Standard Grade English Slide:- 1 The Great Gilly Hopkins:- Qns:- “Life aint supposed to be anything, except maybe tough.” Briefly describe the novel “The Great Gilly Hopkins” and then, in greater detail, show how Gilly comes to realise how true Trotter’s comment is Areas where Gilly finds life tough:- i. Being an Orphan.ii. Getting to know W.E. iii. Learning her mother does not want her. iv. Being forced to leave Trotter’s.v. Learning to grow up. vi. Learning that stealing is wrong.

Standard Grade English Slide:- 2 The Great Gilly Hopkins:- i. Being an Orphan a) The problems with being shunted round foster homes. P 1-3 Note the comments she makes about the foster homes……….the situations that she had been faced with………..the problem with people not using her name……Determined to make trouble and make the life of others difficult……..comment on early days with Trotter P. 3-25…….Gilly’s view of herself P. 96 This is probable a consequence of being an orphan and not wanted….has cried to herself a lot P. 109 ii. Getting to know W.E. a) The problem of coming to terms with the “Less Able”. First impression on W.E. is that he is a “retarded”….. Confronted by Trotter immediately……Forced to get on with him…..With the plane realises that he is not stupid…..Teaches W.E. to stand up for himself……argues with Trotter over it and wins….. returns back to Trotters because of him ….the cuddle with W.E. P.121 “rare species”…The letters to W.E. P. 136ff

Standard Grade English Slide:- 3 The Great Gilly Hopkins:- iii. Learning her mother does not want her. a) Coming to terms with who she is and what she is:- Until the very end, the purpose to Gilly’s life is to be her mother whom Gilly feels wants and loves her….She does not know who her mother is……Picture is before Courtney left home…..Gilly was clearly an accident……. Courtney keeps her for 3 years and then gives her up….Courtney appears to be a selfish person [ See Courtney’s room P argument with her mother P. 146………Has only come home because she was paid……Never speaks to Gilly in the novel….When she gave her up for adoption she gave Gilly a picture of herself with “I will always love you”…Gilly realises that the message was never really meant…..considers Courtney never really loved her.

Standard Grade English Slide:- 4 The Great Gilly Hopkins:- iv. Being forced to leave Trotter’s. a) Having to leave somewhere she really wanted to be: Because she did not want to be with the “Dixon’s” or the “Richmonds” Gilly makes life so difficult for them that she has to leave them….When she arrives at Trotter’s she does the same……..She writes the letter to Courtney to get her away from Trotter’s…….She runs away to be with her mother….. it is because W.E. begged her to come back that Gilly returns. After her return major changes take place…….she teaches W.E. to defend himself….She hears Trotter defend her….She refers to W.E as her brother P. 118…..She comes to regard Trotter’s as a real home. The letter forces her to leave……where before she would have fought tooth and nail, now she accepts she must live with her granny……the reason she accepts it is so as let Trotter down. It is her love for Trotter and W.E. that make her accept something she does not want.

Standard Grade English Slide:- 5 The Great Gilly Hopkins:- v. Learning to grow up. a) Becoming someone others respect: When Gilly arrives at Trotters she has been such a “pain” that Miss Ellis despairs anyone will ever take her……she has major disagreements with Trotter….she frightens W.E……she steals from both Trotter and Mr. Randolph and she tries to “wind up” Miss Harris. Gilly’s love for Trotter and W.E. is what changes her. See slide 4. When she leaves Miss Harris writes to her telling her how much she misses her and wants her to write to her…….W.E. writes She not only replies to Miss Harris she also reads and comments on “The Lord of the Rings” the book where her name came from. In the final conversation with Trotter, Trotter tells she would not changed anything in her….she is proud of her…..so as not to let Trotter down she does something she does want to or like.

Standard Grade English Slide:- 6 The Great Gilly Hopkins:- vi. Learning that stealing is wrong. a) Learning the difference between right and wrong: