Carrie’s War

Material
DVD Carrie’s War. BBC 2003.
The novel Carrie’s War
(DVD og boka kan kjøpes fraktfritt fra www.play.com. Se ellers www.amazon.com.)

Teachers’ notes
Summary of the book (Synopsis)
Albert, Carrie and young Nick are war-time evacuees sent from London to
a village in Wales. They become so involved with the people they've come
to live with that the war and their real families seem to belong to another
world. Carrie and Nick are sent to live with old Mr Evans, who is strict and
cold. His timid sister, Lou, is housekeeper and works in the family’s shop.
Lou suddenly starts having secrets.

Carrie’s friend Albert is luckier. He is sent to live at “Druid's Bottom” with

warm-hearted Hepzibah Green and the strange Mister Johnny. He can talk
to animals but not to human beings. Carrie and Nick visit Druid’s Bottom
whenever they can for Hepzibah makes life exciting with her stories about
witches, ghosts and legends and her delicious cooking. Gradually they
begin to feel more at ease in their war-time home. Carrie tries to heal the
rift between Mr Evans and his estranged sister Dilys, and to save Druid's
Bottom but in doing so Carrie does a terrible thing which is to haunt her for
years to come.
Carrie revisits Wales as an adult and tells the story to her own children.

About the author

Nina Bawden (b. 1925) has written over forty novels, 23 for adults and 19
for children. She has won numerous awards, has been widely translated
(into Japanese and Farsi and Russian, as well as the more conventional
Western languages like French and German), and several of her novels
have been filmed or made into television serials. Her children’s novel
Carrie's War, has been filmed by the BBC and is available on DVD. Nina
was born in London, evacuated to the mining valleys of South Wales
during the 1939-45 War. She now lives in London.
Important vocabulary
Second World War Druids
Ration books A will
Gas masks A skull
Evacuees A Town Councillor

Themes
War
Despite its accurate period setting, Nina Bawden's novel says little about
World War II. In the film there are several things that remind us that a war
is going on: the use of ration books in the shop, the shortage of food,
everyone carries gas masks etc.

Emotions
The title describes an emotional war fought by 12-year-old Carrie Willow.
She attempts to reconcile different unfriendly parties without taking sides.
She battles to make her voice heard in a world run by adults and their
rules.

Contrasts
 The busy, war-torn life in London over the life of a small, quiet Welsh
village.
 The nostalgic, cosy warmth of Hepzibah's hearth over the cold,
austerity of Evans' home.
 The suppression of feelings over the expression of feelings amongst the
characters.
 Superstition over religion
 The differences in life styles of Dilys and her brother Mr. Evans etc.

The background and structure of the book/film

The novel is set up as a flashback. Caroline (Carrie) Willow, now grown-up,
tells her own children of her experiences during the war. This can make it
necessary to draw a time-line to illustrate the order of events in the story.
The TV drama however is seen through the eyes of the wartime children.

The TV drama was filmed in the Welsh village of Blaengarw. This was the
intended setting of Bawden's novel, the author having been evacuated
there for one week in 1940.

The book is very much a character-driven story: interaction, emotion and

internalised thoughts are stressed over actions. The story is full of small
incidents but with very little plot. It depends on the developing
relationships between the wonderful characters. Carrie comes to realise
that her guardian, Mr Evans, is not as terrible as he first appears. By the
end of the story she has found some sympathy for him, and understands
his genuine, if hidden, regret at having shunned his elder sister for much
of her life. The timid Auntie Lou is influenced by the spirited way Carrie
and Nick handle Evans' harsher outbursts. She becomes inspired to find
romance with an American serviceman.

Adapted from Alistair McGown

Introduction
Before you start watching the film:
1. Find London and the Welsh mining villages on the map.
2. Find out when the Second World War started and ended.
3. Find out why children were sent away from their homes in London
during the war.
4. Find out the meaning of the words in Important vocabulary above.

Activities
 Watch the video/DVD and read passages from the book. (The video
is not sub-titled. The teacher can choose to transliterate passages
and then show that passage of the film. Alternatively, the film can be
stopped at regular intervals so that the teacher can translate what
has been said. The pupils should be consulted.)
 Stop the film at exciting points. The pupils are given excerpts from
the book to read so that they can find out what happens. F eks
Hepzibah is going to tell a story about the history of Druid’s Bottom.
What is the story about? Mr Evans threatens to beat Nick with his
belt. How does Nick avoid a beating?
 Discuss the novel’s story line, setting, characters and atmosphere.
 How important is the first line in the TV drama in setting the
atmosphere for the rest of the film?
Things to do
Write Carrie’s letter home after arriving at the Evans’ house. Would you
be 100% honest? Why/why not? Make sure you know how to layout a
letter.

