Jill Paton Walsh’s novel Fireweed shows this when two adolescents Bill

Jill Paton Walsh’s novel Fireweed shows this when two adolescents Bill

and Julie who know nothing about each other. They are then thrown into

an increasingly complicated relationship which has its ups and downs.

Fireweed

London is a very complex place, especially when you are 15 and on your

own in the blitz of 1940. Jill Paton Walsh’s novel “Fireweed” shows

this when two adolescents “Bill and Julie” who know nothing about each

other. They are then thrown into an increasingly complicated

relationship which has its ups and downs.

At the beginning of the novel their relationship was simply a business

partnership, as Julie had money and Bill knew his way about London.

When they found out about this they went out for a bite to eat. When

Julie and Bill first met they were complete strangers to one another,

but because they were on their own, in London during the war they

decided that a friend would be a good idea. At the restaurant Bill and

Julie learned more about each other. At this point I think in the

novel Bill and Julie have no feelings for each other whatsoever, it’s

simply just a business partnership. They are both lonely, she has

money he doesn’t and he knows his way about London and she doesn’t. At

this point in the novel Bill is trying to impress Julie as this is

quite normal for an adolescent boy.

The first real problem in the relationship occurs when Bill and Julie

are at the park having a good time, until Bill spots his dad. This is

a major turning point in their relationship as one little problem

grows and becomes a crisis when Bill can’t decide if he wants to go

get his father or stay with Julie, if he chooses to go see his dad, he

will be sent to Wales and she will be sent to Canada ...

... middle of paper ...

...lising he can’t find her he visits every hospital in

London asking for a Julie and they all reply no. He then runs until he

can run no more.

When Bill eventually does get in to see Julie he can’t really talk to

her as her Mum and brother are in the room, so he sticks to small

talk. Julie’s Brother Robin butts in and says “look pal thanks for

everything but if there is anything more than a friendship then beat

it”. Bill is about to talk when Julie says “don’t be silly Robin of

course there is nothing in it, nothing at all”. After this Bill fells

the worst he has ever felt in his life and thinks that the only way

out is death. Bill is so hurt by Julie’s comment that he wants to kill

himself.

Many years later after the war he looks back on his relationship with

Julie and thinks to himself what if it was only a cover up and she did

have feelings for him.