“the Great Gilly Hopkins and Good Language”

In Katherine Patterson’s “The Great Gilly Hopkins” We meet the main character of the story, Galadriel Hopkins. Galadriel does not care for her name and prefers to be called Gilly. Gilly is an eleven year old girl who was left in foster care by her mother, Courtney. Gilly is a very sharp and self-reliant child who is also very bitter and angry after spending so many of her years in foster care. Gilly undertakes a tough exterior by creating an identity for herself as the “great Gilly Hopkins” to guard herself against any further emotional pain brought on by several of her inhospitable foster parents. Gilly is a loner and a trouble maker who separates herself from those who try to care for her. Gilly is finally matched with Maime Trotter, a foster mother who is a respectable care giver. Gilly dreams of reuniting with her biological mother and one day sends a letter to her mother begging her to come rescue her. While living with Trotter Gilly gets into trouble. She leaves a rude and racist card to her teacher Mrs. Harris. Agnes Stokes, a classmate of Gilly’s who tries to win her friendship. At first Gilly dislikes her new foster home and foster brother, William Teague. Gilly initially enjoys tormenting William but like her new home and Mrs. Trotter eventually grows to like him. Just as Gilly grows a custom to her new life at the Trotter home, Gilly’s mother request that custody of Gilly goes to her biological grandmother, Nonnie Hopkins. While Gilly bonds with Nonnie she learns that her mother, Courtney is coming to visit her in Virginia. Gilly is excited to hear the news but is upset to learn that her mother had no desire to return home with Gilly and was paid by Nonnie to come and visit her. Despite wanting to return to the Trotter home Gilly decides to deal with her new situation in order to make Trotter proud. Throughout the novel, “The Great Gilly Hopkins” we see Gilly, the main character curse on a frequent occasion. Despite the controversy against the use