Bridget White-
Bridget is a young girl, she is around 12 years old, has a mum, dad and brother and she lives in Australia. Bridget is a nice girl but she is very careful who she is friends with and keeps to herself. Bridget’s family are rough and have criminal backgrounds, her parents work as illegal importers. Bridget tries to keep to herself at school because she is worried about people knowing about her parents jobs. In the beginning, Bridget moves to a private boarding school, because her parents think she will be better influenced and not end up as crims like them. Bridget doesn’t really like the boarding school on her first day and tries to escape during the night, but she meets some nice girls and makes a friend called Menzies, so she decides to stay. Bridget is extremely motivated to help the refugees, because she believes that they all deserve freedom and fair rights. Bridget’s Mum - Roz White Roz is the mother of Bridget and Gavin and is married to Len, Bridget’s father. Roz doesn’t believe in violence or stealing but still works with her husband importing foreign items illegally. Roz is nice and loves her children and husband very much, she is very hospitable and caring. She wants the best for her kids and tries to steer them away from crime. She is compassionate and kind, she puts others first and wants to help Jamal and Bibi to be freed from the refugee centre. She is motivated to help Bridget grow up to be a strong person that doesn't participate in crime or break any laws. Bridget’s Dad – Len White/Podger Len is Bridget and Gavin’s Dad, he is nice and a good father to his children. Len works with his wife illegally importing foreign items, like dishwashers, tooth-brushes and game-boys, sometimes he is ashamed of his job but he needs to keep doing it, as it is his only job. He is kind and although a criminal doesn’t believe in violence, lying or stealing of any kind and believes it’s very wrong. Len owns a warehouse near his house where he stores the imported items. He is motivated to help Bridget grow up to live a life without any crime or illegal importing like there family. Menzies- Menzies is a young boy around 12 years old like Bridget and he goes to the same boarding school. His Dad is the National Minister of Development and has a very important job meaning he doesn’t spend much time with Menzies. His mum is helps Menzies’ Dad in his work meaning she is often busy as well. Menzies writes letters to a boy named Jamal in a refugee centre in Australia, Menzies begs his father to free the refugees. Menzies and Bridget become good friends and they try hard to free the refugees together. Veuve, Chantelle and Antoinette- Veuve, Chantelle and Antoinette are three girls that go to the same boarding school and are in the same room as Bridget. The girls are good friends and are very alike, they have very similar interests and each have their own horse. The girls are nice to Bridget but are not extremely close to her, Bridget is worried if she makes friends with them they will know about her parents’ job. Gavin White- Bridget’s older brother, Gavin, is in jail because of shop-lifting. Gavin has to spend 6 months in jail; he writes letters to his younger sister Bridget, asking her questions and talking about what jail is like. Bridget and her parents miss Gavin and don’t want Bridget to ever go to jail like her brother so they send her to boarding school. Uncle Grub - George White- Uncle Grub, is Bridget’s uncle, he lives with her parents and is not very successful. Uncle Grub’s real name is George White but likes Bridget to call him Uncle Grub. He sometimes steals things but is nice and would never hurt anyone. He is very kind to Bridget and treats her like his own daughter, he cares for her and tries to help her often. His hair is put up in a greasy long pony tail. Menzies’ Parents- Menzies parents do not spend much time with him because they are often working, they send Menzies to a boarding school. His father works as the Minister for National Development and his wife helps him a lot, meaning they don’t spend much time with their son. They live in Canberra in a big house near Parliament House where he works. Uncle Ollie- Uncle Ollie is one of Bridget’s uncles, he has a wife named Del. Ollie used to be a nurse and a baggage handler where he would often steal things out of peoples suitcases. He is very close to Bridget’s family and often spends time with them and comes to their house. |
Dave the Bodyguard-
Dave is Menzies’ bodyguard, he follows Menzies around to guard him from terrorists. He is from Canberra and likes to visit is mother there. Dave is kind and caring, he drives Menzies and Bridget around and it happy to protect Menzies from any danger. He likes toast and was given a blender by Uncle Grub. Dave the Bodyguard- Dave is Menzies’ bodyguard, he follows Menzies around to guard him from terrorists. He is from Canberra and likes to visit is mother there. Dave is kind and caring, he drives Menzies and Bridget around and it happy to protect Menzies from any danger. He likes toast and was given a blender by Uncle Grub. Analysis Questions Q1- How would you describe Bridget’s family? Bridget’s family are nice, kind people, but are still criminals, Bridget’s parents work in illegal importing and her uncle and brother steal things. Bridget’s family take good care of each other and see each other often. They are a fun family that celebrate together and are good friends to each other. Q2- How would you describe Menzies’ family? Menzies family, in ways, are the opposite to Bridget’s family. Menzies’ dad is the Minister for National Development, and works a lot, he doesn’t have much time to spend with Menzies. Menzies parents are not particularly friendly, they are boring and not fun like Bridget’s parents. They work most of the time and are quite rich, unlike Bridget’s family. Q3- Which character changes the most over the story? I think that Bridget changes a lot over the story. She starts off shy and she doesn’t know about a lot of things she learns about throughout the book. During the story, Bridget becomes braver and stronger, by the very end she is stronger than many of the adults in the story and fights for the freedom of the refugees. Q4- Who is your favourite character and why? In Girl Underground, my favourite character is Bridget, I think she is a nice, brave girl. I think, although she is shy and keeps to herself a lot, she is a good friend to Menzies and is very caring of her family. I think Bridget is very brave and good to the refugee by standing up for them and trying to free them. Q5 - Why do you think Bridget hates her new school so much at first? I think Bridget hates her new boarding school because it is so different to anywhere she has lived before. I think Bridget isn’t used to being around a lot of kids, and she is worried that being around so many people, may make her accidently tell someone about her families job. Bridget thinks that if she stays at the boarding school it is putting her family and their secrets in danger, so she desperately wants to leave. Q6 – What do you think would happen to the characters after the story? I think that Bridget and Menzies would go back and live at home and maybe they would go to the same school. I think that Bridget and Menzies will do more things to help the refugees and maybe get some help from the Prime Minister. I think that Bridget’s family will become friends with Menzies’ family and they would become friends. I think that Menzies’ Dad would become a bit nicer and less strict and work less, I think he was getting nicer by the end of the book and I think he will keep getting nicer. |