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This Girl
- 410 statements
- 80 feature instances
- 0 referencing feature instances
| This Girl | type |
TVTItem | |
| This Girl | label |
This Girl | |
| This Girl | page |
ThisGirl | |
| This Girl | comment |
This Girl is a young adult novel by British children's author Jacqueline Wilson. It was originally published in 1988 by Oxford University Press. The nine OUP books by Wilson are relatively little-known, all except one having been out of print for many years.Coral is a 16-year-old misfit who has a fixation with the Victorian era. She lives an unfulfilling life on a council estate with her neglectful parents, and is tired of being ostracised. After losing her job as a waitress, she is hired to work as a nanny in the Lord family's grand Victorian house and her problems seem to be solved. But she struggles to deal with two spoilt young children and their demanding mother Isabel. Complications arise as Coral grows closer to the children's father Toby; and Deb, an impoverished young single mother. | |
| This Girl | fetched |
2024-04-27T21:03:11Z | |
| This Girl | parsed |
2024-04-27T21:03:11Z | |
| This Girl | processingComment |
Dropped link to TeenagePregnancy: Not a Feature - UNKNOWN | |
| This Girl | processingUnknown |
TeenagePregnancy | |
| This Girl | isPartOf |
DBTropes | |
| This Girl / int_14beeefd | type |
Darker and Edgier | |
| This Girl / int_14beeefd | comment |
Darker and Edgier: Features darker themes than Wilson's later books for children and pre-teens; including abuse, neglect, poverty, sexuality, and adultery. | |
| This Girl / int_14beeefd | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_14beeefd | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_14beeefd | |
| This Girl / int_18d15922 | type |
Title Drop | |
| This Girl / int_18d15922 | comment |
Title Drop: By Coral's mother towards the end of the novel. | |
| This Girl / int_18d15922 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_18d15922 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_18d15922 | |
| This Girl / int_21e5b9c7 | type |
Failed a Spot Check | |
| This Girl / int_21e5b9c7 | comment |
Failed a Spot Check: Toby and Isabel don't seem to notice that Coral is under 18, even though it's obvious to Mrs. Grieves, and other characters who know what age she is think she looks young. According to Mrs. Grieves, they also missed obvious signs that one of their previous nannies was on drugs. | |
| This Girl / int_21e5b9c7 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_21e5b9c7 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_21e5b9c7 | |
| This Girl / int_24321e44 | type |
Only Sane Man | |
| This Girl / int_24321e44 | comment |
Only Sane Man: Mrs. Grieves is the only person who seems to recognise how careless and neglectful Toby and Isabel really are. | |
| This Girl / int_24321e44 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_24321e44 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_24321e44 | |
| This Girl / int_25c7875f | type |
Practically Different Generations | |
| This Girl / int_25c7875f | comment |
Practically Different Generations: It is mentioned that Coral has much older half-siblings from her father's first marriage, although she seemingly hasn't met them. | |
| This Girl / int_25c7875f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_25c7875f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_25c7875f | |
| This Girl / int_264a140b | type |
Fat and Skinny | |
| This Girl / int_264a140b | comment |
Fat and Skinny: Coral is skinny and contrasted with the chubby Deb. | |
| This Girl / int_264a140b | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_264a140b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_264a140b | |
| This Girl / int_2d364c81 | type |
Tomboy and Girly Girl | |
| This Girl / int_2d364c81 | comment |
Tomboy and Girly Girl: Deb (tomboy) and Coral (girly) fit this trope. | |
| This Girl / int_2d364c81 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_2d364c81 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_2d364c81 | |
| This Girl / int_2f36d97 | type |
Older Than They Look | |
| This Girl / int_2f36d97 | comment |
Older Than They Look: Coral looks quite young for 16, to the point where Mrs. Grieves is incredulous that Toby and Isabel believed she was 18. Coral perceives Isabel as a very young mum, but she's evidently not that young, since she's earned at least one advanced degree and is established enough in her career that she's still doing well after taking time out to have two children. | |
| This Girl / int_2f36d97 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_2f36d97 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_2f36d97 | |
