Billy Elliot: Characters & Plot Summary

• "Billy Elliot" tells the story of an 11-year-old boy named Billy who discovers a passion for ballet dancing, despite societal expectations.
• The story is set in a small coastal town in the north of England.
• Ballet is traditionally seen as an activity for girls, not boys, creating conflict for Billy.
• The story addresses themes of family, gender roles, and personal dreams in a working-class community.

Key Characters

• Billy Elliot is the main character, an 11-year-old boy who is not particularly clever or good at sports, besides dance.
• Jackie Elliot is Billy's father, a miner who initially disapproves of Billy's interest in ballet.
• Tony Elliot is Billy's older brother, who is involved in the miners' strike.
• Mrs. Wilkinson is Billy's ballet teacher.
• Michael is Billy's gay friend who is supportive of Billy's dancing.
• Nan, Billy’s grandmother who was a dancer.

Plot Summary

• Jackie Elliot is struggling to support his family because he and Tony are on strike.
• Eleven-year-old Billy discovers ballet dancing.
• Billy's father and brother are miners on strike, adding to the family's financial difficulties.
• Billy attends boxing lessons but is drawn to the ballet class taking place in the same building.
• Mrs. Wilkinson sees Billy's potential and begins to teach him ballet.
• Billy keeps his ballet lessons a secret from his father and brother.
• As Billy improves, Mrs. Wilkinson encourages him to audition for the Royal Ballet School.
• Billy's family discovers his ballet lessons, initially leading to conflict.
• Eventually, Billy's father recognizes his son's talent and the importance of his dream.
• The community rallies together to support Billy and raise money for the audition.
• Billy auditions for the Royal Ballet School in London.
• Billy argues with and shoves his boxing friend due to stress with auditioning.

Settings

• A small coastal town in the north of England serves as the primary setting.
• The setting establishes the working-class background of the Elliot family and the community.
• Other settings include Jackie Elliot home, the boxing gym, the ballet studio, the mine, and London.

Historical Context

• The story is set during the 1984-85 miners' strike in England.
• Margaret Thatcher's government closed coal mines resulting in mass layoffs.
• This strike was a pivotal event in British history, highlighting the struggles of working-class communities.

Central Conflicts

• Billy faces internal conflict between societal expectations for boys and his passion for ballet.
• External conflict arises from his father and brother, who disapprove of ballet.
• External conflict arises with Tony's trouble with the police.
• The miners' strike creates financial hardship for the family, making it difficult to support Billy's dream.
• Billy must find the courage to pursue his dream despite the obstacles he faces.

Themes

• The story explores the themes of defying societal expectations and gender roles.
• It emphasizes the importance of family support in pursuing one's dreams.
• The struggles of working-class communities during the miners' strike are highlighted.
• The transformative power of art is shown through Billy's journey.
• Self-discovery and accepting one's true identity are recurring themes.

Introduction Information

• Dancing was Billy's one good thing in his life.
• Jackie Elliot lives in a small coastal town in the north of England with his two sons, Tony and Billy.
• They have no money and Jackie is worried about the future.
• Billy Elliot is a film by Stephen Daldry, starring Jamie Bell as Billy and Gary Lewis as his father.
• The story begins in 1984, when British workers were fighting the government, led by Margaret Thatcher, who wanted to close coal mines.
• "Billy Elliot" is also a musical play, with songs by Sir Elton John.

Chapter 1 Information

• Billy's brother Tony likes good music, and his grandmother, Nan, likes to dance.
• Mum died two years ago, although she wrote a letter for Billy's eighteenth birthday.
• Mum mentions in the letter that she misses Billy crying and laughing.
• Dad and Tony are fighting a lot, while Billy likes to play the piano.
• The boxing gym is where he is meant to go.

Chapter 2 Information

• Jackie Elliot worries about Billy because Billy is special.
• According to him, everything has changed because now people do not need the factory and English coal is too expensive.
• Every Saturday, Jackie watches Billy box, and he misses the beginning of the class because he is on the picket line.
• A ballet class is in the same hall.
• In the ballet class, girls are in pink dresses.
• Jackie tells Billy to fight, but Billy starts dancing, causing to loose to the other boy in class.

Chapter 3 Information

• George has Billy hit the practice bag because Billy is not doing well.
• Meanwhile, Billy can here the sounds of the ballet class in the adjacent hall.
• Billy goes to turn in the keys to the Ms. Wilkinson.
• He take off his gloves, in front of the pretty dink girls.
• He attempts Ballet moves, but gets yelled at to "Take your boots off!"
• Billy takes off his boots and she gives him ballet shoes.
• Ballet and dancing filled Billy next day as well.

Chapter 4 Information

• Jackie believes Billy will never go down the mine and bring up the coal.
• Billy is spinning round in circles in the kitchen, in the hall, and in his bedroom
• Billy has been spinning for so long that he got really fast.
• Billy admits to Jackie that he did not "Get it with "George."
• Jackie then recalls the fat boy knocking him down.
• After a while Jackie stops seeing Billy go the Boxing gym.

Chapter 5 Information

• Billy is doing better then the girls in class, jumping so high that his gets the teacher’s assistance for half of class time.
• "Dance, Billy! You're in front of these people so dance!"
• Then walking home, Billie’s dad saw his after Ms’s dropped him off.
• Then Billie’s dad then takes issue with Ballet.

Chapter 6 Information

• Billy then shows up on Michael’s door dressed in a dress and he is very shocked.
• Together they both do ballet poses.
• Which helps remind Billy that he has a audition for ballet school in Newcastle next week.

Chapter 7 Information

• His dad and Tony are fighting a lot.
• In addition to some of his dancing, Billy takes his mum's letter and music cassette that she liked for something personal for his dance.
• Tony lost it and tries to hurt his day, but only hits him in the face.
• So Billy runs to Ms. Wilkinson.

Chapter 8 Information

• Tony lit the end of the Police horses tail on fire.
• A women tells Billy he has missed his "important audition today" "For the Royal Ballet school.’"
• Then tony states “You stupid women. My brother isn't going to be a ballet dancer.”","

Chapter 9 Information

• Billy runs off and they end up in the boxing ring.
• Michael came to warm his hands and support him.
• Then Billy Danced around Michael, then came down and kissed him.
• Then Mr. Elliot came and turned and walked out of the hall.

Chapter 10 Information

• Jackie Elliot goes to sell his wife's Sarah’s wedding rig
• In addition to get more than just some meager cash from his selling of the ring.
• He agreed to return, as a scab worker.

Chapter 11 Information

• At the bus depot, Tony, finds out what his father has been out doing.
• So tony is angrier for it then ever.
• So his day has to be comforted by his sun Billy.

Chapter 12 Information

• Our hotal was not good, but they did manage to come and show.
• But, Billy now longer wants to do it, and the teachers talk oddly.
• " "When I dance, my body is full of fire. I forget everything.'”

Chapter 13 Information

• Jackie and Tony are going to use all that money so that Billy can go to School and to get a future.
• Gary Stewart says that he will gift them the money because Billy needs that future.
• They were all looking for his letter that contained some important in formation but Billy then stated, ""You're using my record player, Tony said.’’"

Chapter 14 Information

• Billy is off to London!
• Miss gives Billy "OK. Heads up. Bottoms out”

Chapter 15 Information

• Michael Caffrey now styles and dresses like a Londoners and is in attendance.
• Billy Elliot comes back.
• To dance and shine even for his father and every one.
• ““Billy! Billy Elliot! Our Billy!’ I shout very loudly.”"