The Great Gilly Hopkins | Objects, Setting & Important Places

The Great Gilly Hopkins Objects/Places

Trotter's House

Trotter's house is dusty, dark, and messy. Gilly's room is tiny. The humble house demonstrates that Trotter is not a wealthy woman, and she certainly does not spend her meager welfare checks frivolously. Yet, it is a house of love, with private bedrooms for the foster kids, and a modest kitchen and living room for family evenings together.

Bus Station

Gilly briefly visits the bus station on the day she attempts to run away to California. It represents the beginning point of a long voyage to freedom. It is also a place that requires courage and feigned maturity. Adults that an eleven-year-old meets here are not to be trusted. For example, the station attendant pretends to be reprocessing Gilly's ticket, when he is actually phoning the police.

The Police Station

Here, adults treat Gilly like a child, talking about her to other adults instead of to her. It is an awkward, unhappy place, and it...
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