Do not read any further if you have started the book and have not yet finished it. You may not want to know how it ends until you get there yourself.
We have just finished listening to Mrs Vincent read aloud the novel Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo.
By reading this story together we learned:
- to recognise foreshadowing in a story and to recognise when foreshadowed events occurred later in the story
- to recognise different types of conflict in a story and to identify if it is conflict with self, conflict with others, conflict with technology, or conflict with the environment
- to identify themes in the story - such as war, family, time, bullying, and bravery
- to recognise imagery and symbols as they appeared and recurred in a story and how they are used to link the first part of the story with the second part - such as birds, mud, time, the song Oranges and Lemons
- the background of the nursery rhyme Oranges and Lemons
- to know and love - or hate - the characters, and to feel genuine sorrow at the way the story ended
- to compare our own experiences with the characters' and to find similarities and differences
- to enjoy listening to stories, to enjoy sharing a story together, to enjoy discussing, wondering, predicting, discovering, and confirming our ideas and opinions
- I can't believe he is going to die. I thought that Charlie would not die because he's strong and brave. I'm a bit angry that the book didn't continue because it should have ended when Tommo went home so we could see Molly's and Mother's reaction. At the start, I didn't get it much and found it boring, but slowly I started getting it and started enjoying it. I was really happy when I found that Horrible Hanley died because he was really cruel and I hated him. Overall, I love the story and I will read it again. (Ramandeep)
- I thought the story would be longer and that Charlie wouldn't die. I really enjoyed the story and there was a lot of drama. I feel a little angry that Charlie died and was happy when Horrible Hanley died. It was a mysterious and really nice story to listen to. I'm wondering if there will be a Private Peaceful 2. (Lili)
- I enjoyed all of the story parts unravelling piece by piece, like pass the parcel. (Jamarl)
- I am angry because it ended so quickly, and there has to be another book. (Dominic)
- Around the end, I think I picked up more things about the story and I could tell some things were going to happen before they happened. I started to realise that things happened at the beginning of the story that also happened at the end. Charlie knew all along that Tommo thought he had killed his father. I think Charlie getting the cane from Mr Munnings was the same as Charlie getting shot at the end of the story. (Syvannah)
- I wish there was a series of books of Private Peaceful. I wish Horrible Hanley wasn't so mean to Charlie and Tommo because they both had their lives ahead of them. It was quite sad when Hanley put Charlie on Field Punishment Number One. I would like to reread the book because I am a little bit lost. It will take me a while to get over it. (Brylee)
- I really think I understand the story and how it all came together. I wanted to hear more and I wanted to know more about what happened back at home - more about Tommo's life and feelings. I 100% understand what the story is about and I now understand more about any novel. (Mason)
- It's really touching and gripping. (Alex)
- I love this book. I hope one day that someone else could feel about the book as we felt. (Amber-Lee)
- I felt Charlie didn't deserve to die, just for looking after his brother. (Aiden)
- The times all add up now. After doing so calculation, I worked out that Tommo wrote the book in 7 hours and 55 minutes. (Mwaniki)
- I was teary when Charlie died. I liked the part when Charlie gives Tommo the watch and handed him the responsibility of little Tommo. It should have ended like this: Tommo goes home and meets little Tommo and tells the family that Charlie has died. Big Joe runs to the church and climbs to the roof and looks at the sky, remembering Father and Charlie. I learnt a lot from this book. (Vanshika)
- I think the end was really sad because Charlie died and it didn't feel as if the story had ended. When Charlie got shot in the foot and he didn't come back to the camp it felt like he had really died. I now understand foreshadowing better. (Jupman)
- The story had many emotional scenes in it which makes the butterflies on the cover of the book relevant to the story. (Alisha)
- I'm frustrated because I wanted there to be more of the story. I was thinking that Tommo and Charlie would both survive. I loved the story and I can understand foreshadowing and conflict.(Sheffy)
- I think that the book should have kept on going because I wanted to know what happened to Tommo. I didn't like how Charlie got shot and I didn't like the ending. (DC)
- Charlie sacrificed his life for Tommo to live; he is a really brave guy. I was angry because I thought there should be more about what happened to Molly, Tommo, little Tommo, Mother, the Colonel, Wolf Woman and Big Joe. What happened after all that? Horrible Hanley should have died by Charlie and then everyone could have blamed the Germans. I loved it so much and I can read it again. That book is the best book ever. With calculation, Tommo wrote the book 7 hours and 55 minutes before Charlies dies. (Sukhdev)
What was in the letters Charlie gave to Tommo to take home for him?
We wanted to know what Charlie put in his last letters home, so we made some up for ourselves. Here's some of the things we thought he could have written:
- to his son, Tommo Junior:
... I stood up for everyone. Sergeant Hanley said we must run out there and give it our all, and we all thought and knew it was suicide. So I didn't listen. i was looking after your uncle ... (Alex)
... I'm about to die, but it wasn't my fault. I wasn't a coward - I was protecting my little brother Tommo. He was really wounded and I needed to help him. My time has come.
From your beloved father, Charlie Peaceful
- Hello, son. No doubt your uncle and mother are caring for you a lot. I love you, Tommo, and I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. I hope you forgive me.
- to Molly:
- Sorry, Molly, but I couldn't leave Tommo behind because he was wounded, and he's my little brother. I know you would have agreed with me. But don't worry, Tommo will take care of you both, and I know he will. (Jupman)- Everything Tommo has told you about the execution is true. I died with dignity and I wanat our son to know that. I died singing Oranges and Lemons. Let Big Joe know that I am with Father and am taking care of his mouse. (Cameron)
- to his mother:
I disobeyed the sergeant's order because it was a stupid and suicidal order. I had no witness - not even Tommo, as they said he was my brother. (Sheffy)
- I will not be making it home due to punishments for not following orders from the sergeant when looking after Tommo.
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| Joanna's drawings to show different examples of conflict with self and conflict with others. |
Here's a video of Micahel Morpurgo talking about how he writes his books - and his thoughts about education.
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