Paul Gallico, "Thomasina": book summary, reviews and reader reviews

2024 Author: Sierra Becker | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-26 03:40

P. Gallico is the author of both children's and adult books. His works are not only remembered by readers with an exciting narrative, but also suggest reflections on faith, love and kindness. One of these works is Paul Gallico's story "Thomasina", a summary of which can be found in this article.

About the author

American novelist Paul Gallico was born in New York in July 1897 to the composer Paolo Gallico. After graduating from Columbia University in 1919, he worked as a sports reporter for the Daily News. He became known to the American public after the fight with boxer D. Dempsey, which he asked for himself and brilliantly described in the article the fight with the heavyweight.

After 4 years, Gallico has become one of the best sports columnists. In 1936 he left for Europe and devoted himself to writing. In 1940 he published the short story "Snow Goose", which immediately became famous. Wrote more than forty books and the same number of scripts, many of his works are written in the manner of folklegends or fairy tales, widely known and filmed.

The writer died in Monaco in July 1976.

Gallico Books

After touching and fascinating book about love and war "Snow Goose" published in 1941, no less famous came out:

• The story of a boy who turned into a kitten, "Jenny", published in 1950;
• in 1952, a story about a ten-year-old orphan boy “Donkey Miracle” was published;
• published Love for Seven Dolls in 1954;
• The story of the friendship between a red girl Mary and a red cat, which was told in the story "Thomasina" by Paul Gallico, was published in 1957;
• Flowers for Mrs. Harris and Mrs. Harris Goes to New York published in 1960.

All children's books of this writer do not leave their readers indifferent, teach kindness, love and understand the world. One of them is a touching story about the cat Thomasina. In 1991, at the Gorky film studio, the film “Mad Lori” was shot based on the book “Thomasina” by Paul Gallico. The W alt Disney adaptation of Thomasina's Three Lives features a real cat as Thomasina.

Dr. McDewey

Paul Gallico's book "Thomasina" begins with an introduction to veterinarian Andrew. He treats not only cats and dogs, but also livestock. Everyone knew him as an honest but tough man: he helped only domestic animals, while he refused to treat the rest and mercilessly euthanized old animals.

The doctor's heart has been petrified since the death of his cheerful,red-haired and all the time singing wife Emma, having contracted some kind of disease from a parrot. Six years ago, he swore that there would be no living creatures in his house from now on.

Frequent visitor to the veterinary office was the priest Paddy, a friend of the veterinarian. He loved animals so much that he constantly overfed his dog with candy. Friends often argued: McDewey argued that he was not obliged to treat all animals and spend his he alth on them, the priest contradicted him - “you need to love all living creatures.”

“Thomas”

The seven-year-old daughter of Dr. Mary, left without a mother, did not let go of the cat Thomasina. I took her to school, put her at the table next to me, told her my secrets, although the cat did not really like it. Andrew hated the cat and was jealous of her daughter, whom he loved immensely. Thomasina sensed this and did her best to harm her. But Andrew endured. Thomasina was taken into the house as a small kitten and named Thomas. When the kitten grew up, it became clear that it was not a cat. Thomas has since become Thomasina.

Crazy Lori

Let's continue to summarize the story of Paul Gallico "Thomasina" with an acquaintance with the forest sorceress. Once a frog with a broken leg was brought to Dr. McDewey, but he refused to treat it. Then the boy Georgie took the frog to Crazy Lori, a red-haired witch who lives in the forest. George was afraid to go there, but pity for the sick frog was stronger, and the boy went to her for help. In the witch's house, George saw a pretty girl, the inhabitants ran to her voiceforests. Dogs and cats came here for food. The girl, seeing the frog, agreed to help him.

Thomasina Trouble

Paul Gallico continues this touching story with the story of Thomasina's misfortune. She sat on Mary's shoulder and, having jumped unsuccessfully, hit her head. The girl saw that the cat was barely moving its paws, grabbed it and ran to her father in a hospital where she was forbidden to appear. The doctor, after the death of his wife, was afraid that his only daughter could also become infected from animals.

At the same time, the priest brought a blind man to the clinic - his guide dog was hit by a car. The dog needed an operation, but the doctor, not believing in a successful outcome, offered to euthanize the animal. The priest insisted that the dog must be saved - these are the eyes of a blind man. Paddy used God's commandments as evidence.

In many reviews of "Thomasina" by Paul Gallico, readers write that the most touching place in the story is when the doctor performed an operation on the dog, but euthanized the cat Thomasina, despite her daughter's tears and threats not to talk to her father.

Tomasina's funeral

While McDewey was busy with the dog, Mary took Thomasina's still warm body and gave her a funeral. The girl's friends took part in the funeral procession, they buried the cat in the forest and put a sign on the grave: "Brutally slaughtered." Crazy Lori saw it all.

Paddy and McDewey went to tell the blind man that the operation had been successful and learned that the blind man had died. The doctor immediately reproached the priest: while he was saving the blind man's "eyes",The Lord took him. Paddy replied that the doctor also put Thomasina to sleep and did not even try to help her.

Mary walked around in mourning clothes and didn't talk to her father. He brought her another cat, but the girl became hysterical. Paddy tried to reconcile Mary with her father, but she replied that her father had died for her.

