There was little girl from fourteen years old. Her name was Caith she lived with her mother and her father at a farm. But her father was a alcoholic. He was very oft at home. A guy named Hickey was their helper. He was very fat. but very kind to Caithleen. Her father wasn?t at home now. He was gone for a few days. Her mother and she were afraid of him. Her mother was crying that morning. Father wasn?t at home. Hickey was there that morning at he helpt Caithleen her mother. Caithleen had to go to school. But she didn?t wanted. He had to go so she went. She had some flowers for Mrs Moriarty. She walked with a man Jack Holland. Together they went across Mr Gentleman house. Suddenly Baba came cross them she took the flowers out of the hands of Caithleen. She said she would give it to Mrs Moriarty. She was a friend of Caith but she always bullied here. When she came at school everybody was in a muddle. Miss Moriarty didn?t know she came in. Everybody was talking. Miss Moriarty said she had great news. She told that Caithleen had won a Scholarship. She would go to convent. Caith was very happy. Baba wrote on a note that she also would go. Caithleen wanted to cry. She hated hat Baba also went to the convent. In there midday they went to the shop of Jack Holland. They talk a while. Caithleen wanted to go home, but Jack told them that Caithleen wasn?t at home. She was gone for a while. She was by her father and mother on a Island. Caith wanted to go home. Baba wanted to come with her. When they came home, Caith asked Hickey were her mother was. He said that she was gone for a few days and she had to stay by Baba. Hickey said that she had to take her night-dress. She didn?t wanted but she finally did. Baba asked if she might see the jewellery of Caithleen mother. Caithleen agreed. She suddenly heard a noise. It was her father. She went down to the kitchen. Her father was drunk a very angry. He asked were everybody was. He gave Caithleen a punch. She shouted for Baba. When she came he suddenly stopped he was very nice all of a sudden. Baba told him that Caith would sleep by her. He gave Baba some money. When they went back home he came after them and asked the money back. Caithleen was very embarrassed. At Baba?s house was the mother of Baba. Named Matha. She looked like a madonna. She had very black hair. Baba also had a littlte brother declan. When her father came home he was very kind to Caithleen. He was a surgeon. They were all very rich. Caithleen was very poor. Suddenly thee telephone ringed and Mr Brennan had to go. That evening they would go to a play. They walked to the town hall were the play was. They bought tikets. Caithleen sat next to Baba behind her was Mr Gentleman. She felt happy. During the play they asked if Baba and Caithleen could come up to sing a song. Of course Baba wanted but she suddenly stop and there stood Caithleen. She didn?t sing but she had her mouth wide open. It looked crazy. She walked back to her place. A few minutes later Mr Gentleman and a few other men walked away. Later they asked Caithleen if she wanted to come outside. She did, Outside was everybody very sad. They told her that her mother had had a accident. Nobody said something clear. Caithleen believe it. Hickey told her that her mom was on a boat and that the boat was gone. Caitleen started to cry. When Hickey said it it would be true. Her mother was probably dad. Caithleen shouted and screamed. They gave her whiskey and a lot of pills. She slept by baba who was all of a sudden very kind to Baba. She felt very sorry. Next days they hadn?t find her so they said she was dad. Everybody was very kind to her.
That summer past quickly. Sometimes she went back to her own house o make tea for her father. When her mother died her father stop drinking. He tried to be kind to Caith, but Caith hated him. She help cleaning the house. One day she asked her father for some money for a uniform. He gave her the money. He said that he would sell the house. Hickey would have to leave. Caithleen didn?t like it of course. She went to a birthday party of Baba. When she came there Baba did very nasty to her. She said that it was nicer without her. It was better without her. She went back to her own house. She talked a whole with Hickey. He said that he also wanted to go he should go to England.
Next day she went to Limerick she didn?t tell anyone. She wanted to buy the uniform alone. Mr Gentleman gave her a lift. Caith thought that he looked very sad. . He was very kind to her. Caith bought all kinds of stuff and after her shopping she went to Mr Gentleman. They had dinner. One the way home he said sweet things to her. He said: ? You?re they sweetest thing that happened to me. Caithleen was very happy. They went home. She said goodbye and Caithleen was very happy. She went to Baba. One day Baba asked why she was so happy. She told Baba that she was in love. Of course Baba wanted to know who. She finally told it??.. Mr Gentleman. Baba laugh she said that she would tell it to Mrs Gentleman that evening. Caithleen was very angry on herself. She gave Baba a ring when she wouldn?t tell it. Baba said that he had said ohhh that little girl. I don?t want to talk about her.
The last time she saw her own house was in the rain. She said goodbye to everybody. Caith would take the tea service of her mother. Caith was very skinny and too tall for age. They went to the convent to bring Baba and Caithleen. Her father and Martha and Mr Brennan brought them there. It was horrible there. Caithleen and Baba didn?t talk to each other. During the first night the nuns took Caitleen?s tea service.
