Small Island - Characters

Question 1

Describe Hortense’s plot

Answer 1

• Light-skinned Jamaican
• Joins a teacher training college and forms friendship with Celia
• She meets Gilbert during a disturbance
• Hortense meets Gilbert again, as Celia’s lover
• She marries Gilbert and moves to London
• She is refused a teaching job in London
• Hortense and Gilbert are asked to take care of Baby Michael

Question 2

What are some characteristics of Hortense?

Answer 2

• Takes herself seriously
• Gullible
• Critical/snobbish
• Over-elaborate in speech
• Polite

Question 3

What is Hortense’s comedic role in ‘Small Island’?

Answer 3

• Her cynical wit
• Working-class woman
• Takes herself very seriously
• Subverts expectations (uses wide range of vocab)
• Melancholic
• Killjoy

Question 4

Describe Gilbert’s plot

Answer 4

• Born and raised in Jamaica
• Worked in the US army
• Was in a relationship with Celia
• Agreed to marry Hortense to get money to move to England
• Moved to England and served in the army
• Found lodgings for him and Hortense at Queenie’s house
• His relationship with Hortense is rocky
• He doesn’t get on with Bernard
• He is offered Baby Michael - him and Hortense take him

Question 5

What are some characteristics of Gilbert?

Answer 5

• Arrogant
• Naïve
• Caring
• Hero

Question 6

What is Gilbert’s comedic role in ‘Small Island’?

Answer 6

• Bragging soldier
• Clown of the novel
• Working-class
• Innocent, gullible, youthful

Question 7

Describe Queenie’s plot

Answer 7

• Born and raised on a farm
• Moved to London with her Aunt
• Married Bernard because she thought didn’t want to go back to the family home
• Develops strong relationship with Arthur
• Helps to run a shelter for people affected by the war
• Has an affair with Michael and gets pregnant
• Gives Baby Michael to Hortense and Gilbert

Question 8

What are some characteristics of Queenie?

Answer 8

• Naturally caring
• Self-deprecating
• Notices all the small details (especially of Bernard)

Question 9

What is Queenie’s comedic role in ‘Small Island’?

Answer 9

• Naïve
• Amusing to current readers
• She pokes fun at Aunt Dorothy

Question 10

Describe Bernard’s plot

Answer 10

• Fell in love with and married Queenie
• Joined the army to fight in the war
• Gets homesick in India
• Doesn’t like Gilbert ad Hortense because they are black

Question 11

What are some characteristics of Bernard?

Answer 11

• Boring
• Blunt
• Racist

Question 12

What is Bernard’s comedic role in ‘Small Island’?

Answer 12

• Bragging soldier
• Cuckolded husband
• Killjoy/spoilsport
• Bore