| This Girl / int_33d5c59d | type |
Relationship Revolving Door | |
| This Girl / int_33d5c59d | comment |
Relationship Revolving Door: Dean breaks up with Coral when she tells him she is moving away to work as a nanny. They get back together on the day she's due to leave, then don't speak to each other for weeks or months. By the time they see each other again, Coral ends the relationship because she's fallen for Toby. | |
| This Girl / int_33d5c59d | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_33d5c59d | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_33d5c59d | |
| This Girl / int_34e1ef45 | type |
Unnamed Parent | |
| This Girl / int_34e1ef45 | comment |
Unnamed Parent: Coral's mother is named Maureen but we never find out her dad's name. | |
| This Girl / int_34e1ef45 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_34e1ef45 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_34e1ef45 | |
| This Girl / int_367f2530 | type |
Outdated Outfit | |
| This Girl / int_367f2530 | comment |
Outdated Outfit: Coral wears Victorian-style clothing, even though others think it makes her look weird. | |
| This Girl / int_367f2530 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_367f2530 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_367f2530 | |
| This Girl / int_3a6a7b0a | type |
Starving Artist | |
| This Girl / int_3a6a7b0a | comment |
Starving Artist: Subverted. While Toby and Isabel have a big house and can afford a nanny, Coral assumes they don't have that much money because being an artist doesn't pay well. Toby explains that Isabel's rich family takes care of them, and they inherited the house so don't have to pay a mortgage. | |
| This Girl / int_3a6a7b0a | featureApplicability |
-0.3 | |
| This Girl / int_3a6a7b0a | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_3a6a7b0a | |
| This Girl / int_3b27cf16 | type |
Hormone-Addled Teenager | |
| This Girl / int_3b27cf16 | comment |
Hormone-Addled Teenager: Coral isn't really happy with Dean any more, but stays with him because their sex life is good. Later, she develops a huge crush on Toby pretty much from the moment she meets him. | |
| This Girl / int_3b27cf16 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_3b27cf16 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_3b27cf16 | |
| This Girl / int_3cc3ed1d | type |
Abuse Mistake | |
| This Girl / int_3cc3ed1d | comment |
Abuse Mistake: Subverted when Deb falls over while holding Pete and he suffers an injury. Even though he clearly needs to go to hospital, she refuses to take him, thinking no one will believe that she didn't harm him deliberately. When Coral convinces her to get medical help for him, the doctors do not question Deb's account of events. | |
| This Girl / int_3cc3ed1d | featureApplicability |
-0.3 | |
| This Girl / int_3cc3ed1d | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_3cc3ed1d | |
| This Girl / int_3dcc914f | type |
Took a Level in Kindness | |
| This Girl / int_3dcc914f | comment |
Took a Level in Kindness: When Coral moves back in with her parents for a while after leaving her job with the Lords, Maureen has become nicer. She has abandoned her plans to leave Coral's father, acknowledging that he struggles with depression; and no longer yells at Coral or pressures her to get a job so much. Coral surmises that whichever guy Maureen planned to run away with has broken up with her, and is not sure whether Maureen has really changed. | |
| This Girl / int_3dcc914f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_3dcc914f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_3dcc914f | |
| This Girl / int_3e8a368e | type |
Imaginary Love Triangle | |
| This Girl / int_3e8a368e | comment |
Imaginary Love Triangle: Coral thinks she is in a love triangle with Toby and Isabel. She's wrong - because while Toby is attracted to her, he has no intention of starting a relationship (or even an affair) with her. | |
| This Girl / int_3e8a368e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_3e8a368e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_3e8a368e | |
| This Girl / int_40cc0c7e | type |
Bittersweet Ending | |
| This Girl / int_40cc0c7e | comment |
Bittersweet Ending: Coral leaves her job with Isabel and Toby, moves in with Deb, and begins a relationship with her. Eventually, Coral gets a job she enjoys, selling Victorian antiques in a shop. However, she and Deb have some issues to work through (they argue when Deb has been drinking), and may not stay together. | |
| This Girl / int_40cc0c7e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_40cc0c7e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_40cc0c7e | |