In the she had a friend Cythia. She was very kind. She was older then they were. She helped Caithleen. She wasn?t interested in Baba at all. The nuns didn?t like Baba. Baba was very jalouse because Caith had such a nice friend and she hadn?t. Dinner was horrible. Baba was always complaining. There was another nice girl named Una. She was very quiet. Caithleen got three letters. One of her father, one of Jack Holland and one from Hickey. Baba said that she got a letter of Mr Gentleman. She said that she wanted to ask him to have dinner with them with Christmas at home. So he did. She came home with Christmas (Baba's?home) her father also was there. He bought her a pair of new shoes they were beautiful. She looked a thousand times at her legs. During dinner Mr Gentleman came. He kissed Baba at her head. He kissed Caithleen on her lips. She was very happy. He asked her if he should see her tomorrow.
Next day he came to get her for a ride to Limerick. It was snowing. They talked a while. He also kissed her. A real kiss. She was happy again.
Caithleen wanted to send eggs to Hickey. Martha was in a midlife crisis. She looked suddenly very old. Caith also visited Jack Holland. They talk a while and he asked her if she wants to merry him. She doesn?t know what to say so she doesn?t a thing. And walks home. On the way back she meets Mr Gentleman. He says he loves Caithleen. He says that it have to be a secret. She can?t tell anyone anything about it at all. It has to be a secret. He also gives her a golden watch. She has to hide him. Baba wanted to leave the convent. She really hated there. She wants to get out and become a actor. Cathleen doesn?t hate it she does not want to leave. Caith is still in love with Mr Gentleman. She can?t write him.
Baba keeps thinking of escaping for three years. Cynthia already had left the convent. Than Baba has a plan. The should write a kind of vulgar things about sister Mary and Father tom. They do it. In a few minutes they find out. Sister Margaret finds the papers and is very angry. Baba and Caithleen are both send home. They aren?t allowed to come back. They call their parents. Next day they are at home. He father is at Baba?s house. He ?s very angry he also hits her. Mr Brennan is very angry he says that he have to leave the house. So he does. Mr Brennan and Caith talk a while. She realised that Mr Brennan isn?t so happy. She thinks that he had better married her mother. Caith finds a postcard of Mr Gentleman. He is to the Mediterranean with his wife.
Baba and Caith would go to Dublin. Caith would work in a grocery and Baba would go to college. Caith told her father that she also would go to college but didn?t. She went one time back to their home. He father said that she had to be careful. She couldn?t be nice to him. She said goodbye to everyone. They went by train to Dublin. They both felt pretty and they were a bit arrogant. They drank a lot alcohol. They enjoyed their freedom. In Dublin they had a room by a family. There was a very big fat woman, named Johanna, a man Gustav and johan. Caitleen liked Johanna but Baba didn?t like her. She thought she was a nuts. The first night they went to town to dance. Caithleen felt while she was dancing. She felt ashamed so she drunk all night sprite on the balcony. Baba danced. When they went back they bought chips and yelled at the street. They sang. Next day Caith went to her work. She had to get up early. It was a bit untidy in the shop but the people were very kind to her. Mr and Mrs Burns liked her. They were the owners of the grocery. She earned 3 pounds a week. Caith and Baba bought all kinds of underwear. Especially black underwear. Caith also bought a pair of nylon.
One night they would both have a dat with two old rich me. Harry and Reginald. Caith didn?t want but Baba really wanted. If they go they could have free food and drink. They were both nervous. They men paid all the drinks and brought the girls to their house. They wanted to have sex with them. Caith didn?t want. She wanted to go. Harry was very ugly. Baba liked Reginald,but she was drunk. They brought them home. At home their was a car in front of the house. It was Mr Gentleman?s car. Caithleen came in the car and they kissed each other. Baba went in the house. And Caith and Mr Gentleman drove to the sea. Next days caith had a lot of dates with Mr Gentleman. Baba had a lot of dates with Reginald. Baba and Caith became strange to each other. Baba got sick and she had to leave to a sanatorium for six month. She had tuberculosis. That night Caith asked Johanna if she could invite a man in her room (Mr Gentleman) She agreed when she said that he was very rich. That night they went out and Caith asked him in. He was happy. They had seks. He asked her if she wanted to come with him to Vienna. She wanted of course. They would go in a few days. Caith told Mr Burns that her aunt died and that she had to go home. She told Johanna that she went with Mr Gentleman. She asked her for a night-dress. Hickey also had faxed that he would come. She didn?t thought about him because she only thought of Mr gentleman. They would meet each other at the airport. But when she was there at the right time Mr Gentleman wasn?t there he left her. She waited hours. When she come home there was a fax of him. He couldn?t leave. His wife?.
Caithleen cried.


