The Great Gilly Hopkins | Social Sensitivity
One way Paterson traces her protagonists growth from antagonism to cooperative behavior is to reveal this gradual change through Gilly's language. Gilly's habit of swearing helps readers understand just how much she develops; her use of mild expletives creates realism and shows how she releases the anger she has stored up. Hoping to shock people when she curses, Gilly also wants to see how far she can go before someone stops her. After cursing freely at the beginning of the book, Gilly tries to change for the sake of Trotter. By the time she arrives at her grandmother's house, Gilly has...
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