First Impressions

Recollections from 18th June 1940 - 5th August 1943

CRO reference: P244/28/12/1

This diary was written by Miss M. Bennett, a teacher who was evacuated with her pupils in 1940. The writing moves from past tense to present tense as the author remembers her experiences. Memories are a mixture of facts, experiences, and opinions. They are often presented as stories or narratives, and are an important way in which we make sense of our lives.

  • How does the writer describe the house and gardens?

  • What is the effect of the descriptions, and what kind of childhood does it suggest?

  • What is the effect of using the word "villa" to describe the house?

  • What words or phrases suggest that the writer is recalling or remembering these experiences?

  • Suggest some effects of memory on the written account?