The Railway Children tells the story of three children, Roberta, Phyllis, and Peter, who move from their comfortable home in London to a poor cottage near a railway line after their father is mysteriously taken away. They face many challenges but support each other through hard work and courage. A friendly railway porter named Perks helps the children and they make other friends in the village. Through small acts of kindness, the children's good deeds eventually help lead to a happy resolution. The novel teaches values like responsibility, courage in facing difficulties, and appreciation for others.
3. SINOPSIS
This is a story of three children, Roberta, Phyllis, and Peter, who live in a
respectable suburban villa with a wonderful mother and father and a cook and
servants, until one day great disgrace and poverty befalls them. Father is taken
away to prison (but they do not know this at first), and they have to move to a poor
cottage in the country near a railway line. Mother writes stories to earn what little
they live on and they get used to being poor and have to learn not to steal coal
from the railway station, even if they have so little to keep warm by. Sometimes
they argue and have crises, as one does, but in time they make many new
friends, and amusing adventures aplenty happen near the railway and the canal.
They develop the habit of waving to the train as it goes past and sometimes the
people in the coaches wave back. Their friendly habits makes them one special
friend in particular, who although he mostly just goes by in the train, eventually
gets to know them, and helps them out in various ways. And somehow all the good
things that they do add up together and end up coming back to them, and there is
happy ending to it all.
4. THEMES
1. 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.
5. THEMES
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.
6.
7. CHARACTHERS
ROBERTA ~BOBBIE
FATHER
PETER
PERKS
PHYLLYS
DR. FOREST
MOTHER
MRS. VINEY
THE OLD GENTLEMAN
MRS. RANSOME
14. PERKS
A very nice and friendly
railway porter.
Hardworking
Proud
Reasonable
Responsible
DR. FOREST
Hopeful
Responsible
15. M R S. R A N S O M E
M R S. V I N E Y
Appreaciative
Woman from village
Generous
Responsible
Sensitive
16.
17. MORAL VALUES
The novel teaches us to be responsible
The novel teaches us to be helpful.
The novel teaches us that we must show
our appreciation.
The novel teaches us that we must be
honest
18.
19. PLACE ~
A home in London
The railway station
The railway lines
The railway tunnel
The village
SOCIAL~ CULTURAL
Edwardian times