| This Girl / int_41d50d81 | type |
Big Brother Bully | |
| This Girl / int_41d50d81 | comment |
Big Sister Bully: Ada picks on Freddie because he likes things "for girls". | |
| This Girl / int_41d50d81 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_41d50d81 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_41d50d81 | |
| This Girl / int_433396da | type |
Long Hair Is Feminine | |
| This Girl / int_433396da | comment |
Long Hair Is Feminine: Coral has very long hair as part of her Victorian aesthetic. | |
| This Girl / int_433396da | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_433396da | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_433396da | |
| This Girl / int_43dc74d0 | type |
Sensitive Guy and Manly Man | |
| This Girl / int_43dc74d0 | comment |
Sensitive Guy and Manly Man: Gentle artist Toby and tough working-class boy Dean. | |
| This Girl / int_43dc74d0 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_43dc74d0 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_43dc74d0 | |
| This Girl / int_4814d132 | type |
Big Fancy House | |
| This Girl / int_4814d132 | comment |
Big Fancy House: The Lords' house is a practically palatial Victorian abode, kept in period. It's big enough that it's got an art studio, at least three bedrooms, and a turret. | |
| This Girl / int_4814d132 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_4814d132 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_4814d132 | |
| This Girl / int_516f986d | type |
Loving a Shadow | |
| This Girl / int_516f986d | comment |
Loving a Shadow: Toby is clearly more attracted to his own image of Coral than he is to her. Played with in that he at least recognises this, and isn't seriously interested in taking things further with her. | |
| This Girl / int_516f986d | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_516f986d | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_516f986d | |
| This Girl / int_52196c03 | type |
Age-Gap Romance | |
| This Girl / int_52196c03 | comment |
Age-Gap Romance: Toby is in his late twenties-early thirties, and Coral is 16. | |
| This Girl / int_52196c03 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_52196c03 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_52196c03 | |
| This Girl / int_590eb583 | type |
Domestic Abuse | |
| This Girl / int_590eb583 | comment |
Domestic Abuse: Dean beats Coral after she breaks up with him. | |
| This Girl / int_590eb583 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_590eb583 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_590eb583 | |
| This Girl / int_5b168317 | type |
RecycledPlot | |
| This Girl / int_5b168317 | comment |
Recycled Plot: Coral is in the same circumstances as Lottie in The Lottie Project. Both have to lie about their age to get a job caring for young children, one of whom is named Freddie; and are exploited by the children's unsympathetic mother. Lottie is an actual Victorian nursery maid, while Coral has a fixation with the Victorian era and likes to pretend she's a nursery maid. | |
| This Girl / int_5b168317 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_5b168317 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_5b168317 | |
| This Girl / int_5c0902e7 | type |
Boyish Short Hair | |
| This Girl / int_5c0902e7 | comment |
Boyish Short Hair: Deb has a very short haircut that Coral thinks makes her look like a boy. | |
| This Girl / int_5c0902e7 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_5c0902e7 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_5c0902e7 | |
| This Girl / int_6486e532 | type |
Intimate Artistry | |
| This Girl / int_6486e532 | comment |
Intimate Artistry: Coral and Toby grow closer after he asks to use her as a model for his art. | |
| This Girl / int_6486e532 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_6486e532 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_6486e532 | |
| This Girl / int_6627695f | type |
Author Appeal | |
| This Girl / int_6627695f | comment |
Author Appeal: Like Wilson, Coral is a working-class girl fascinated by the Victorian era. | |
| This Girl / int_6627695f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_6627695f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_6627695f | |
| This Girl / int_6aaf4011 | type |
Apathetic Student | |
| This Girl / int_6aaf4011 | comment |
Apathetic Student: While not exactly dumb, it's mentioned that Coral didn't really bother with school and used to bunk off a lot. When she reads a story to Freddie and Ada, she trips up on some of the words. | |
| This Girl / int_6aaf4011 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_6aaf4011 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_6aaf4011 | |
