1
© 2026 Juffrou Ansie Study Notes. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced or distributed without written permission.
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About This Booklet
This Summary and Analysis Booklet was created to support the study of My Family and Other
Animals by Gerald Durrell. It brings together clear summaries, character analysis,
relationships, important events, themes and literary devices in one structured resource.
The content was developed with reference to the prescribed novel, past examination and
assessment papers and other educational resources. Past papers were used to identify
commonly assessed content, question styles and important areas of focus.
Some of the images in this booklet were created with the assistance of artificial intelligence
(AI). These images are used as visual learning aids to help learners picture the characters,
settings and events. They are artistic interpretations and are not exact representations of the
real people or places.
This booklet works best when used together with the:
• Contextual Questions Booklet
• PowerPoint Presentation
These additional resources expand on the content in this booklet and provide further
explanation, practice and revision opportunities.
The Contextual Questions Booklet and PowerPoint Presentation are available for purchase.
For enquiries, contact:
Some images in this booklet were created with the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI). They
are artistic interpretations used to help learners visualise the characters, settings and events.
They should not be regarded as exact representations of the characters’ appearances or of real
people and places.
Juffrou Ansie
Contents
Introduction to the Novel .......................................................................................... 4
The Title: My Family and Other Animals...................................................................... 4
Author ..................................................................................................................... 5
Type of novel, Narrator and Point of view .................................................................... 5
Setting .................................................................................................................... 5
Brief overview of the novel ........................................................................................ 6
Important Events and Plot Summary ......................................................................... 7
SECTION A: CHARACTERS ...................................................................................... 10
The Durrell Family ............................................................................................... 10
Gerald “Gerry” Durrell ......................................................................................... 11
© 2026 Juffrou Ansie Study Notes. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced or distributed without written permission.
, 3
Mother .............................................................................................................. 12
Larry ................................................................................................................. 14
Leslie ................................................................................................................ 15
Margo ................................................................................................................ 17
Supporting Characters ...................................................................................... 18
SECTION B: RELATIONSHIPS .................................................................................. 19
Central relationships ........................................................................................ 19
1. Gerry and Mother......................................................................................... 19
2. Gerry and Roger........................................................................................... 20
3. Gerry and Theodore ..................................................................................... 20
4. Gerry and His Family .................................................................................... 20
Secondary relationships ................................................................................... 21
SECTION C: IMPORTANT EVENTS AND EXTRACT CONTEXT ....................................... 22
The Migration and Arrival in Corfu ...................................................................... 22
Gerry’s Early Exploration of Corfu ..................................................................... 22
Yani and the Scorpion Story............................................................................... 22
The Scorpion Incident ....................................................................................... 23
Gerry’s Education ............................................................................................. 23
Larry’s Guests and the Move to the Larger Villa ................................................. 24
Margo and Saint Spiridion ................................................................................. 24
The Magpies and the Return to England ............................................................. 24
SECTION D: THEMES .............................................................................................. 25
Theme: Family Life ............................................................................................ 25
Overview ........................................................................................................ 25
Mother’s role in family life ................................................................................ 26
What the novel suggests about family life .......................................................... 26
Theme: Animals and Nature .............................................................................. 26
Theme: Freedom and Individuality .................................................................... 27
Theme: Education ............................................................................................ 27
Theme: Adapting to Corfu and Its Community .................................................. 28
SECTION E: LITERARY ANALYSIS ............................................................................. 29
© 2026 Juffrou Ansie Study Notes. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced or distributed without written permission.
, 4
Humour............................................................................................................. 29
Irony ................................................................................................................. 31
Tone and Mood ................................................................................................... 32
Important Literary Devices ...................................................................................... 34
Introduction to the Novel
My Family and Other Animals is a humorous autobiographical novel by Gerald
Durrell. It is based on Gerald’s childhood experiences with his widowed mother, his
brothers Larry and Leslie and his sister Margo on the Greek island of Corfu.
Gerald is also known as Gerry. He is the narrator of the novel and tells the story from a
first-person point of view. This means that he uses words such as I, me and my when
describing his experiences.
The novel focuses on two connected parts of Gerry’s childhood:
• his life with his unusual and argumentative family
• his fascination with animals and the natural world
The overall tone of the novel is light-hearted and humorous. Much of the humour
develops from the family members’ different personalities, their frequent
disagreements and their reactions to the animals Gerry brings home.
Corfu is an important part of the novel. Its warm weather, natural beauty and variety of
wildlife allow Gerry to explore freely and develop his interest in nature.
The Title: My Family and Other Animals
The title My Family and Other Animals immediately establishes the novel’s humorous tone.
The words “my family” refer to Gerry’s mother, brothers and sister. The phrase “other
animals” refers to the many animals Gerry observes, collects and brings into the family’s
homes.
The title is humorous because it also suggests that Gerry’s unusual and argumentative family
members could be included among the animals. Their strong personalities, frequent
arguments and unpredictable behaviour often create as much chaos as Gerry’s creatures.
The title therefore connects the two main focuses of the novel:
• family life
• animals and nature
It also prepares the reader for a story in which human behaviour and animal behaviour are often
placed side by side. The family’s reactions to Gerry’s animals create many of the novel’s
funniest incidents.
© 2026 Juffrou Ansie Study Notes. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced or distributed without written permission.
