Why the Whales Came? By Michael Murpugo

The book “Why the Whales Came” by Michael Morpurgo is about a girl called Gracie and her friend Daniel who meets a mysterious man called the Birdman. It is set on a small island called Bryher in 1914, on the verge of the First World War. The book has many different themes such as Fear, Friendship and Bullying.

There are many different examples of fear; one example of fear is Gracie’s of the Birdman.
“You keep away from the Birdman Gracie,” shows that the islander believe that the Birdman is to be feared. Gracie’s fear of the birdman comes from her being warned all her life not to go near him. People are frightened because he seems to talk funny and ignore people. When Gracie is forced to go to Rushy Bay her fear is strong and overwhelming whereas Daniel is brave and doesn’t listen to the rumours that the islanders pass round. Something that reinforces Gracie’s fear after their first visit to Rushy Bay is the story of Charlie Webber.

Another example of fear is Gracie and Daniels fear when they are on Samson “Only fear kept us awake,” is a quite obvious display of fear. The reason that Gracie, Daniel and all the islanders are frightened of Samson is because of Charlie Webber. He was cursed when he went to Samson because he was dared. The fear of Samson is shown all throughout the book but when Gracie and Daniel are on Samson it shows it more clearly. When they first go to Samson they don’t know it, it just seams like an unknown island. When it gets darker they grow more afraid. In the morning they work out where they are.

Friendship is an important theme in the book. Gracie and Daniel have a strong friend ship with each other.
“With Daniel and God on my side, I thought, my best friend in earth and my best friend in heaven, surely nothing could go wrong” Shows that Gracie considers him as her best friend on earth Daniel also considers Gracie as his best friend. Their friendship stays strong for most of the book. But after they got back from Samson Daniel grew more distant, not talking to Gracie properly just saying one word answers. It is later found that he talked to the Birdman about the curse and knew that it was true and he felt slightly guilty because Gracie’s father disappeared straight after they came back from Samson.

Another friendship is Gracie and Daniel’s relationship with the Birdman. They become friends when Daniel and Gracie go to Popplestones bay and they find a message.
”Stay and play your beach as much as mine,” It shows that he wants to become friends with a lot of persuasion from Daniel, they reply. They then start having long conversations about each other and the other people of Bryher. But one night the Birdman went in his boat to Samson. The next day Gracie and Daniel find the oar of the Birdman’s boat. They look for the Birdman in his cottage. After their first meeting they realised the Birdman was deaf! After many meetings Gracie feels left out as Daniel’s relationship with the Birdman develops more quickly. But after the Birdman realises he makes sure to include her in everything. When Gracie’s father leaves to fight in the war Gracie and her mother struggle financially but the Birdman helps by anonymously giving them bread, milk and honey. Their relationship is also shown when the whales came and Daniel and Gracie help by trying to roll it and Daniel tries to persuade the islanders not to kill the whale. They later decide to help.

Another important theme is bullying. The main bully is Big Tim but his friends also bully people, under Big Tim’s influence.
“… You both belong, in the dirt like all the Hun-lovers.” Shows that he uses verbal abuse because a “Hun-Lover” is someone that supports the Germans in the war. He physically abuses Daniel a few times, but only hurts Gracie on one occasion. Big Tim bullied the Birdman he verbally abused him by falsely calling him a Hun but he also destroys the Birdman’s home with his friends. After that incident Gracie’s mother confronts him calling him a bully she also says that he knows nothing. He doesn’t seem to bully them after that.

The book was quite hard to get into but after five chapters or so it becomes a more enjoyable with a strong storyline and perfectly put together. Not quite an "impossible to put down read" but it is a fun book and easy to read.