| This Girl / int_6bda9a30 | type |
Meaningful Name | |
| This Girl / int_6bda9a30 | comment |
Meaningful Name: Deb named her son Peter Jonathon Smith because it sounded like a middle-class businessman's name to her. She wants him to have a successful career and a better life than she has had. Toby and Isabel's surname is Lord, reflecting their wealth and position of power over Coral. Ada and Freddie have names that would have fit in with well-to-do Victorian children, playing into Coral's fantasies about the Victorians. | |
| This Girl / int_6bda9a30 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_6bda9a30 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_6bda9a30 | |
| This Girl / int_6d332aea | type |
Driven to Suicide | |
| This Girl / int_6d332aea | comment |
Driven to Suicide: This is not rare at the council estate Coral lives on, and it's mentioned that she has seen a number of suicides happen. | |
| This Girl / int_6d332aea | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_6d332aea | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_6d332aea | |
| This Girl / int_6f0fd7b8 | type |
Everyone Loves Blondes | |
| This Girl / int_6f0fd7b8 | comment |
Everyone Loves Blondes: Isabel is blonde and outgoing with many friends. | |
| This Girl / int_6f0fd7b8 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_6f0fd7b8 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_6f0fd7b8 | |
| This Girl / int_716645fb | type |
In Touch with His Feminine Side | |
| This Girl / int_716645fb | comment |
In Touch with His Feminine Side: Freddie likes to dress up, wear dresses and jewellery, and play with Ada's dolls. Isabel encourages this because she doesn't want the children to conform to gender stereotypes. | |
| This Girl / int_716645fb | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_716645fb | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_716645fb | |
| This Girl / int_72852a93 | type |
Henpecked Husband | |
| This Girl / int_72852a93 | comment |
Henpecked Husband: Isabel makes all the decisions in her household and Toby meekly goes along with whatever she wants. | |
| This Girl / int_72852a93 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_72852a93 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_72852a93 | |
| This Girl / int_734c5ed2 | type |
Masculine–Feminine Gay Couple | |
| This Girl / int_734c5ed2 | comment |
Masculine–Feminine Gay Couple: Played with when Coral and Deb become a couple at the end. Coral looks more feminine and Deb more masculine, but Coral works to provide for the family while Deb is a SAHM. | |
| This Girl / int_734c5ed2 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_734c5ed2 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_734c5ed2 | |
| This Girl / int_73f8d546 | type |
Working-Class Hero | |
| This Girl / int_73f8d546 | comment |
Working-Class Hero: Coral is a working class girl from a council estate. She ends up living on another council estate with her best friend (and eventual girlfriend) Deb. | |
| This Girl / int_73f8d546 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_73f8d546 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_73f8d546 | |
| This Girl / int_767f84ea | type |
Does Not Like Men | |
| This Girl / int_767f84ea | comment |
Does Not Like Men: Deb has been treated very poorly by men in the past, and constantly lectures Coral about why she should never trust them. | |
| This Girl / int_767f84ea | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_767f84ea | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_767f84ea | |
| This Girl / int_76d233f9 | type |
Straw Feminist | |
| This Girl / int_76d233f9 | comment |
Straw Feminist: Isabel fits this trope, and is a professor of women's history and runs a women's activist group. | |
| This Girl / int_76d233f9 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_76d233f9 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_76d233f9 | |
| This Girl / int_78fe94f8 | type |
Outdated Name | |
| This Girl / int_78fe94f8 | comment |
Outdated Name: In 1988, "Ada" would have been considered an old lady name, although it's since come back into fashion somewhat. | |
| This Girl / int_78fe94f8 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_78fe94f8 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_78fe94f8 | |
| This Girl / int_7ad0e492 | type |
Imaginary Friend | |
| This Girl / int_7ad0e492 | comment |
Imaginary Friend: Coral has imaginary Victorian friends she talks to. After going to work for Toby and Isabel, she pretends she is a Victorian nursery maid and is friends with another maid named Rose. | |
| This Girl / int_7ad0e492 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_7ad0e492 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_7ad0e492 | |