© 2026 Juffrou Ansie Study Notes. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced or distributed without written permission.
, 2
About This Booklet
This Summary and Analysis Booklet was created to support the study of My Family and Other
Animals by Gerald Durrell. It brings together clear summaries, character analysis,
relationships, important events, themes and literary devices in one structured resource.
The content was developed with reference to the prescribed novel, past examination and
assessment papers and other educational resources. Past papers were used to identify
commonly assessed content, question styles and important areas of focus.
Some of the images in this booklet were created with the assistance of artificial intelligence
(AI). These images are used as visual learning aids to help learners picture the characters,
settings and events. They are artistic interpretations and are not exact representations of the
real people or places.
This booklet works best when used together with the:
• Contextual Questions Booklet
• PowerPoint Presentation
These additional resources expand on the content in this booklet and provide further
explanation, practice and revision opportunities.
The Contextual Questions Booklet and PowerPoint Presentation are available for purchase.
For enquiries, contact:
Some images in this booklet were created with the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI). They
are artistic interpretations used to help learners visualise the characters, settings and events.
They should not be regarded as exact representations of the characters’ appearances or of real
people and places.
Juffrou Ansie
Contents
Introduction to the Novel .......................................................................................... 4
The Title: My Family and Other Animals...................................................................... 4
Author ..................................................................................................................... 5
Type of novel, Narrator and Point of view .................................................................... 5
Setting .................................................................................................................... 5
Brief overview of the novel ........................................................................................ 6
Important Events and Plot Summary ......................................................................... 7
SECTION A: CHARACTERS ...................................................................................... 10
The Durrell Family ............................................................................................... 10
Gerald “Gerry” Durrell ......................................................................................... 11
© 2026 Juffrou Ansie Study Notes. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced or distributed without written permission.
, 3
Mother .............................................................................................................. 12
Larry ................................................................................................................. 14
Leslie ................................................................................................................ 15
Margo ................................................................................................................ 17
Supporting Characters ...................................................................................... 18
SECTION B: RELATIONSHIPS .................................................................................. 19
Central relationships ........................................................................................ 19
1. Gerry and Mother......................................................................................... 19
2. Gerry and Roger........................................................................................... 20
3. Gerry and Theodore ..................................................................................... 20
4. Gerry and His Family .................................................................................... 20
Secondary relationships ................................................................................... 21
SECTION C: IMPORTANT EVENTS AND EXTRACT CONTEXT ....................................... 22
The Migration and Arrival in Corfu ...................................................................... 22
Gerry’s Early Exploration of Corfu ..................................................................... 22
Yani and the Scorpion Story............................................................................... 22
The Scorpion Incident ....................................................................................... 23
Gerry’s Education ............................................................................................. 23
Larry’s Guests and the Move to the Larger Villa ................................................. 24
Margo and Saint Spiridion ................................................................................. 24
The Magpies and the Return to England ............................................................. 24
SECTION D: THEMES .............................................................................................. 25
Theme: Family Life ............................................................................................ 25
Overview ........................................................................................................ 25
Mother’s role in family life ................................................................................ 26
What the novel suggests about family life .......................................................... 26
Theme: Animals and Nature .............................................................................. 26
Theme: Freedom and Individuality .................................................................... 27
Theme: Education ............................................................................................ 27
Theme: Adapting to Corfu and Its Community .................................................. 28
SECTION E: LITERARY ANALYSIS ............................................................................. 29
© 2026 Juffrou Ansie Study Notes. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced or distributed without written permission.
, 4
Humour............................................................................................................. 29
Irony ................................................................................................................. 31
Tone and Mood ................................................................................................... 32
Important Literary Devices ...................................................................................... 34
Introduction to the Novel
My Family and Other Animals is a humorous autobiographical novel by Gerald
Durrell. It is based on Gerald’s childhood experiences with his widowed mother, his
brothers Larry and Leslie and his sister Margo on the Greek island of Corfu.
Gerald is also known as Gerry. He is the narrator of the novel and tells the story from a
first-person point of view. This means that he uses words such as I, me and my when
describing his experiences.
The novel focuses on two connected parts of Gerry’s childhood:
• his life with his unusual and argumentative family
• his fascination with animals and the natural world
The overall tone of the novel is light-hearted and humorous. Much of the humour
develops from the family members’ different personalities, their frequent
disagreements and their reactions to the animals Gerry brings home.
Corfu is an important part of the novel. Its warm weather, natural beauty and variety of
wildlife allow Gerry to explore freely and develop his interest in nature.
The Title: My Family and Other Animals
The title My Family and Other Animals immediately establishes the novel’s humorous tone.
The words “my family” refer to Gerry’s mother, brothers and sister. The phrase “other
animals” refers to the many animals Gerry observes, collects and brings into the family’s
homes.
The title is humorous because it also suggests that Gerry’s unusual and argumentative family
members could be included among the animals. Their strong personalities, frequent
arguments and unpredictable behaviour often create as much chaos as Gerry’s creatures.
The title therefore connects the two main focuses of the novel:
• family life
• animals and nature
It also prepares the reader for a story in which human behaviour and animal behaviour are often
placed side by side. The family’s reactions to Gerry’s animals create many of the novel’s
funniest incidents.
© 2026 Juffrou Ansie Study Notes. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced or distributed without written permission.
