Character growth and mutual transformation in Goodnight Mister Tom

¶ … Night Mr. Tom

"William is changed by Mr. Tom, but Mr. Tom is also changed by William"

~ Good Night Mr. Tom

Author Michelle Magorian's 1981 novel Good Night Mr. Tom tells the story of young William Beech. William is evacuated from London during the Blitzkrieg of World War II and sent to live with an elderly man in the country town of Little Wierwold. His name is Tom Oakley. Mr. Oakley is something of a recluse, unused to children and unused to company except for his dog Sammy. He opens his home to young Willie and the two of them grow thanks to one another's influence. The novel teaches the reader an important lesson, that everyone is capable of change, no matter their background or age.

When Willie first arrives at Little Wierwold, he has already had a harrowing existence in his short life. His overly religious mother has physically and emotionally abused him. He is covered with bruises and is severely underfed. Willie is also under the misconception that he has deserved her mistreatment because the mother has convinced her son that he is made of sin (6). Sinners get punished. To this end, Willie believes mother is kind in her beatings and that other people, such as is new benefactor, will be even crueler. This mother is portrayed as a terrible hypocrite. Not only does she mistreat her child under the guise of religious zealotry, but she later bears a child out of wedlock after having a liaison with a man. She had instilled in William that such relationships were sin but does not allow this belief to dissuade her own actions.

Initially, Mr. Tom is reluctant to let the boy in. He does not want to open his home to another individual. Despite his impulses, the older man lets the boy in. In the town of Little Wierwold, William encounters understanding and love that he had never had before. One such specific instance is when William habitually wets the bed, an uncommon occurrence in abused children. Instead of harm the child for his accidents, Mr. Tom helps the boy change the bedding.

Mr. Tom does not go through the experience unchanged. The reader learns that Mr. Tom had lost both his wife and child to illness four decades earlier. This is why he has become so reclusive in his later years. The man had the unfortunate lesson that if you love someone, then they can be taken from you. Consequently, he stayed away from other people and behaved coldly to his neighbors, not wanting to become close to anyone who could then leave him. The love of William changes Mr. Tom. He cannot hide his true nature from the child, his desire to nurture immediately taking over. Mr. Tom buys the child warm clothing, teaches him to read and write (102), and even overcomes his aversion to art stores (his wife Rachel had been a painter) to encourage the child's artistic ability (110). Over time, William overcomes his upbringing. Tom notices the growth without giving any of the credit to himself. "He's changed quite a bit in these last few weeks" (134).