| This Girl / int_7d89315b | type |
"The Reason You Suck" Speech | |
| This Girl / int_7d89315b | comment |
"The Reason You Suck" Speech: Coral gives one to Isabel just before quitting her nanny job, calling her out on her hypocrisy. | |
| This Girl / int_7d89315b | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_7d89315b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_7d89315b | |
| This Girl / int_7df2b942 | type |
Moving the Goalposts | |
| This Girl / int_7df2b942 | comment |
Moving the Goalposts: Isabel does this, making her difficult to work for. For example, Coral follows her instructions to ensure the kids are up for breakfast on time - then Isabel yells at her because they're not bathed or dressed, which Coral was not asked to do before breakfast. | |
| This Girl / int_7df2b942 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_7df2b942 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_7df2b942 | |
| This Girl / int_8387bb18 | type |
Good Girls Avoid Abortion | |
| This Girl / int_8387bb18 | comment |
Good Girls Avoid Abortion: Deb has this attitude and says that she thinks abortion is murder, so she wouldn't entertain it when she had an unplanned pregnancy. | |
| This Girl / int_8387bb18 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_8387bb18 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_8387bb18 | |
| This Girl / int_853e45d1 | type |
Mistaken for Pregnant | |
| This Girl / int_853e45d1 | comment |
Mistaken for Pregnant: Isabel mistakenly assumes Dean attacked Coral because he'd found out she was pregnant. | |
| This Girl / int_853e45d1 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_853e45d1 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_853e45d1 | |
| This Girl / int_85cefc44 | type |
Sympathetic Adulterer | |
| This Girl / int_85cefc44 | comment |
Sympathetic Adulterer: Subverted. Coral thinks she and Toby would be justified in having an affair since Isabel is so selfish, and may have cheated on him. But he feels guilty enough that he can't go through with it. | |
| This Girl / int_85cefc44 | featureApplicability |
-0.3 | |
| This Girl / int_85cefc44 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_85cefc44 | |
| This Girl / int_8afadb7e | type |
Department of Child Disservices | |
| This Girl / int_8afadb7e | comment |
Department of Child Disservices: Social services have placed Deb and Pete in a filthy, overcrowded hostel that is clearly unsuitable for a baby. Ostensibly it's a temporary measure, but Deb knows many other mums at the hostel who have been waiting for months or years for better housing. By the end of the novel, Deb and Pete have moved into a council flat, but it's tiny and full of mould. | |
| This Girl / int_8afadb7e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_8afadb7e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_8afadb7e | |
| This Girl / int_91e7082a | type |
Remarried to the Mistress | |
| This Girl / int_91e7082a | comment |
Remarried to the Mistress: This is how Coral's parents got together, and it's a significant cause of their financial problems (because her father had to pay child support until he lost his job.) | |
| This Girl / int_91e7082a | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_91e7082a | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_91e7082a | |
| This Girl / int_920b5728 | type |
Sleeping with the Boss | |
| This Girl / int_920b5728 | comment |
Sleeping with the Boss: Coral doesn't get as far as sleeping with Toby (although they attempt it), but does have an emotional affair with him. Maureen is having an affair with her boss and has, as far as Coral knows, cheated with almost every man she's worked for. Coral initially works for Ricky, who regularly sleeps with the young waitresses in his employ. At the end of the book, she works for a gay man and is relieved that at least he won't hit on her. | |
| This Girl / int_920b5728 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_920b5728 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_920b5728 | |
| This Girl / int_95614e0e | type |
One-Night-Stand Pregnancy | |
| This Girl / int_95614e0e | comment |
One-Night-Stand Pregnancy: Deb got pregnant after having a one night stand at a party. | |
| This Girl / int_95614e0e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_95614e0e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_95614e0e | |
| This Girl / int_994e1fa8 | type |
Urban Legend Love Life | |
| This Girl / int_994e1fa8 | comment |
Urban Legend Love Life: Deb has only ever slept with one guy, but another boy who she turned down spread rumours that she was very promiscuous. | |
