Mr Watts

Significance in the story- Him and Grace stand out in the village because he's white + pulled her around on a trolley
- He teaches the kids when no one else does - giving them an escape in time of need
- Source of knowledge for many, mostly the kids, as they are fascinated by the outside world
- He introduces the kids to Great Expectations (he also introduces it to the whole island)
- Gets murdered by rebels for being honest and brave

Flaws
- Doesn't follow Christianity like the Bougainvillians so he stood out like a saw thumb
- His kindness ends up backfiring as he gets killed when he could have escaped before the blockade: ultimately his kindness is his downfall

Symbolic Purpose
- Everyone looks up to him because he is white + they believe that the colour white is important (Page 4)
- Mysterious and strange due to walking round in a red nose
- When he begins reading Great Expectations, the whole village see him as an escape from the island: hope & freedom
- Seen as an educator
- Children assume he is very wise - a lot smarter than them- as they ask him lots of questions
- Dolores sees him as an enemy because he is not teaching the children the Bible, he is teaching them about a different book, associated with hope + freedom + the outside world.
- Is like Joe Gargery from Great Expectations in that he teaches the children good morals and kindness

Status & Jobs
- Becomes a teacher - all knowing figure of the island looked up to by the children as the wisest person
- Encouraged the children to escape through Great Expectations

Relationships with others
- At start, the other characters know very little about him
- Dolores doesn't really like him - but eventually she takes pity on him and gives her life in his name
- Matilda really likes him - she looks up to him like a father figure in the absence of her actual father
- All children see him as their leader
- Graces loves him and he loves her - they have absolute adoration for each other

First Expressions
- Weird - clown nose, Pop Eye
- Only white on the island - an outsider
- Mysterious
- Damaged - "He looked like someone that had seen great suffering"
- Mad - "Mad as a goose"
- Important - belief in importance of his being white and the importance of the colour

Beliefs
- Believes in Dickens
- Believes in whatever he needs to - adapts to the Bougainvillians around him - he always believes in doing the right thing
- Loyal
- Believes that the children deserve education
- Doesn't seem to have an individual personality or belief; he becomes different characters (e.g. Pip when the redskins come)
- Believes in being a gentleman

Key Quotations
"Mr Watts had given us kids another piece of the world" P21
"He looked like someone who had seen or known great suffering" P1
"He was Tom Christian Watts and white as the whites of your eyes, only sicker" P3
"I want this to be a place of light..." P14
"Mr Watts was aware of his shortcomings" P25
"My mum glanced at Mr Watts who laughed to show what a good sport he was" P38
"Money and social standing..... a gentleman will always do the right thing." P46
"Grace is not my wife's name" P63
"As usual he was guided by his innate sense of courtesy." P67
"What is it like to be white?......." P81
"...lean skinny frame that his clothes hung off" P84
"I saw Mr Watts stiffen......" P138
"My name is Pip" P139
"It was like being around someone who is permanently pissed" P206
"We needed a teacher........ Mr Watts had given himself" P210

Other notable language
- Named 'Pop Eye' because he looks different
- Looks as though he has "seen great suffering"
- Takes his own life to save others

Timeline
Page 1 - Matilda sees Mr Watts and Grace
Page 3 - Description of Mr Watts
Page 9 - Matilda says Pop Eye is mad for not leaving
Page 13 - Pop Eye becomes teacher
Page 29 - Matilda finds out from Mr Watts what a 'frosty morning' is
Page 46 - Mr Watts tells the children about gentlemen
Page 63 - Mr Watts tells the children that Grace is not his wife's name
Page 81 - Children ask Mr Watts what it's like to be white & he tells them
Page 81 - Redskins arrive
Page 86 - Mr Watts says he is Mr Dickens
Page 88 - Book debacle
Page 98 - Mr Warrs pulls Grace on the trolley again
Page 103 - Great Expectations is burned
Page 120 - Grace dies
Page 135 - Rambos return
Page 138 - Mr Watts stays relaxed through abuse
Page 139 - Mr Watts says he is Pip
Page 143 - Telling Mr Watts' story
Page 150 - Matilda helps him to piece back together Great Expectations
Page 173 - Mr Watts is killed