THE RAILWAY CHILDREN

SYNOPSIS

Roberta ( Bobbie), Peter and Phyllis lived in London with their loving parents. They were happy and contented. One day, two strangers came to their house and took their father away. After this sudden event, the children and their mother moved to a small house in the country. There was a railway line near their new house. The children became friends with the people who worked at the railway. They enjoyed waving to the passengers on the 9.15am train. An old gentleman who travelled on the train always waved back at them. This gentleman became their friend. The children had several adventures with the railway. They stopped the train when a landslide covered the tracks. They also saved a boy who was hurt in the train tunnel. The children often thought of their father . Then Roberta ( Bobbie ) found out why their father was taken away. She wrote to the old gentleman for help. With his help, their father finally returned to the family.

Character: Roberta @ Bobbie

·     ResponsibleEvidence:  She takes charge and gets her siblings to think of a way to get their mother the things the doctor said she must have when she is ill.

·              Brave

Evidence:  She runs onto the railway track to stop the train when a landslide covers the railway line.·               Determined      Evidence: She is determined to get help so that she can help her father who is in  jail. She tells the

old gentleman about him and with the gentleman’s help, her father finally returns to the family.

    Themes1.  The importance of family love·         Bobbie and her siblings have loving parents. After their father is taken away, Mother is very sad but

she does not tell the children and the children do not ask questions so that their mother will not be upset.·         The children always work together to solve problems, for example when their mother is ill and needs

special food and when they have to save the train.

2. Facing life’s challenges with courage·         The children and their mother face problems bravely. Mother does not show how sad she is and works

hard to provide for the children.·         When a landslide covers the railway tracks, the children act with courage to save the train from a

terrible accident.

    Moral Values     We learn about:     1.     Family love and loyalty          The children show their love for their mother by not asking questions about their father. They are loyal to their father and never forget him.          2.     Kindness and compassion          The station master lets Peter go when he learns that the family is too poor to buy coal.

     3.     Bravery          The children are brave to confess that they have taken the coal and they also tell their mother       that they asked a stranger to get the things the doctor asked them to get for her.