| This Girl / int_994e1fa8 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_994e1fa8 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_994e1fa8 | |
| This Girl / int_9d3f4777 | type |
My Nayme Is | |
| This Girl / int_9d3f4777 | comment |
My Nayme Is: Deb's son's middle name is Jonathon rather than the more common Jonathan. | |
| This Girl / int_9d3f4777 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_9d3f4777 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_9d3f4777 | |
| This Girl / int_a54534a0 | type |
Parental Neglect | |
| This Girl / int_a54534a0 | comment |
Parental Neglect: Coral's mum and dad have no interest in being parents, and do not even bother to cook or buy groceries. She goes about her life with almost no involvement from her parents except when there's something in it for them (e.g. pressuring her to get a new job so she can contribute to household expenses.) Isabel and Toby leave their children with a series of young, inexperienced nannies, whom they don't run any background checks on, or ask for references. | |
| This Girl / int_a54534a0 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_a54534a0 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_a54534a0 | |
| This Girl / int_ad3e13c5 | type |
The Loins Sleep Tonight | |
| This Girl / int_ad3e13c5 | comment |
The Loins Sleep Tonight: What happens when Coral attempts to have sex with Toby. | |
| This Girl / int_ad3e13c5 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_ad3e13c5 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_ad3e13c5 | |
| This Girl / int_b04fdcc4 | type |
Loners Are Freaks | |
| This Girl / int_b04fdcc4 | comment |
Loners Are Freaks: Coral has a boyfriend but no friends in her home town, because others see her interest in the Victorian era as weird. After she moves in with Toby and Isabel, Isabel finds it strange that Coral doesn't seem to have any friends (apart from Deb) and doesn't want to hang out with the neighbours' foreign au pairs. | |
| This Girl / int_b04fdcc4 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_b04fdcc4 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_b04fdcc4 | |
| This Girl / int_b11ac9f5 | type |
Abusive Parents | |
| This Girl / int_b11ac9f5 | comment |
Abusive Parents: Coral's mother is emotionally and physically abusive towards her. One of the other mothers at the hostel where Deb lives physically abused her baby, who was taken into care. | |
| This Girl / int_b11ac9f5 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_b11ac9f5 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_b11ac9f5 | |
| This Girl / int_b506c9ff | type |
Hide Your Lesbians | |
| This Girl / int_b506c9ff | comment |
Hide Your Lesbians: Coral and Deb's relationship is not explicitly spelled out on the page, although is made clear to the reader when Coral puts her arm around Deb in front of Isabel to show that they're together. | |
| This Girl / int_b506c9ff | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_b506c9ff | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_b506c9ff | |
| This Girl / int_b5f97c12 | type |
Cover Innocent Eyes and Ears | |
| This Girl / int_b5f97c12 | comment |
Cover Innocent Eyes and Ears: Deb insists on covering Pete's ears while telling Coral about the circumstances of his conception, even though he's too young to understand. | |
| This Girl / int_b5f97c12 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_b5f97c12 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_b5f97c12 | |
| This Girl / int_ba5bbda5 | type |
Mirror Character | |
| This Girl / int_ba5bbda5 | comment |
Mirror Character: Isabel's indifference towards her children and overall selfishness mirror Coral's mother. | |
| This Girl / int_ba5bbda5 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_ba5bbda5 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_ba5bbda5 | |
| This Girl / int_bb7ae292 | type |
Child by Rape | |
| This Girl / int_bb7ae292 | comment |
Child by Rape: It's suggested that Pete's conception wasn't consensual, since Deb was too drunk to realize what was going on. | |
| This Girl / int_bb7ae292 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_bb7ae292 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_bb7ae292 | |
| This Girl / int_bd0230fb | type |
Ambiguously Bi | |
| This Girl / int_bd0230fb | comment |
Ambiguously Bi: Although Coral has a boyfriend and is attracted to Toby, she fantasises about cuddling in bed with her imaginary friend Rose. She later begins a relationship with Deb, another woman. Similarly, Deb has had a sexual relationship with a man, resulting in Pete's conception, before starting a relationship with Coral. However, it's implied that it wasn't consensual. | |
