Leon manages the trauma of separation by seeking connection in new, unexpected places like the allotments.
💡 If you are writing this for a GCSE English Literature exam, focus your analysis on writer's methods , such as how de Waal uses Leon’s limited perspective to create empathy for his situation.
Leon's mixed-race heritage and the social unrest of the era shape his understanding of where he fits in the world.
Explores how race and age impact a child's "desirability" in the adoption market.