private peaceful
a book about the first world war
Biography from Michael Morpurgo
Most of the times he writes his books about the past. People describe his story’s as touching, adventurous and funny. Animals often plays a big role in his story’s and the relation between human and animals.
a summery about the book
Private peaceful is about Tommo and his family. His father was a lumberjack but he died after an accident caused by Tommo and he feels very guilty about it. On school Tommo and Charlie are going to be friends with Molly. Molly is friendly for Big Joe and mother too. But when Charlie and Molly finished school they start to work for the Colonel. The Colonel’s dog Bertha, who can’t hunt anymore and therefore gets killed, is taken by Charlie. He took Bertha because he was very fond of the dog. That is the reason why molly is forbidden by her parents to see Charlie and Tommo anymore. In the meantime Charlie and Molly had fallen in love with each other, but are not allowed to see each other. That’s why Tommo and Molly go to the wood to meet each other in secret. So they can exchange letters from Charlie and Molly. Then Tommo finish school too and start to work with Charlie on a farm. On a day when Charlie and Tommo come home after a visit to the pub, they see Molly at their home. Molly had big news, she is pregnant from Charlie and her parents kicked her out of the house. Short after that news Charlie and Molly got married. Just after they got married, Charlie must go to France to fight in the war against Germany. Tommo also wants to join the army. At first Tommo was not allowed to join the army because of his age. But when Tommo and Charlie convinced the army that they are twins and have the wright age, Tommo and Charlie can join the army and went to France to fight.
Tommo and Charlie didn’t get hurt on the first battles, but when Tommo came back on the army camp Charlie wasn’t there. After a day Charlie didn’t come back and everyone thinks he is dead. But then Tommo hears a voice and the voice said: TOMMO. It was Charlie. He was hurt on his feet because somebody shoot him. He must go back to England so his feet can heal. The time without Charlie is terrible for Tommo. In the meanwhile back in England Molly gave birth to a baby, named Little Tommo. Charlie barely sees his new born baby before he goes back to France. Back in France Charlie and Tommo have a new sergeant to lead them in the battles. Charlie didn’t liked the sergeant.
Then Tommo gets hurt very bad and is not able to fight anymore. Charlie wants to stay with Tommo to take care of him, but the sergeant won’t let him. Charlie ignored the order of the sergeant and stayed with Tommo. Therefor they locked him up at the army camp. After a week when Tommo is a little better he is allowed to visit Charlie. Because Charlie thinks he will not survive much longer he tells Tommo to do his best to stay alive to take care for Little Tommo and Molly. This is also the moment Tommo want to tell Charlie about the accident with their father, but he can’t. When Charlie tells Tommo he already knows, because Tommo talks in his sleep, Tommo is very relieved.
The next day Charlie is murdered.
A description of my favourite character
She can get along with all the characters of the book and that is the reason that I like her.
My opinion about the book
It’s an exciting story that shows you how life looks like in a war, how you can deal with the dead of your father and to fight for your country in the first world war. What you can do if you are in love on the same person as your brother and how you can survive without your best friend.