VIVIEN ALCOCK

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

VIVIEN ALCOCK

Born in 1924 in Worthing, West Sussex, England

Author of children’s book who was gifted with ability to blend reality and fantasy

She understood the hidden feelings of teenagers, especially he shy and the overlooked.

Produced over 20 novels with themes of kindness/pity, the need for friendships and the complexities of family ties.Died in 2003.

ELEMENTS OF QWERTYUIOP

SETTING

PHYSICAL SETTING

Belmont Secretarial CollegeLucy Beck’s homeOffice of Ross & Bannister’s

SOCIAL SETTING

*lower middle-class

TIME

20th century England

CHARACTERS

MAIN CHARACTERS

*Lucy Beck

*Harry Darke

*Miss Broome

MINOR CHARACTERS

*Mr Ross, Mrs Beck , Uncle Bert

THEMES

*Facing challenges

•Learning to

let go

* Rejection

MESSAGE

*it is important to have courage, optimism and perseverance

* Love and understanding can help to heal wounds or resolve conflicts

MORAL VALUESCompassion and kindness

Discretion and consideration for others

Do not judge a book by its cover

Do not give up easily when we are faced with problems

THEMES

Facing Challenges

Handling Difficult Task with courage

MORAL VALUES

Determination

Discretion and

consideration for others

Loyalty Perseverance is the key to

success

Compassion and kindness

QWERTYUIOPQWERTYUIOP

SETTING

Lucy Beck’s house

Belmont Secretarial College

Ross & Bannister’s office

Lesson Learnt

Perseverance

Helping others

Lucy Beck

Harry Darke

Miss Broome

Mr Ross

Mrs Beck

Uncle Bert

CHARACTERS

5.RESOLUTION

4.FALLING ACTION

2. RISING ACTION A hidden hand causes

havoc with Lucy’s typing efforts. QWERTYUIOPs would be the letters popping up every time Lucy types

Lucy Beck begins her job at Ross and Bannister’s as a secretary after graduating from Belmont Secretarial College

1. EXPOSITION

The spirit, the late Miss Broome, types out threatening words to Lucy.

Lucy declares war and fights back with rapid typing and lots of correcting liquids

3.CLIMAX

Lucy discovers Miss Broome’s background and uses a softer approach to console her

Lucy manages to overcome her problem with the ghost of Miss Broome, completes her typing on time and error free, and reaches a new understanding with her Uncle Bert

THE PLOT

THE CHARACTERSTHE CHARACTERS

LUCY BECK

MISS BROOME

MR HARRY DARKE

MR ROSS

UNCLE BECK

MRS BECK

PICTURE PICTURE PICTURE PICTURE PICTURE PICTURE

Timid

Courageous

Young

Shy

Determined

Brave

Lacked of confidence

Compassionate

Characteristics Evidence from text

Timid/

Shy

* small, mousy-looking and easily overlooked (page 9)

* Looked out of place on her first day at work (page 12)

Lacked of Confidence

Whoever will want to employ me? (page 9)

If I get a job…Trouble was that there were hundreds after every vacancy, brighter than Lucy, better qualified than Lucy…(page 10)

Determined For an hour, she battled with the machine…(page 22)

“It’s my job now,” she said. “I need it…”(page 26)

Lucy showed no mercy… reached the end of the letter in triumph. (page 22)

CHARACTERISTICS Evidence from textCompassionate Lucy instantly feels sorry after saying mean

stuff to Uncle Bert (page 26)

Assures him that she and her mother needed him (page 28)

Feels sorry for Miss Broome, which is noticed by Harry (page 26)

Brave /

Courageous

“…she was not a coward.” (page 20)

She went back and sat down in front of the typewriter and glared at it…it crouched, like a squat, ugly monster, staring at her with its alphabetical eyes (page 20)

Even though she is young and shy, she faces Miss Broome’s spirit bravely (page 20)

Relentlessly fights the typewriter (pages 20 and 22)

HARRY DARKE

Experienced

Helpful

Reassuring

Mysterious

Observant

Loyal

Characteristics Evidence From Text

Experienced Observes the importance of punctuality

Wonders how long Lucy will last as a secretary

Helpful

Reassuring

Mysterious

Tells Lucy that she can ask him about anything (page 12) “Anything you want, just ask old Harry.”

Stresses to Lucy that she shouldn’t worry if she makes mistakes when she types (page 14)

Makes a few under-the –breath comments and behaves strangely (pages 12-14)

Characteristics

Evidence From Text

Observant Observes that Lucy was scared/ anxious on her first day (page 13)

Understood that Miss Broome hated the younger touch typists without needing to be told (page 25)

Quick to notice Lucy’s sympathy for Miss Broome (page 26)

Loyal He worked there for thirty years until his retirement and came back to help out as a handyman.

MISS BROOME

Hardworking

Efficient

Loyal

Bad-tempered

Persistent

Characteristics Evidence from text

Loyal Been here forty-three years, girl, woman and old misery (page 25)

Lonely This place was her home, this job was all she lived for (page 25)

“…didn’t want to go…didn’t have anywhere worth going to…didn’t have any family who’d own her.” (page 25)

Bad-tempered It screamed, shaking and snapping its keys like castanets (page 20)

UNCLE BERT

An alcoholic- he’s not drinking up my pay packet (pages 9-10)

Low self-esteem- “you don’t think much of me, do you? (page 26)

Caring – “thought I’d have your supper ready…now you’re a working girl

LUCY’S MOTHER

Patient- “…could not help wishing she would sometimes lose her temper.” (page 9)

Compassionate- she asked Uncle Bert to leave but has asked him to come back because she feels sorry for him.

MRS PRICE

Sympathetic- she looked at Lucy Beck, and sighed…”Good luck my dear . (page 9)

MR ROSS

Lucy’s boss

Concerned- “ Did you have trouble with the machine, Miss Beck?” he asked. (page 25)

Lucy shows determination in what she does

She is determined to keep her job and perseveres

By handling the spirit properly, she not only manages to keep her job but does well in it too.

LOYALTY

Harry Darke is a loyal employee at Ross and Bannister’s

He had been working there for thirty years and has retired

Being loyal to the company, he comes back to work even after retirement

Miss Broome was also a loyal staff at the firm

After her sudden dismissal, her spirit came back to haunt the office.

DISCRETION AND

CONSIDERATION FOR OTHERS

Lucy demonstrates these values when she was threatened by the presence of the spirit. Although she is only seventeen, she acts with maturity.

Lucy makes the ex-secretary feel wanted and useful, just like she was when she was alive.

The knowledge of Miss Broome’s circumstances also influences Lucy to change her attitude towards Uncle Bert. Lucy realizes that he is just another human being who needs to feel wanted.

PERSEVERANCE

IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS

Lucy shows her determined character right from the start as soon as she graduated from the Belmont Secretarial College

She is focused on getting a job , on getting away from her impoverished and dreary daily life

Besides that she also displays perseverance and a fighting spirit as she battles to prevent losing her job to the ghost of Miss Broome.

Undeterred by aggressiveness and threats , Lucy learns to think of a practical way to resolve the problem of Miss Broome’s and its presence in the office.

COMPASSION

AND KINDNESS

Lucy feels compassion for Miss Broome when she learns the nature of her circumstances. She kindly helps Miss Broome to let go of the past and be at peace. Lucy continues this value at home when she learns to be sensitive and compassionate to her uncle.

Lucy’s mother also displays kindness when she asked Uncle Bert to live with them again after previously throwing him out.