| This Girl / int_bd0230fb | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_bd0230fb | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_bd0230fb | |
| This Girl / int_bf1255fa | type |
Really Gets Around | |
| This Girl / int_bf1255fa | comment |
Really Gets Around: Coral's mother Maureen has had numerous affairs with different men, and her marriage to Coral's father began as another affair. | |
| This Girl / int_bf1255fa | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_bf1255fa | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_bf1255fa | |
| This Girl / int_c099ca1a | type |
Real Women Don't Wear Dresses | |
| This Girl / int_c099ca1a | comment |
Real Women Don't Wear Dresses: Isabel dislikes anything stereotypically feminine, which she sees as weak and sexist. It's mentioned that she previously withdrew Ada from her nursery school because the girls were encouraged to play with dolls and kitchens. | |
| This Girl / int_c099ca1a | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_c099ca1a | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_c099ca1a | |
| This Girl / int_c1d1d6ad | type |
Who Names Their Kid "Dude"? | |
| This Girl / int_c1d1d6ad | comment |
Who Names Their Kid "Dude"?: Coral's name is considered unusual for the time period. She admits to Toby that her parents named her after the Coral betting shop after starting up an in-joke. | |
| This Girl / int_c1d1d6ad | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_c1d1d6ad | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_c1d1d6ad | |
| This Girl / int_c3286b8e | type |
Uptown Girl | |
| This Girl / int_c3286b8e | comment |
Uptown Guy: Coral is working class, while Toby is middle class and can afford to pursue a career as an artist because his wife's family are wealthy. | |
| This Girl / int_c3286b8e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_c3286b8e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_c3286b8e | |
| This Girl / int_c700e697 | type |
Feminine Mother, Tomboyish Daughter | |
| This Girl / int_c700e697 | comment |
Feminine Mother, Tomboyish Daughter: Inverted. Isabel wears masculine clothing and rejects femininity on principle, while Ada (despite Isabel's best efforts) loves dolls, pretty dresses, and anything pink. | |
| This Girl / int_c700e697 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_c700e697 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_c700e697 | |
| This Girl / int_c86b7046 | type |
It's Not Porn, It's Art | |
| This Girl / int_c86b7046 | comment |
It's Not Porn, It's Art: Toby paints artistic images of nude women. | |
| This Girl / int_c86b7046 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_c86b7046 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_c86b7046 | |
| This Girl / int_c972d624 | type |
Slut-Shaming | |
| This Girl / int_c972d624 | comment |
Slut-Shaming: Deb experienced this after a guy she rejected spread lies about her sleeping around. It got worse when she actually did sleep with someone and got pregnant as a teenager. | |
| This Girl / int_c972d624 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_c972d624 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_c972d624 | |
| This Girl / int_d0c13631 | type |
Mrs. Robinson | |
| This Girl / int_d0c13631 | comment |
Mrs. Robinson: When Dean visits the Lords' house, Isabel chats with him. Coral notes that she's almost flirting. | |
| This Girl / int_d0c13631 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_d0c13631 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_d0c13631 | |
| This Girl / int_d52d28b6 | type |
Hypocrite | |
| This Girl / int_d52d28b6 | comment |
Hypocrite: Isabel gives lectures about how Victorian women were exploited as servants, but expects Coral to defer to her. She also thinks that domestic labour demeans women, yet has no problem with outsourcing that work to other women. Isabel repeatedly tells Coral to hit the children if they misbehave. When Coral actually slaps Freddie (because he trashed Toby's art studio), Isabel is horrified and yells at her that she could have seriously hurt Freddie. Coral judges her mother and Isabel for having affairs (or at least she wants to believe Isabel has done this), but thinks it would be okay to sleep with a married man herself. | |
| This Girl / int_d52d28b6 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_d52d28b6 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_d52d28b6 | |
| This Girl / int_d6f544aa | type |
Struggling Single Mother | |
| This Girl / int_d6f544aa | comment |
Struggling Single Mother: Deb is struggling to survive on welfare and lives in an overcrowded, dirty hostel with her baby. | |