The authors of some reviews and opinions about "Thomasin" by Paul Gallico are frankly indignant that the events described in the book are too difficult for a child to perceive. But, as you know, the author was guided by only one thing - how important love is in life. Let's continue the retelling of this touching story.

Forest dwellers

Rumors spread around the city, people condemn McDewey's act and are afraid to treat his animals. Soon everyone became aware that a woman lives in the forest, who understands the language of birds and animals, and heals them. The veterinarian has a mysterious rival. He decided to tell the police that an illiterate sorceress was stealing bread from a specialist. But the priest persuaded his friend not to touch her.

Thomasina became the goddess Bast and ended up in a small house - a temple, where the priestess Crazy Lori rules. The animals in the house did not like the new inhabitant. A wounded badger came to Lori, she washed his wounds and thought about how to help the poor fellow? Thomasina is praying for his recovery, but McDewey arrives and the cat, mortally frightened, ran away from the house.

The veterinarian didn't expect the healer to be so young, but announced menacingly who he was. Laurie took him to an injured badger, and the veterinarian said the animal should be euthanized. Laurie replied that this was not why God sent McDewey here, and she believed that the doctor could help the badger. Laurie gave the veterinarian the tools and he performed the operation on the animal. Lori brought the doctor to the hospital, where the forest dwellers are waiting for his help.

Thomasina's Revenge

Lori gave the doctor a soft scarf that will keep him warm even when the icy wind blows. Touched, McDewey promised to return tomorrow to check on the badger, and went home. On the way, he meditates on the Lord and His love. At home, McDewey had dinner with his daughter and, putting her to bed, told her about Laurie and the badger. But her daughter's attitude towards him did not change - she still did not talk to him.

Thomasina, meanwhile, swore revenge on MacDewey and on a rainy night came to the house and began to scrape her claws on the window pane in the doctor's room. The veterinarian shuddered with fear, in every window and door he imagined a cat. Mary called her pet by name and ran out into the street in her pajamas. Soon she fell ill and her father turned to Dr. Stratsey for help. He examined the patient and said that she must be protected from unrest. MacDewey bitterly regretted putting Thomasina to sleep. For consolation, he went to Lori - to treat animals with her.

Dr. Stratsy is sure that the girl needs love to get better. McDewey loves her, but he lacks tenderness. He loves Lori too, but she talks to spirits and gnomes. Incomplete, in a word. For advice, he went to the priest. He advised him to get closer to the sorceress in order to better understand her.

As many authors note in their reviews of "Thomasina" by Paul Gallico, it is love that works real miracles, it is a real medicine for all living things - women, and children, and birds, and animals need it. Thanks to love, great changes have taken place in the life of Dr. McDewey, as the author further informs his readers.

Forgiveness

Mary's friends turned to McDewey for help: the gypsies at the performance beat the bear. The children asked to report the Gypsies to the police for cruelty to animals. One of the boys ran to Laurie for help.

Lori and McDewey met in a gypsy camp. During a fight with the gypsies, McDewey was injured, Laurie treated his wounds and kissed the doctor. Dying Mary was waiting for him at home - she does not want to live anymore. The vet ran to Laurie for help, but no one opened the door for him. The doctor went home and on the way he saw a plaque on Thomasina's grave. McDewey fell to his knees and begged God for forgiveness. Thomasina, seeing the doctor's remorse, forgave him.

In the evening, Lori came to McDewey's house, took the girl in her arms and began to sing a lullaby to her. Thomasina, sensing that trouble might befall Mary, rushed as fast as she could to her house, and, despite the bad weather, sat down under the girl's window. The father, seeing the cat wet from the rain, picked it up and carried it to Mary. She forgave her father.

Meanwhile Lori explained to the surprised veterinarian that she had seen Thomasina's funeral, pulled the cat out of the box and helped her. Laurie went to the kitchen, rattled the pots and stayed in their houseforever.

Reviews and reviews

The story "Thomasin" by Paul Gallico (author's photo above) is not just about the friendship of a little girl and a cat. This is not just the love of a seven-year-old child for an animal - Mary's mother, who died six years ago, also loved a cat. This affection irritates the father of the child, and he cannot accept that the daughter loves someone else but him.

But the author, a great lover of animals (twenty-three cats and a huge Great Dane coexisted in his house at the same time), endowed Thomasina with human powers of observation. The arguments of the four-legged heroine cause a kind smile. She, like a litmus test, tests people for humanity, tolerance and love. It was Thomasina who helped Dr. McDewey understand his daughter and rediscover her love and compassion for animals.

It is not for nothing that a priest is mentioned in this story. Another theme runs through the book - faith. McDewey is a staunch atheist. Their friendship is unusual, and it is not surprising that they often argue. Perhaps it was because of the priest Paddy that this story found Russian readers only in 1995, in the magazine Family and School, despite the fact that the author speaks delicately and unobtrusively about faith, without hurting the feelings of atheists.

This book should be read to children, and it is even better to discuss it with them, because when fabulous magic borders on reality, the sensations are twofold. But this story teaches perseverance, kindness and self-confidence.