Write Albert’s postcard home. Make sure you know how to layout a
postcard.

Make a role-play. Imagine you are an evacuated child. You have just
travelled far away from home and now you are waiting to be picked out by
a family.

Carrie told some lies in this situation. After the role-play, discuss reasons
for Carries’ actions.

Draw the Evan’s family tree.

 (Chapter 2) Write a list of the rules in the Evan’s household.

Make a venn diagram and describe the two homes, including the
characters living there and the atmosphere.

The Evan’s Druid’s Bottom

household

A venn diagram.

Make a timeline and fill in the different events that happened to the skull
at Druid’s Bottom.

Write a character study of Mr Evans. Use examples from the story to

back up your opinion of him. Alternatively, use the worksheet below to
make a character study of Mr Evans.

Write a story about what you think happens when Carrie and Albert meet
at the end of the film.

Do you think there was something magical and mysterious about the
skull at Druid’s Bottom? Give reasons for your answer.
Interview some of your family about their experiences during the Second
World War and write notes. Or, interview an adult deaf person at the Deaf
Club about their experiences during the Second World War and write
notes.

Discuss the differences and similarities between the experiences of the

British and Norwegian civilians during the Second World War.

Look on the Internet and find a map of Wales, some examples of the
Welsh language and the welsh flag.

Look at this web site: www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2children/home.shtml,

and find out some facts about children’s lives in Britain during the Second
World War.
Write about what have you learned about the lives of children in England
during the Second World War.

Nick says goodbye to Mum.

Worksheet 1
A character study of Mr Evans

BBC
Fill in the missing words:

Who is the first person to talk about Mr. Evans? ________________

Louisa seems _______________ of her brother.

Mr Evans works as a __________________ and he has a ___________.

Mr Evans has worked very hard all his __________.

Mr Evans is very _______ and has rules for behaviour.

Mr Evans holds sermons in the church showing that he is a ________________

man.

When Nick is caught stealing from the shop Mr Evans wants to beat him

with his ______. Nick stops him by saying that he will tell everyone that

they don’t get food. Mr Evans is ___________of what other people think of

him.

Mr Evans asks Carrie to spy on Druid’s Bottom. He doesn’t trust

____________________.

When Carrie gives a lady the wrong change Mr Evans makes her run after

her. This shows that Mr Evans is _________________.

When the children leave, Mr Evans gives Carrie a _____ and Nick a

_____________.

belt frightened
Louisa (Aunty Lou) councillor
a ring shop
life strict
a knife honest
religious frightened
Hepzibah
Adapted from www.englishresources.co.uk
Worksheet 2
The story line
Make sure you know the meaning of these words:

strict Johnny Druid’s Bottom

outside Louisa (Aunty Lou) shop
Wales goose boyfriend
America important married
skull luxury Hepzibah
fault Gotobed terrible
on fire brother and sister
no Second World War
dies evacuated
family father

Fill in the missing words:

Carrie tells the story of her childhood during the ________ __________
_______.

London is being bombed. Carrie and Nick are sent to _______________ by

train. They are _____________ together with many other children.
Carrie and Nick are sent to live with Mr Evans and his sister ______________.

BBC

Albert is sent to live with Mrs Dilys Gotobed, Hepzibah and Mr Johnny at
________’__ _____________.
Mr Evans has a shop and is a Town Councillor. He is an ___________ man in
the village. Carrie and Nick have to follow Mr Evans’ _________ rules.
Mr Evans and Mrs Dilys Gotobed are _________ _____ _______, but they are
not friends. Dilys married the rich owner of the mine where their __________
was killed. She has lived a life of ________.
Carrie and Nick are sent to Druid’s Bottom to fetch the Christmas
_________.
There they meet Mrs ________ and Mr ___________ and eat Hepzibah’s good
food. Hepzibah tells the story of the _______. It must be kept inside the
house or _________ things will happen. The children often visit Druid’s
Bottom. Mr Evans asks Carrie to spy on Hepzibah and Dilys. Carrie says
___.

Nick is caught stealing from the ______ and Mr Evans wants to beat him.
Aunty Lou has a boyfriend from ________________, but it is a secret.

