A Giant’s Necklace
A short story, ‘The Giant’s Necklace’ is just one of many stories named ‘From Hereabout Hill’. This includes four small stories all enclosed in a single book cover and is written by the award-winning author, Michael Mopurgo. ‘The Giant’s Necklace’ is written in the third person and is set in Cornwall. This particular story is themed around life and death and is the haunting tale of a girl, who is on holiday in Zennor, swept out to sea whilst collecting cowrie shells. The main protagonist, Cherry, is an eleven-year-old girl who is determined to finish a one-of-a-kind necklace.
Somewhat small for her age, Cherry has ‘dark, flashing eyes that could wither with one scornful look’ and in the illustration (by Briony May Smith) she has rose-red cheeks, a smiling face and long, dark, messy hair, which she wears down. Her size, which is one of the reasons her brothers mock her, is ‘diminutive’ compared to theirs.
The main protagonist’s personality has a range of aspects: she is resolute, as the text says ‘when Cherry vowed something, she invariably did it’; she is persistent, as she would never even dream of giving up with the creation of her necklace. Furthermore, Cherry, a very kind girl, is also incredibly stubborn, and will not let anyone or anything get in the way of her and her precious necklace. A humorous character, Cherry greatly enjoys making her brothers laugh and teasing them because the text quotes, ‘if it tickled them pink, then why not pretend?’ This means that she likes making them (her brothers) laugh and would go to great lengths to do so. However, she is extremely fussy, as her cowrie shells must be of ‘a uniform length and size’ and any others she would not use.
A thoughtful girl, Cherry is acquainted with her brothers’ teasing and ‘though the teasing was interminable, it was very rarely hurtful, nor was it intended to be, for her brothers adored her, and she knew it.’ She and her parents have a strong bond, for they deem her trustworthy as they are able to leave her on the beach alone.
Cherry enjoys being creative, and will mine for hours on end. A risk-taking girl, Cherry is perhaps even comfortable in the face of great danger. I feel Cherry is a passionate girl and will rise to any challenge, such as creating a ‘Giant’s Necklace.’
