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My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell is a novel concerning an English family, the Durrells, who suddenly leave their home in Britain in order to move to the Greek island of Corfu. This book is told from the viewpoint of Gerald Durrell, the youngest member of the family, who gives a detailed account of certain incidents that are imprinted in his mind, of the family's five year stay in Corfu. Many of the anecdotes capture the most interesting of the family's encounters with the island and it's inhabitants but the main theme is of two intertwined worlds; that of animals and wildlife, with that of people. Because of Gerry and his extreme love of nature, many of his pets and family members meet frequently, resulting in chaotic situations.

Once in Corfu, the Durrells encounter a great number of characters that are both eccentric and a little flamboyant and it is these characters on which the story is based, along with the many pets that Gerry acquires throughout his time in Greece. It is from these characters and their outlandish ways that much of the entertainment comes and to the reader, it may often seem, that even though My Family and Other Animals is a true story, that the island and it

In my opinion, Spiro, the first friend that the Durrells make in Corfu, is one of the most funny and important characters in the story. The 'short, barrel-bodied individual, with ham-like hands and a great, leathery, scowling face surmounted by a jauntily-tilted peaked cap' and his determination to get his own way no matter what, makes him one of the most amusing characters even though he always means well. With his terrible English and his booming voice, Spiro, a taxi driver, has great effect over everyone on the island. He wants to be the 'man of the Durrell household', constantly organizing everyone and running all the errands. With his bouncy, fun-loving personality, Spiro soon becomes one of the family, advising Mrs. Durrell on Margo (Gerry's only sister) and on how to handle the three boys. He is always ready to help, in his own unique way and constantly brings laughter and amusement to the family. To the novel, he brings great entertainment and the reader is constantly kept laughing. His strange English, made up of a great deal of swear words, along with his Grecian accent and the amusing things he says, bring a lot of character to the book and keeps the reader enthralled.

Another unusual character and one that is easily remembered by the reader, is Kralefsky, Gerry's last and most successful tutor. This individual 'not a human being at all, but a gnome who had disguised himself as one by donning an antiquated but very dapper suit', is quite an eccentric as well, but immediately finds something he has in common with Gerry, his passion for natural history. He is a man that is full of thoughts and dreams, often in his own world when surrounded by his collection of birds. In addition, he likes to entertain, constantly telling creative stories that somehow always seem to involve Ladies. Kralefsky is a very imaginative character, and because of this, he teaches Gerry a great deal and broadens his perspective on life. The two soon become close friends and both learn an immense amount from one another. To the story, he brings humor and a personality that is quite peculiar, which is great entertainment for the reader.

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1565
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Religion