Dilys _______ and no one can find her will so Mr Evans inherits Druid’s
Bottom. He tells Hepzibah and Johnny to leave the house. Carrie throws
the skull into the well ___________. Carrie gives Mr Evans a message from
his dead sister and says that she does not believe that he has stolen Dilys’
will.

Carrie and Nick have to leave Wales to join their ___________ who have
moved to Scotland. Mr Evans gives Carrie a ____ and Nick a _____________.
Aunty Lou runs off with her __________________.

As they leave on the train, Carrie and Nick see that Druid’s Bottom is ___
___________. Carrie thinks that the fire is her ___________ because she threw
away the skull.

Many years later Carrie comes back to Druid’s Bottom with her children.
The house is re-built after the fire. She finds out that Mr Evans changed his
mind and let ________ and Johnny stay. Mr Evans is dead. Aunty Lou is
__________ and lives in America and Albert still visits Druid’s Bottom. Just
then, Albert arrives…
 Druids were the priests of the Celtic people leading public religious ceremony and worshiping
nature and the sun.

A quiz
Are these statements true or false? Or maybe you cannot answer the
question because there was no information in the text.

Statements Write true, false or no

information
Carrie likes to play basketball.

Carrie and Nick are brother and

sister.

Mr Evans was not a strict and

religious man.

Dilys Gotobed liked to dance and

wear pretty dresses.

Dilys Gotobed, Louisa Evans and Mr

Evans were brother and sister.

Hepzibah was kind, a good cook and

a clever storyteller.

Mr Evans beat Nick with his belt for

stealing from the shop.

Mr Evans thought that Hepzibah

wanted Dilys’ house and money.

Dilys knew when she was going to

die.

Mr Evans stole Dilys’ will.

Mr Evans liked Aunty Lou’s

boyfriend.

The skull caused the fire at Druid’s

Bottom.

Albert paid for Johnny to have

lessons so that he learnt to talk.

Auntie Lou married a German

soldier.

Albert married Carrie.

Make food from the Second World War

During the Second World War food was rationed to make sure that
everyone got a fair share. Rationing started in 1940 and ended in 1954.

A ration book

Each person was given a ration book and allowed certain amounts of basic
food stuffs. There was also a point system for food that was not rationed.
Each person was given a number of points and could choose how to spend
these points. Many people grew their own vegetables and kept hens and
pigs to provide extra food.

Many people were better fed during wartime than before and after the war.
Children were given extra rations of orange juice, milk and cod liver oil.
Infant mortality rates declined, and the average age at which people died
of natural causes increased.

During the war a Ministry of Food was set up. It gave advice about how to
make the best out of the food that was available. Here is a pie named after
Lord Woolton, the Minister of Food. The vegetables could be changed
according to what was available.
Have a go at making it!

Woolton Pie

500g potatoes
500g cauliflower
500g swede
500g carrots
1 tsp marmite (buljong pulver e.l.)
25g oatmeal (havregryn)
4 spring onions
750 g potatoes
 25g cheese

 Peel and dice 500g of potatoes, cauliflower, swede and carrots. Cook in
salted water.
 Strain the vegetables and save 200ml of cooking water.
 Put the vegetables in a large dish.
 Add the marmite and oatmeal to the vegetable water and boil until
thickened.
 Add the chopped spring onions.
 Boil and mash the 750 g of potatoes.
 Top the pie with mashed potatoes and a little grated cheese.
 Heat the pie in a moderately hot over until golden brown
(approximately 1 hour).
 Serve with brown gravy.
Adapted from British Nutrition Foundation

Who am I?

 I live a Druid’s Bottom, I like animals but have difficulty speaking.

 I work in the shop, I am frightened of my brother and I have an
American boyfriend.
 I like to read books and have two very good friends, Carrie and Nick.
 I hang around Carrie’s neck and she takes me everywhere.
 I like to cook good food and tell stories.
 I am written on paper and say what will happen to people’s property
after they die.
 I like to dance and look at all my beautiful dresses.
 I am mysterious and magical and lie in a box at Druid’s Bottom.
 I am Carrie’s brother and I like food.
 I was a priest and worshipped nature and the sun.
 I think I am an important man. I am strict, suspicious, hard working and
honest.
 I stand in the shop and Louisa puts money in me.
 I am married, I drive an ambulance and miss my children.

Mr Evans Dilys Gotobed

Albert A druid
The skull Mr Johnny
Mrs Willow Carrie Willow
A gas mas Nick Willow
A will Aunty Lou
Hepzibah A till (a cash register)