THE RAILWAY CHILDREN-CHARACTER

ROBERTA(BOBBIE)

Robertais12yearsold.ShehasabrothernamedPeteranda
youngersisternamedPhyllis.SheisfondlyknownasBobbie
in this novel. She is the eldest of the three. One of her
charactersis,sheisaverypersistentperson.Shedoesn'teasily
throwinthetowelwhentheoddsseemtobeagainsther.
Therearemanyincidencesinthenovelwherewecanseeher
persistence.Forexample,inchapter3(page17paragraph5
lines13),wecanseehowdeterminedshewasingettingthe
thingsnecessaryforhermother'srecoverywhenhermother
wasill.Her persistencepaid off when the old gentleman
gavethethingsneededforhermother'srecovery.
Inchapter6(page38readthewholepage),Perkswasnot
happy withpeople giving him presents.He was worried
thatpeople would laugh and make fun of him.Bobbie
persistentlyreasonedwithPerksaboutthegoodintentionsof
thevillagepeoplegivinghimthepresentsuntilherelented
andacceptedthegifts.Finally,Perkscelebratedhisbirthday
withahappynote.
Inchapter7(pg42thewholepage),shedidnotgiveupin
findingawaytohelpsecureherfather'sreleasefromprison.

She waspersistent even when her mother had given up.

Shesecretly wrote a letter to her friend the old gentleman
askingforhishelptoclearherfather'sname.Intheendher
fatherwasreleasedfromprison.
*Brave - Chapter 5, Chapter 7, Chapter 8
*Kindhearted - Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 8
*Responsible - Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5
*Moral - we must not easily give up when things seem impossible. We must keep trying by finding
means and ways to make the impossible possible like Roberta.

PETER

PeterisRoberta'sbrother.Heisthesecond
childinthefamily.Peterisaverybraveandsmartyoung
chap.Hewantstobeanengineerwhenhegrowsup.Hehasa
knackforrailwayengines.Hewasoverjoyedwhenhisfather
gavehimasteamengineforhisbirthday.
OnedistinctcharacterofPeterissharpwitted(intelligent).In
Chapter5(p29p4lines13),Itwashewhogavetheidea
ofusingsomethingredincolourtowaveandstopthetrain
from meeting a certain disaster.Hecut his sisters' red
petticoats into six pieces and put them on to sticks.Peter
together with his sisters waved at the coming train until it
stopped.
In Chapter 6 (pg 36 p1 lines 13),Peter washonestin
givingtheideaofaskingthevillagepeopletogivegiftsfor

Perk'sbirthday.Hetoldhismotherabouttheirtrueintentionof
givingPerksthepresents.ManypeoplegavegiftsforPerks
birthdayparty.
In Chapter 2 (pg 12 p 3 lines 13),we can see
thedaringsideofPeter.Hewasdaringenoughtostealcoal
from the railway station at night but he did itignorantly.
Peterinnocentlythoughtitwasalrighttotakesomecoalfrom
thestation.
InChapter8(p46p1lines14/pg47p2lines14),we
canseehowbravePeterwasinsearchingfortheboyinthered
shirtinthedarktunnel.Hewasshakinginfearbutstillhe
continuedthesearchfortheboywithhissisters.
PHYLLIS

Phyllisistheyoungestchildinthefamily.Sheisthecutestof
thethree.Sheisquiteabubblycharacter.Sheisverynaive
andinsecure.Sheisalsoverysensitivebuteasilyforgiving.
In Chapter 5 (p29,30 & 31),we can see the brave side of
Phyllis. She together with her elder sister and brother
managed to stop the train from meeting with a terrible
accident.
InChapter1(p7p1lastline),Phyllisfeltveryinsecure
whentheymovedintotheirnewhouseatthecountyside.
Whilein Chapter 6 (pg 38 p1&2),Phyllis became very
sensitivewhenPerksrefusedtoacceptthegiftsthechildren

hadbroughttohim.ShewassohurtbyPerks'swordsthatshe
startedtocry.
InChapter4,5,6and8wecanseehowloving,caringand
helpfulPhyllisis.
MOTHER

Mother is a homely type.We can read this

inChapter1(page1paragraph2lines13).Shespends
mostofhertimeathome,playingwiththechildrenorreading
stories to them.Usually she read the stories she wrote to
them.She is a very protective woman. She protected her
childrenfromworryingorfeelingsadabouttheirfather.She
did this by nottellingthem what actually had happened to
theirfather.Shealsotoldthemthattheyneedtoplaybeing
poorforawhileinordernottocausemoreanxietyonthem.
In chapter 2 (p12 pg 1 lines 23),we can see how
resourcefulsheis.Motherwrotestoriesandsoldthemtoput
somefoodonthetable.
Inchapter4(p21pg3lines13),wecanseethatMotheris
averyproudperson.Althoughtheywerepoor,shestrongly
discouragesherchildrenfromtellingpeoplethattheyarepoor
andaskingstrangerstohelpthem.
SheisalsoaverycaringandlovingMother.InChapter1(p1
p2 lines 13),Mother was always ready to play with her
chlidren.Shealsoreadstoriestothem.

WhereasinChapter9(p53p1lines24),shetaughther
childrentheirlessonsastheyhavestoppedgoingtoschoolfor
sometimenow.
InChapter8(p50p1lines89),shetookintheinjured
boyintoherhouseandnursedhimtohealth.
FATHER

The children's father worked in a government

ofiice. He was a civil servant. He was an honest and
hardworking man. He was wrongly accused of being a
Russianspyandwassentencedto5yearsinprison.
InChapter1(pg1p3lines24),wecanseehowtolerant
andwonderfulheis.Henevergetsangryatthechildrennorat
hiswife.Thechildrenlovetheirfatherverymuchforheis
alwayshappyandreadytoplaygameswiththem.
InChapter1(pg3p1lines13),whenPetershowedhim
his broken steam engine, father looked at
itcarefullyandsmilinglytold Peterthat there is
hope(optimistic)thathissteamenginecouldberepaired.Heis
alsoagratefulman.
In Chapter 9 (pg 57 "Yes',said Father.'It's him I must
thank.').Father wasgratefulfor his release and wanted
tothanktheoldgentlemanforhelpinghimtoclearhisname
andsecurehisreleasefromprison.
PERKS

ARailwayPorter
Friendly,Proud,Hardworking,Reasonable,Responsible
OLDGENTLEMAN
Friendly,Helpful,Kind,Resourceful