.us/.../birthday20cake.gif
• Wool Socks
• www.preciouspenguin.com/socks.jpg
• Ocean Waves
• www.signedoriginals.co.uk
• London Bridge
• www.lostworld.pair.com/.../images/london_bridge1.j
  pg
• Nature Trail
• www.photography.scottrower.com/.../GSM20Trail.jpg
  
• Black Berries
• www.paghat.com/images/blackberry-aug.jpg
• Self Esteem
• www.lifepositive.com/.../grfx/esteem.jpg
• Bicycle
• http//latis.ex.ac.uk/cfarchive/copyrightfree0004.
  htm
• Theater Faces