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The novel "Madame Doubtfire" by Anne Fine is about a man, who wants to live with his children after his divorce. The characters of the book are Miranda and Daniel Hilliard, their children Lydia, Christopher and their youngest child Natalie.
Characterisation:
Daniel Hilliard:
He is a naive and funny man, who isn't very strict to his children. He doesn't care about rules, because his living room is a mess. He lets his children do what they want and his behaviour is childish. He loves his children above all and he doesn't want to be separated from them. He even tries to be their nanny under his pseudonym "Madame Doubfire".
Miranda Hilliard:
She was the wife of Daniel. On the one hand, she loves her ex-husband, because he makes her laugh, but on the other hand, her husband doesn't have a job and he doesn't do any work at home. She has much success in her job, because she is the Managing Director of Lighting Emporium. As a result, she earns a lot of money. She also doesn't have any time for her children and so she needs a nanny.
Lydia, Christopher and Natalie:
These are wild children, who want their father to live with them. Their mother doesn't have much time for them and she is relativly strict. After the divorce of their parents, they are quarrelling the whole time. Natalie is the youngest of them, the other children Lydia and Christopher are older.
The story takes place in many places, but particularly at the homes of Mr. and Mrs. Hilliard.
Events:
The novel is about a man, who wants to live with his children after his divorce. Daniel Hilliard can only see them on Friday and only for a short time. The reason for the divorce lies in his naive and sloppy style. He isn't able to be serious and to help with the housework. Moreover Daniel doesn't have a job. So it was getting impossible for her to live with him. One day, the children tell him that their mother Miranda is looking for a housewife. Daniel wants to be the housewife, but his ex-wife is against that. So he becomes an old woman, who is strict. He names himself Madame Doubtfire and he really gets the job. He has a lot of problems with cooking and other things, which are described very funnily in the book. However he's strict and so Mrs. Hilliard is satisfied with him. During his time as a woman, he even gets a job in a TV-programme. But then the children notice that he is their father and soon their mother knows it too ...
The writer wants to say that you should enjoy every moment with your children. Furthermore he shows that children need their father and their mother. Otherwise they will be unhappy and can't learn anything from them.
The book was hard to read and it has 170 pages. It was funny, but not really realistic. I like the book, because the story is fine and thrilling. I especially like Daniel's unconventional methods of caring for his children.. For example he wants to cook a beef and because he doesn't pay attention his clothes are soon burning. After reading the book I felt happy, because it has a happy ending.
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