Author

The author of this book is Edna o? Brien. I don?t know anything about her. I have looked at internet but I couldn?t find anything. I know she has written tree other books. One is a sequel to the country girls. She wrote two other books.



Theme

The theme of this book is very difficult, because there are a few. I think the theme of this book is trust, love and friendship. Love is clear. Caitheen with Mr Gentleman. She really loves him but he is married. Of course something like that can?t go right. Mr gentleman use Caithleen. He probably thought such a young nice girl. That?s better then my wife.
The friendship between Baba and Caith also is very strange. Sometimes Baba is very kind but the next minutes the acts like a bitch. The rest of the village is very kind to Caithleen. Especially when her mother died. When her dad stops drinking she still can?t trust him. She hates him.



Characters

Caithleen: Caithleen is a young girl from fourteen years old. She is very skinny. And very tall. She has thick brown hair and green eyes. Caithleen is a very unsecure weak girl. She cried very oft. Caithleen was a catholic girl. She has had a very bad childhood. They were poor. Her father hit her and was always drunk. Her mother died. Her best friend teased her. But Hickey helpt her a lot.

Baba: Baba is the best friend of Caithleen. She always teased Caithlen. She is a daughter of a rich surgeon. She is very spoiled and brutal. She really hates it in the convent, because they are very hard to her. When they live in Dublin she is nicer to caithleen. She enjoys her freedom and she goes out with a lot of boys.

Mr Gentleman: Mr Gentleman is a old man with grey hair. He was beautiful. He is a rich Frenchman. Everybody calls him Mr Gentleman because they can?t pronounce his real name. He worked as a solicitor in Dublin. He was married, but he had an affair with Caithleen.
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Father: He was in the beginning always drunk. He wastes all the money. He wasn?t very oft at home. When his wife died he changed. He stopped drinking and he tried to be kind to Caithleen. Once he bought beautiful shoes for her.

Hickey: He was a very kind boy. He worked at the farm. He always took care of Caithleen. He was a lot older than she was. He also was fat. Caithleen always liked him.