| This Girl / int_d6f544aa | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_d6f544aa | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_d6f544aa | |
| This Girl / int_deecc9eb | type |
Awful Wedded Life | |
| This Girl / int_deecc9eb | comment |
Awful Wedded Life: Isabel and Toby do not have a happy marriage. Isabel is controlling and possibly cheats on Toby, who spends all his time on his art partly so that he doesn't have to deal with her. Coral's mother Maureen openly cheats on her husband and they more or less live separate lives. Coral observes that Maureen treats him more like a household object. | |
| This Girl / int_deecc9eb | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_deecc9eb | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_deecc9eb | |
| This Girl / int_e30a4813 | type |
Third-Option Love Interest | |
| This Girl / int_e30a4813 | comment |
Third-Option Love Interest: After being conflicted over her feelings for Dean and Toby, Coral ends up in a relationship with Deb. | |
| This Girl / int_e30a4813 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_e30a4813 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_e30a4813 | |
| This Girl / int_e41a9801 | type |
All Women Are Lustful | |
| This Girl / int_e41a9801 | comment |
All Women Are Lustful: Unusually for a Jacqueline Wilson book, it's made clear that Coral enjoys sleeping with Dean. | |
| This Girl / int_e41a9801 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_e41a9801 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_e41a9801 | |
| This Girl / int_e7db27c7 | type |
Sympathetic P.O.V. | |
| This Girl / int_e7db27c7 | comment |
Sympathetic P.O.V.: Since the story is narrated from Coral's perspective, Toby is portrayed in a far more sympathetic light than Isabel. However, he is just as selfish and uninterested in his own children as Isabel is. | |
| This Girl / int_e7db27c7 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_e7db27c7 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_e7db27c7 | |
| This Girl / int_eb5b71fe | type |
Clingy Jealous Girl | |
| This Girl / int_eb5b71fe | comment |
Clingy Jealous Girl: Deb seems to be jealous of Coral's obvious interest in Toby, and can be quite hostile about it. | |
| This Girl / int_eb5b71fe | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_eb5b71fe | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_eb5b71fe | |
| This Girl / int_eba4e300 | type |
Honorary Uncle | |
| This Girl / int_eba4e300 | comment |
Honorary Uncle: Coral's had a number of "uncles" who were all her mother's boyfriends. Deb mentions that exactly the same thing happened in her family. | |
| This Girl / int_eba4e300 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_eba4e300 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_eba4e300 | |
| This Girl / int_f1d2c779 | type |
Raven Hair, Ivory Skin | |
| This Girl / int_f1d2c779 | comment |
Raven Hair, Ivory Skin: Coral is described as having beautiful long dark hair. | |
| This Girl / int_f1d2c779 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_f1d2c779 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_f1d2c779 | |
| This Girl / int_feac0f90 | type |
Ephebophile | |
| This Girl / int_feac0f90 | comment |
Ephebophile: Ricky, Coral's boss at the Aspidistra Bistro, is around her mother's age but regularly sleeps with the young teenage waitresses who work for him. Toby is attracted to, and almost sleeps with, 16-year-old Coral (who told him she was 18, but looks her real age or younger.) Isabel appears to be quite taken with Coral's teenage boyfriend Dean. | |
| This Girl / int_feac0f90 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_feac0f90 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_feac0f90 | |
| This Girl / int_ff7e9adf | type |
Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold | |
| This Girl / int_ff7e9adf | comment |
Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: Averted. Blonde Isabel is set up as a kind character, but turns out to be controlling and hypocritical. Similarly, her son Freddie has angelic blonde curls but has a naughty streak, deliberately defying Coral. | |
| This Girl / int_ff7e9adf | featureApplicability |
-1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_ff7e9adf | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_ff7e9adf | |
| This Girl / int_name | type |
ItemName | |
| This Girl / int_name | comment |
||
| This Girl / int_name | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| This Girl / int_name | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| This Girl | hasFeature |
This Girl / int_name | |
| This Girl / int_name | itemName |
This Girl |
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