The secret garden

To plant a Garden is to believe in tomorrow – Audrey Hepburn

Before I started reading I had no idea about the content of the book so I started quite blank, yet I immediately got sucked into the story. I really liked the book because it reads easily, it is in written in a sort of fairy-tale way which makes you curious about what is going to happen next.

It is a good book for adolescents, as they need to develop a sense of self and personal identity, which is stated by Erikson (1970). They can identify themselves with the main characters in the book Mary and Colin. Which are both searching for an identity and a way to escape from their current way of living.

First they are very unpleasant, spoiled children but by the help of each other and especially the garden, they develop themselves into kind children. At first Colin thinks he is ill and will die soon, but after discovering the garden it gives him so much strength and hope, he is determined to live and to enjoy live. He keeps talking about magic and how with the help of the magic he can walk again, yet it is just him believing in himself. That is the main key, which should be taught to and understood by every child. Because that is the most important message. If you believe in yourself everything is possible.

‘’ Slowly- slowly- for no reason that he knew of- he was ‘’coming alive’’ with the garden.’’ (Hodgson-Barnett, 1911- p. 265)

Although there is only a very short mentioning of the parents of Mary, they do play a big part in the book. As they are one of the reasons Mary is as spoiled and self-centred as she is. Because her parents never had time for her and did not raise her, she got raised by servants which obeyed her in everything she wanted. Until she arrives at the house of her uncle she does not even know how to properly dress herself. But little by little she goes more outside, starts to discover things and gets inspired. She feels herself come more alive and the main reason is the garden. The more time she spends in the garden the better she feels that makes the garden the real hero in this story. This is also stated by Appleyard (1991) ‘’The characterization of characters should be simple and their motives easily understood for the frame of reference of the children. There’s a hero, an adventure, a challenge and a happy ending – wish fulfilment dream’’

A huge part of the story takes place in the garden, yet the way it is described is always a bit different. Mary goes back to the garden every day but with different people or she discovers something new she had not seen before. This makes the garden so familiar yet always a bit different, according to Appleyard (199) there is a  combination of sameness and diversity to children books.

‘’They always called it magic and indeed it seems like it in the months that followed- the wonderful months- the radiant months- the amazing ones. Oh! The things which happened in that garden! If you never had a garden you cannot understand, and if you have had a garden you will know that it would take a whole book to describe all that came to pass there’’. (Hodgson-Barnett, 1911- P 219).

In class we discussed the book and came all to the conclusion that we really liked reading the book. The main things that we liked about the book is the fact that morals are very important you see this in the book in the beginning especially the conduct of Mary and Colin towards other people, bit by bit they are changing into kinder people.  Furthermore the importance of having a friend, Dickon becomes a role model and friend for Mary and later on also for Colin. That there are no limits to be good, not only with Dickon but also with Dickon’s mother, the way they are living their live, deal with other people, their values and beliefs. For Colin and Mary they are some kind of magic, and they help them to believe in themselves.

‘’ Magic is in her just as it is in Dickon,’’ said Colin. ‘’It makes her think of ways to do things- nice things. She is a Magic person. Tell her we are grateful, Dickon- extremely grateful’’. (Hodgson-Barnett, 1911,P.237)

There are some patterns in the book like going to the garden, the robin who keeps coming back, all the things Mary learns from Dickon and to which she refers to quite frequently. This is also shown by Appleyard, who states ‘’The narrative structure of these books is apt to be fairly elementary; within the general framework of problem/journey /danger overcome, the action is likely to consist of a series of episodes, sometimes quite repetitive, punctuated by suspenseful climaxes, that eventually lead to a decisive confrontation’’ (Appleyard, 1991).

Bibliography

Appleyard, J.A. (1991). Becoming a Reader: The reader as hero and heroine. Cambridge. Cambridge University Press

Erikson, E.H. (1970) Reflections on the dissent of contemporary youth. International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 51, 11-22.

Hodgson Burnett, F (1911). The secret garden. London: Penguin books.

Image 1 – [Untitled image of the secret garden with Colin].(n.d). Pinterest. Retrieved March 8, 2020, from https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/467389267550521545/