The way Wills mother brought him up doesn’t help. She told him many lies just so he’d be scared, more controllable and better behaved. Several years of this cruel “treatment” lead Willie to think that most families were like his. He’d never even realised before that things she’d said may not even be true.
When William first came to the village, Tom had no choice over having an evacuee, so couldn’t say no. I think Tom noticed the difference in Wills behaviour compared to other children and couldn’t understand why he was that way at first. But, as his back round is revealed in the story, Tom grows sympathy, kindness and love towards the bewildered boy.
The villager’s reaction to William is just to welcome him, and the other evacuees, because they realise how hard it is on them. But soon people begin to grow fond of him for the person that he really is inside.
As this true person begins to open up, he also makes friends more his own age, George, Carrie, Ginny and most of all Zach. The relationship with the other children grows and he feels something he’d never felt before, true friendship. Soon he’s experiencing the highs and lows of childhood that he’d never had the chance to do before either.
When Willie first went to pick blackberries with them, he wasn’t sure how to act or talk around them because he didn’t have to follow rules on what was expected of him. For once he had freedom, but felt uncomfortable with it, to start off with, because he wasn’t used to it. Zach asked him a question and he was so uncertain his answer that he panicked, relaxed a little and then whispered his reply. It just took time. This shows that he’s never been in that situation before and is uncertain about himself. He didn’t even know what he liked doing.
At the rehearsals for the Christmas play, Willie had a suitable part as prompter, which meant he wouldn’t get to shy, or embarrassed. But when one of the cast members didn’t turn up, he was given the part of the male crone. This made Will nervous. After practising and using some imagination, he began to get the hang of it, felt more relaxed and even got quite good.
Later in the book William receives a letter from his mother saying she is ill and that he must return home to London. This is a bit of a shock to both him and Tom because he has only just settled down in the countryside. He has to go whether he likes it or not. When he returns home his mother doesn’t even recognise him. After spending a distressed time starving, lonely, tied and locked up in an empty cupboard, Mister Tom rescues him. From then on they don’t want to be separated because they love each other and don’t want to suffer again like they did before. All this becomes true and is a happy ending for them both.
Overall, William Beech is a great character to read about because his unusual personality gives a twist to the story and helps you to understand him better. You can relate what he’s going/been through and noticeably see the changes in his emotions, feelings, and actions.
By Emily Hemsworth. 9K.