The Railway Children

THE RAILWAY CHILDREN-CHARACTER
ROBERTA (BOBBIE)
Roberta is 12 years old. She has a brother named Peter and a

younger sister named Phyllis.She is fondly known as Bobbie in
this novel. She is the eldest of the three. One of her characters is,
she is a very persistent person.She doesn't easily throw in the
towel when the odds seem to be against her.
There are many incidences in the novel where we can see her
persistence. For example, in chapter 3 (page 17 - paragraph 5 -
lines 1-3),we can see how determined she was in getting the
things necessary for her mother's recovery when her mother
was ill. Her persistence paid off when the old gentleman
gave the things needed for her mother's recovery.
In chapter 6 (page 38 - read the whole page), Perks was not
happy with people giving him presents.He was worried
that people would laugh and make fun of him.Bobbie
persistently reasoned with Perks about the good intentions of the
village people giving him the presents untill he relented and
accepted the gifts.Finally, Perks celebrated his birthday with a
happy note.
In chapter 7 (pg 42 - the whole page), she did not give up in
finding a way to help secure her father's release from prison. She
was persistent even when her mother had given up. She secretly
wrote a letter to her friend the old gentleman asking for his help
to clear her father's name.In the end her father was released from
prison.
*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
Peter is Roberta's brother. He is the second

child in the family. Peter is a very brave and smart young chap.
He wants to be an engineer when he grows up. He has a knack
for railway engines. He was overjoyed when his father gave him
a steam engine for his birthday.
One distinct character of Peter is sharp-witted(intelligent).In
Chapter 5 (p29 - p4 - lines 1-3), It was he who gave the idea of
using something red in colour to wave and stop the train from
meeting a certain disaster.He cut 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 1-3), Peter was honest in giving
the idea of asking the village people to give gifts for Perk's
birthday.He told his mother about their true intention of giving
Perks the presents.Many people gave gifts for Perks birthday
party.
In Chapter 2 (pg 12 - p 3 - lines 1-3), we can see the daring side
of Peter. He was daring enough to steal coal from the railway
station at night but he did itignorantly. Peter innocently thought
it was alright to take some coal from the station.
In Chapter 8 (p46 - p1 - lines 1-4 / pg 47 - p2 - lines 1-4), we
can see how bravePeter was in searching for the boy in the red
shirt in the dark tunnel.He was shaking in fear but still he
continued the search for the boy with his sisters.
PHYLLIS
Phyllis is the youngest child in the family. She is the cutest of

the three.She is quite a bubbly character. She is very naive and
insecure.She is also very sensitive but easily forgiving.
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.
In Chapter 1 (p7 - p1 - last line), Phyllis felt very insecure when
they moved in to their new house at the countyside.
While in Chapter 6 (pg 38 - p1&2),Phyllis became very
sensitive when Perks refused to accept the gifts the children had
brought to him. She was so hurt by Perks's words that she started
to cry.
In Chapter 4,5,6 and 8 we can see how loving, caring and
helpful Phyllis is.
MOTHER
Mother is a homely type.We can read this

in Chapter 1 (page 1 - paragraph 2 - lines 1-3). She spends
most of her time at home, playing with the children or reading
stories to them.Usually she read the stories she wrote to
them.She is a very protective woman. She protected her children
from worrying or feeling sad about their father. She did this by
not telling them what actually had happened to their father. She
also told them that they need to play being poor for a while in
order not to cause more anxiety on them.
In chapter 2 (p12 - pg 1 - lines 2-3), we can see how resourceful
she is. Mother wrote stories and sold them to put some food on
the table.
In chapter 4 (p21 - pg 3 - lines 1-3), we can see that Mother is a
very proud person. Although they were poor, she strongly
discourages her children from telling people that they are poor
and asking strangers to help them.
She is also a very caring and loving Mother.In Chapter 1 (p1 -
p2 - lines 1-3),Mother was always ready to play with her
chlidren. She also read stories to them.
Whereas in Chapter 9 ( p53 - p1 - lines 2-4), she taught her
children their lessons as they have stopped going to school for
some time now.
In Chapter 8 (p50 - p1 - lines 8-9) , she took in the injured boy
into her house and nursed him to health.
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 Russian
spy and was sentenced to 5 years in prison.
In Chapter 1 (pg 1 - p 3 - lines 2-4),we can see how tolerant and
wonderful he is. He never gets angry at the children nor at his
wife. The children love their father very much for he is always
happy and ready to play games with them.
In Chapter 1 (pg 3 - p1 - lines 1-3), when Peter showed him his
broken steam engine, father looked at
it carefully and smilingly told Peter that there is
hope(optimistic) that his steam engine could be repaired.He is
also a grateful man.
In Chapter 9 (pg 57 - "Yes',said Father.'It's him I must
thank.'). Father wasgrateful for his release and wanted
to thank the old gentleman for helping him to clear his name and
secure his release from prison.
PERKS
A Railway Porter
Friendly, Proud, Hardworking, Reasonable, Responsible
OLD GENTLEMAN
Friendly, Helpful, Kind, Resourceful

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THE RAILWAY CHILDREN-CHARACTER

Roberta is 12 years old. She has a brother named Peter and a

*Brave - Chapter 5, Chapter 7, Chapter 8

Peter is Roberta's brother. He is the second

Phyllis is the youngest child in the family. She is the cutest of

Mother is a homely type.We can read this

The children's father worked in a government

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