So good! I love the dialogue you include, in which Martha shines. I was enchanted by A Little Princess as a child and loved her nobility in poverty—and the transformation of her attic!
Yes indeed--and has faced some of the same criticisms for its "problematic" portrayal of India and of social class. Hmm, may take a look at that one sometime. I liked it but didn't love it the way I loved The Secret Garden. But Shirley Temple starred in the first film version!
Bravo. Another insightful piece and great review of a great book. Title hits the nail on the head too. I'm glad someone is doing this kind of thoughtful analysis. These books are classics because they are undergirded by universal values and universal truths. Yes, there is such a thing.
I am so pleased to have read this because I had exactly those thoughts. I could not understand why my daughter refused to read the book to my granddaughter because it is racist rubbish - her comment. Thank you for what appears to me to be a common sense attitude.
As a former teacher in the diverse South, I hesitated to read this story aloud or recommend it to my students because of those passages~even though as a white child growing up in both the north and south due to my father’s military career transfers I absolutely loved it and totally “got” the book’s larger message which truly helped me be a more empathetic person. I don’t know why I was so nervous and hesitant when revisiting the book as an adult, except that I must have just felt uncomfortable because I was simply looking at those particular passages not thinking of the story and message as a whole. No longer teaching, I’m feeling disappointed in myself for not recognizing what you have so eloquently articulated. What I loved about this book when I reflect was not so much the transformation of the ugly overgrown garden, but the blossom-like opening of narrow-mindedness as well as the blooming into better people of Mary and Colin~as well as everyone around them affected by their transformation. My students missed out. And I am sad that I didn’t do better.
So good! I love the dialogue you include, in which Martha shines. I was enchanted by A Little Princess as a child and loved her nobility in poverty—and the transformation of her attic!
Me, too--and read The Little Princess to my daughter. Loved both books, but The Secret Garden was my favorite.
Read this book several times as a child and there have been a few good film adaptations too, a deserved classic.
A LITTLE PRINCESS by the same author is just as good as THE SECRET GARDEN and also has at least two good film versions of it as well.
Yes indeed--and has faced some of the same criticisms for its "problematic" portrayal of India and of social class. Hmm, may take a look at that one sometime. I liked it but didn't love it the way I loved The Secret Garden. But Shirley Temple starred in the first film version!
Bravo. Another insightful piece and great review of a great book. Title hits the nail on the head too. I'm glad someone is doing this kind of thoughtful analysis. These books are classics because they are undergirded by universal values and universal truths. Yes, there is such a thing.
Absolutely! Thanks.
I am so pleased to have read this because I had exactly those thoughts. I could not understand why my daughter refused to read the book to my granddaughter because it is racist rubbish - her comment. Thank you for what appears to me to be a common sense attitude.
As a former teacher in the diverse South, I hesitated to read this story aloud or recommend it to my students because of those passages~even though as a white child growing up in both the north and south due to my father’s military career transfers I absolutely loved it and totally “got” the book’s larger message which truly helped me be a more empathetic person. I don’t know why I was so nervous and hesitant when revisiting the book as an adult, except that I must have just felt uncomfortable because I was simply looking at those particular passages not thinking of the story and message as a whole. No longer teaching, I’m feeling disappointed in myself for not recognizing what you have so eloquently articulated. What I loved about this book when I reflect was not so much the transformation of the ugly overgrown garden, but the blossom-like opening of narrow-mindedness as well as the blooming into better people of Mary and Colin~as well as everyone around them affected by their transformation. My students missed out. And I am sad that I didn’t do better.