Describe the character of Tom.

om is one of the two protagonists of the book. He is a widower in his 60s who lives on his own in a cottage with his dog, Sammy. Tom has kept to himself since the death of his wife, Rachel, and baby son, William, almost 40 years earlier. He has withdrawn both emotionally and socially, and thus many of the other villagers think of him as unfriendly and reclusive. However, through the plot we begin to see how this grumpy exterior shields a kind, caring man who has needed another person to care for in order to return to his true self again.

Tom is a hardworking, responsible man and puts the need to take care of Willie above his own preferences, such as his years-old daily routine. With the addition of Willie in his home, Tom begins to take seriously the community safety precautions to prepare for the coming war. For example, he constructs an air raid shelter in his backyard and purchases gas masks for them in case of an attack. Tom is extremely thoughtful when it comes to Willie, inviting his friends to the house for a birthday party and even going so far as to enter the village art shop to buy paints for Willie, a place he has avoided as the store reminds him of his deceased wife.

Tom is deeply fond of Willie from the outset, but loathes to admit that he loves the boy as it is a vulnerable position for him. Willie evokes all of his old emotions related to the tragic events of his life, and in that way, Willie initiates a process of healing for Tom. Tom and Will form a deep connection, so much so that Tom is informed through a dream that Willie is in danger while in London. Tom's adoption of Will at the end of the novel allows Tom to finally step into being a father, a role that was cut short for him previously in life.

We see that Tom is a man of integrity, who has a strong grip of what is right and wrong. If something is right, he will do it, regardless of whether or not it is easy. Tom breaks the rules of the hospital by kidnapping Willie because his moral sense, personified through his wife, tells him to do so. His fiercely loving nature gives him the courage to make these difficult choices and take risks to defy what he perceives to be unfair.