VIVIEN ALCOCK

ABOUT THE AUTHORVIVIEN ALCOCKBorn in 1924 in Worthing , West Sussex, England Author of childrens book who was gifted with ability to blend reality and fantasy She understood the hidden feelings of teenagers, especially he shy and the overlooked.

Produced over 20 novels with themes of kindness/pity, the need for friendships and the complexities of family ties.Died in 2003.

ELEMENTS OF QWERTYUIOPSETTINGPHYSICAL SETTING Belmont Secretarial College Lucy Becks home Office of Ross & Bannisters SOCIAL SETTING *lower middleclass TIME 20th century England

CHARACTERS THEMESMAIN CHARACTERS*Lucy

*Facing challenges Learning to

MORAL VALUESCompassion and kindness Discretion and consideration for others Do not judge a book by its cover

MESSAGE*it is important to have courage, optimism and perseverance * Love and understanding can help to heal wounds or resolve conflicts

Beck

*Harry Darke *Miss Broome MINOR CHARACTERS *Mr Ross, Mrs Beck , Uncle Bert

let go* Rejection

Do not give up easily when we are faced with problems

QWERTYUIOP is an entertaining stor y about 17year-old Lucy Beck, the new secretar y at Ross and Bannisters, who struggles with her predecessor over the secretarial position at the firm. Lucy Beck counts herself lucky to get a job as a secretar y but she does not expect to have a ghost as a rival. The former secretar y, Miss Broome, frightens away all the new secretaries who come in to replace her. However, Miss Broome is in for a surprise when she meets her match in Lucy. Although timid, Lucy manages to tactfully handle Miss Broome. Communicating through the typewriter, Lucy tries to convince Miss Broome to leave. The vivid description of how the current and former secretar y fight is both amusing and entertaining.

Lucy Beck Belmont Secretarial College Lucy Becks house Ross & Bannisters office

Harry Darke

Miss Broome Mr Ross

SETTING

CHARACTERS

Mrs Beck Uncle Bert

Facing Challenges

THEMESHandling Difficult Task with courage

QWERTYUI OPMORAL VALUESLoyalty

Perseverance

Lesson

Learnt

Helping others

Determination

Discretion and consideration for others

Perseverance is the key to success

Compassion and kindness

3.CLIMAXThe spirit, the late Miss Broome, types out threatening words to Lucy. Lucy declares war and fights back with rapid typing and lots of correcting liquids

2. RISING ACTIONA hidden hand causes havoc with Lucys typing efforts. QWERTYUIOPs would be the letters popping up every time Lucy types

4.FALLING ACTION

THE PLOT

Lucy discovers Miss Broomes background and uses a softer approach to console her

1. EXPOSITIONLucy Beck begins her job at Ross and Bannisters as a secretary after graduating from Belmont Secretarial College

5.RESOLUTIONLucy manages to overcome her problem with the ghost of Miss Broome, completes her typing on time and error free, and reaches a new understanding with her Uncle Bert

THE CHARACTERS

LUCY BECK

MISS BROOME

MR HARRY DARKE

MRS BECK

MR ROSS

UNCLE BECK

PICTURE

PICTURE

PICTURE

PICTURE

PICTURE

PICTURE

ShyTimid Lacked of confidence

Young

Determined

Compassionate Brave

Courageous

LUCYS Character Traits

Evidence from text* small, mousy-looking and easily overlooked (page 9) * Looked out of place on her first day at work (page 12)

Timid Shy

Lacked of Confidence

Whoever will want to employ me? (page 9) If I get a jobTrouble was that there were hundreds after every vacancy, brighter than Lucy, better qualified than Lucy(page 10) For an hour, she battled with the machine(page 22) Its my job now, she said. I need it(page 26) Lucy showed no mercy reached the end of the letter in triumph. (page 22)

Determined

LUCYS Character Traits Compassionate

Evidence from text Lucy instantly feels sorry after saying mean stuff to Uncle Bert (page 26) Assures him that she and her mother needed him (page 28) Feels sorry for Miss Broome, which is noticed by Harry (page 26) she was not a coward. (page 20) She went back and sat down in front of the typewriter and glared at itit crouched, like a squat, ugly monster, staring at her with its alphabetical eyes (page 20) Even though she is young and shy, she faces Miss Broomes spirit bravely (page 20) Relentlessly fights the typewriter (pages 20 and 22)

Brave Courageous

ExperiencedHelpful Reassuring

HARRY DARKE

Mysterious

Observant

Loyal

HARRY DARKES Character Traits

Evidence From Text Observes the importance of punctuality Wonders how long Lucy will last as a secretary

Experienced

Helpful Reassuring

Tells Lucy that she can ask him about anything (page 12) Anything you want, just ask old Harry.

