Goodnight Mister Tom

Will’s mother, Mrs. Beech, is a cruel and abusive parent; she is the story’s antagonist. In a letter to Tom, she tells him, “I’ve put the belt in for when he’s bad” (30). Mrs. Beech frequently interprets Will’s behavior as “bad,” and his constant abuse at the hands of his mother is illustrated in his fearful and meek manner, as well as his bruised and marked body: “One of his socks slid halfway down his leg, revealing a large multicolored bruise on his shin and a swollen red sore beside” (13).

Mrs. Beech is a static character who does not develop through the story; her abusive parenting style is her main attribute, and this remains a consistent feature, including when Will returns to London after his first stay at Little Weirwold. Omnipotent, third-person narration, which reveals the characters’ inner dialogues, allows the reader to understand that Mrs. Beech’s abuse is borne out of a desire to cruelly repress and control Will. Therefore, Will’s newfound strength, health, confidence, and independence when he returns from Little Weirwold feels threatening to Mrs. Beech, as Will will be harder to control and manipulate: “He smiled. She stepped sharply backwards, horrified. She couldn’t remember ever having seen him smile before” (182). Will’s smile is seen as a threat to her authority over him. She also notes that Will is talking a lot and ominously reflects, “She’d soon discipline it out of him” (183). This realization leads to the most horrific instance of Mrs. Beech’s abuse when she locks her two children in the cupboard, where they are left for weeks, leading to Trudy’s death.

Mrs. Beech, as well as being cruel and violent, is also a fearful and paranoid character. Her control of Will is justified by her puritanical beliefs about Christian goodness and her fear of divine retribution, as is illustrated by her terror and disgust when she learns that Zach is Jewish: “His mother let out a frightened scream. ‘You’ve been poisoned by the devil!’” (184). There is the insinuation that Mrs. Beech is mentally unstable and that her mental condition breeds paranoia, which leads her to try to control Will through abuse.

Tom is a dynamic character who develops significantly through the story, namely through becoming a parent to Will. Initially, Tom is presented as gruff and rude. He is impatient with both Will and the Billeting Officer in the novel’s exposition. In Weirwold, the librarian is shocked to learn that Tom has been given a child to host, illustrating Tom’s community’s negative perception of him:

‘He’s with me.’ Miss Emilia Thorne gazed at Willie, stared at Tom and then took another look at Willie. ‘With you?’ she asked in astonishment. ‘With you!’ she repeated. ‘But you’re...’ She was about to say, ‘a bad-tempered, frosty old…’ but she stopped herself (58).

However, Tom’s immediate accommodation of Will hints at Tom’s gentle kindness and compassion, which is masked by his gruff exterior, such as when he immediately decides to install a low peg for Will to hang his coat: “Bit ‘igh fer you. I’d best put in a low peg” (10-11). Tom’s inherent gentleness is further hinted at through his connection to his animals, such as Sammy, whom he lovingly pats and often carries: “He knelt down and ruffled his fur. Sammy snuggled up between his knees” (22).

This gentleness emerges more as Tom notes Will’s fearfulness, such as when Will throws his arm in front of his face when Tom handles the branch: “‘You can take yer arm down now, boy,’ he said quietly (18). Tom’s quiet address illustrates his recognition of Will’s fear and his attempts to comfort and reassure him. Tom’s kindness is further demonstrated as he bathes Will, tends to the wounds inflicted by his abusive mother, washes his wet bedding every day without complaints, and helps him to learn how to read and write.

Tom is initially afflicted with long-repressed grief at the deaths of his wife and son decades earlier. Through his connection with Will, he is forced to confront this grief, which allows him to heal from it. Will reminds Tom of Rachel, who was artistic and loved capturing the beauty of the world. Tom digs up Rachel’s paints, and goes into the art shop in Weirwold for the first time in decades. To his surprise, Tom feels lightened by these experiences; his grief feels less sharp.

Becoming a parent to Will reconnects Tom to a younger, more joyful, and playful version of himself: “Tom was dancing too” (245) when Will, Zach, and Tom reach the Salmouth seaside, illustrating Tom’s rediscovered youthful joy and silliness. Furthermore, Tom chases the children around his house, pretending to be a monster, which is utterly unlike his initial characterization as a grumpy, isolated hermit.