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 warmhearted 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
Ration books
Gas masks
Evacuees
Druids
A will
A skull
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
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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
household
Druid’s Bottom
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
Louisa (Aunty Lou)
a ring
life
a knife
frightened
councillor
shop
strict
honest
religious
Hepzibah
frightened
Adapted from www.englishresources.co.uk
Worksheet 2
The story line
Make sure you know the meaning of these words:
strict
outside
Wales
America
skull
fault
on fire
no
dies
family
Johnny
Louisa (Aunty Lou)
goose
important
luxury
Gotobed
brother and sister
Second World War
evacuated
father
Druid’s Bottom
shop
boyfriend
married
Hepzibah
terrible
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
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.
Write true, false or no information
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
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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?
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I live a Druid’s Bottom, I like animals but have difficulty speaking.
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I work in the shop, I am frightened of my brother and I have an American
boyfriend.
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I like to read books and have two very good friends, Carrie and Nick.
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I hang around Carrie’s neck and she takes me everywhere.
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I like to cook good food and tell stories.
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I am written on paper and say what will happen to people’s property after they
die.
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I like to dance and look at all my beautiful dresses.
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I am mysterious and magical and lie in a box at Druid’s Bottom.
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I am Carrie’s brother and I like food.
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I was a priest and worshipped nature and the sun.
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I think I am an important man. I am strict, suspicious, hard working and honest.
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I stand in the shop and Louisa puts money in me.
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I am married, I drive an ambulance and miss my children.
Mr Evans
Hepzibah
Dilys Gotobed
A druid
Albert
Mr Johnny
The skull
Carrie Willow
Mrs Willow
Nick Willow
A gas mas
Aunty Lou
A will
A till (a cash register)