Mysterious

Stresses to Lucy that she shouldnt worry if she makes mistakes when she types (page 14) Makes a few under-the breath comments and behaves strangely (pages 12-14)

HARRY DARKES Character Traits Observant

Evidence From Text Observes that Lucy was scared/ anxious on her first day (page 13)

Understood that Miss Broome hated the younger touch typists without needing to be told (page 25) Quick to notice Lucys sympathy for Miss Broome (page 26)Loyal He worked there for thirty years until his retirement and came back to help out as a handyman.

Hardworking

Efficient

Loyal

MISS BROOMEBad-tempered

Persistent

MISS BROOMES Character Traits

Evidence from text

Loyal

Been here forty-three years, girl, woman and old misery (page 25)

Lonely

This place was her home, this job was all she lived for (page 25) didnt want to godidnt have anywhere worth going todidnt have any family whod own her. (page 25)

Badtempered

It screamed, shaking and snapping its keys like castanets (page 20)

LUCYSMOTHER UNCLE BERT

Patient- could not help wishing she would sometimes lose her temper. (page 9) Compassionate- she asked Uncle Bert to leave but has asked him to come back because she feels sorry for him.

An alcoholic- hes not drinking up my pay packet (pages 9-10) Low self-esteem- you dont think much of me, do you? (page 26) Caring thought Id have your supper readynow youre a working girl

MRS PRICESympathetic- she looked at Lucy Beck, and sighedGood luck my dear . (page 9)

MR ROSSLucys boss Concerned- Did you have trouble with the machine, Miss Beck? he asked. (pag3 25)

HANDLING DFFICULT TASK WITH COURAGE

Lucy finds herself in a difficult position when Miss Broomes ghost keeps on disturbing her

However , she handles the difficulties with courage and determination She does not allow the spirit to scare her away like all the other secretaries.

Instead, she communicates with it through the typewriter. Finally, through her outsmarts the spirit . courage and determination, she

FACING CHALLENGES

Lucy faces up to challenging situations when Miss Broomes spirit haunts her through the typewriter. The secretaries before her all left after just one day of working there. Lucy refuses to simply give up and leave. So she finds a way to deal with the spirit. She wins it and types a goodbye letter to the spirit of Miss Broome. The spirit finally leaves and stops haunting the office of Ross and Bannisters.

Lucy shows determination in what she does She is determined to keep her job and perseveres By handling the spirit properly, she not only manages to keep her job but does well in it too.

DETERMINATION

Harry Darke is a loyal employee at Ross and Bannisters

LOYALTY

He had been working there for thirty years and has retired

Being loyal to the company, he comes back to work even after retirementMiss Broome was also a loyal staff at the firm After her sudden dismissal, her spirit came back to haunt the office.

DISCRETION AND CONSIDERATION FOR OTHERS

Lucy demonstrates these values when she was threatened by the presence of the spirit. Although she is only seventeen, she acts with maturity. Lucy makes the ex-secretary feel wanted and useful, just like she was when she was alive. The knowledge of Miss Broomes circumstances also influences Lucy to change her attitude towards Uncle Bert. Lucy realizes that he is just another human being who needs to feel wanted.

Lucy shows her determined character right from the start as soon as she graduated from the Belmont Secretarial College

PESERVERANCE IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS

She is focused on getting a job , on getting away from her impoverished and dreary daily life Besides that she also displays perseverance and a fighting spirit as she battles to prevent losing her job to the ghost of Miss Broome. Undeterred by aggressiveness and threats , Lucy learns to think of a practical way to resolve the problem of Miss Broomes and its presence in the office.

COMPASSION AND KINDNESS

Lucy feels compassion for Miss Broome when she learns the nature of her circumstances. She kindly helps Miss Broome to let go of the past and be at peace. Lucy continues this value at home when she learns to be sensitive and compassionate to her uncle.

Lucys mother also displays kindness when she asked Uncle Bert to live with them again after previously throwing him out.