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Chapter 8: School
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Good Night, Mr. Tom, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Biological Family vs. Chosen Family
Civilians in Wartime
Grief and Healing
Talent and Community
Religion
Summary
Analysis
On Willie’s sixth day living with Tom, Tom greets Willie with a “Happy Birthday!” as Willie comes down the ladder carrying his rubber sheet, regular sheets, and pajamas. Tom expects Willie to ask whether he’s received parcels, but Willie doesn’t. Willie does his chores, practices a little writing with Tom, and goes for a run with Sammy. After he leaves, the postman, Matthew Parfitt, arrives. Tom asks whether Willie has anything from London. Matthew says no, but he does have some cards, gifts, and a special birthday breakfast from various villagers. Tom hopefully speculates that what Willie’s mother sent may have been delayed in the post due to the war.
Tom anticipates that Willie’s mother will send her son gifts in the mail, yet Willie’s failure to ask any questions about the mail suggests that he doesn’t expect his mother will send him anything. The difference in Tom and Willie’s expectations shows that Tom has not yet realized how abusive, neglectful, and withholding Willie’s mother has been toward her son.
Themes
When Willie returns, he is shocked to see the birthday breakfast, presents, and cards. He gets new clothes from Tom (made by Mrs. Fletcher) and The Wind in the Willows from Emilia Thorne, among other gifts. Once he has opened everything else, Tom brings out another present: a sketchpad, pots of paint, paintbrushes, a pencil, a pencil sharpener, and an eraser. Willie’s throat hurts with emotion. Tom, seeing that Willie likes the gifts, looks out the window at the oak tree under which Rachel and his baby son are buried. He realizes that though he has been avoiding things that remind him of Rachel, entering the art store again actually made his memories of her less painful. Willie thanks Tom sincerely.
Willie’s shock at receiving birthday presents further emphasizes how little he was used to receiving from his abusive mother. (Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows (1908) is a famous English children’s novel about anthropomorphized animals.) By contrast, in Little Weirwold he receives gifts not only from Tom—who makes a point of supporting Willie’s artistic interests—but from other kind residents like Miss Thorne. Meanwhile, Tom’s growing affection for Willie helps Tom remember his dead wife and son in a less painful way—which suggests that confronting old memories of love and grief helps to draw the pain out of them.
Themes
After school, Tom takes Willie around the village to personally thank everyone who gave him a gift. As they walk home, clouds gather. Tom suggests that Willie go draw inside the church. Willie runs into the church as rain begins pouring. He becomes absorbed in drawing the pulpit, not noticing when the rain stops or when Zach calls for him. Zach enters the church, peeks over Willie’s shoulder, and exclaims at his drawing. Willie covers it in embarrassment. Haltingly, Zach claims that Tom needs to talk to Willie. He hurries Willie home—and when Willie enters the cottage, a whole roomful of people start singing happy birthday: George, Mrs. Fletcher, Ginnie, Carrie, their mother, Lucy, Lucy’s mother Roe, and Tom.
Tom encourages Willie to start drawing with his new birthday gifts right away, and when Zach sees Willie’s drawing, he immediately praises its quality. These actions suggest that Willie’s new community in Little Weirwold will encourage him to develop his artistic talent in a way that his mother and classmates in London did not. Similarly, the surprise party that Tom throws for Willie indicates Tom’s growing affection for Willie and the wider community’s support of them both.
Themes
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On the table stands a lot of food, including a birthday cake with candles. Zach excitedly asks Willie whether he guessed about the party, though Willie obviously had no idea. Willie has never had his own birthday parties—he’s only heard about them from children at school. Tom, Carrie, and Zach explain to him that he should blow out the candles and make a secret wish.
Willie has never had a birthday party before and needs to have birthday wishes explained to him, more details emphasizing his mother’s indifference to and neglect of him, in contrast with Tom’s warm affection.
Themes
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Everyone is sitting down to eat when Zach exclaims that no one has seen Willie’s picture yet. With some encouragement from Carrie and Ginnie, Willie shows them his picture. Tom praises his “fine hand,” and Willie blushes. They eat cake, and Willie receives more presents, including small cakes that Lucy—who stares at Willie with infatuation—baked herself. Willie thanks her awkwardly. After the guests leave, Willie tries to tell Tom how excellent the day has been and ends up vomiting on the floor.
Zach encourages Willie to share his art with the others, and Tom praises his “fine hand” (i.e., his skill at drawing). This encouragement and praise again foreshadow that the Little Weirwold community will help Willie’s artistic talent blossom. When Willie vomits—presumably from excitement and too much cake—it shows that he is still not used to affection and generosity after his abusive childhood in London.
Themes
