The Secret Garden was an exciting, magical, remarkable novel written by Frances Hodgson Burnett in 1911. The story was written during a very difficult time period due to the Cholera outbreak in India. Rheumatic and Typhoid fever were also deadly infections in England. Frances Hodgson Burnett was born in Manchester, England on November 24, 1849. Her father died when she was three years old and left her mother with no other option but to immigrate to America in 1865. Burnett developed a passion for writing and began helping her family earn money by publishing stories in magazines when she was 19. Burnett traveled to England frequently and bought a homestead there in 1880. She began her career writing for adults and did not publish a children’s book until 1886. She was famous for her novels: Little Lord Fauntleroy, A Little Princess, and The Secret Garden. The Secret Garden is a wonderful, enrapturing story about a sick, ill-mannered, orphan girl born in India who had lost both her parents to Cholera. She ended up being adopted by her neglecting, heart-broken uncle, Archibald Craven. She developed a powerful friendship with Dickon, a strong, playful, charming boy and Colin, a weak invalid who was sicker and more frail than Mary herself! Together, they discovered a colorful, bewitching, confidential garden that changed the lives of not only themselves but of their long distant friends and relatives: Ben Weatherstaff, a bachelor and gardener, Mrs. Medlock, Misselthwaite manor’s housekeeper, Martha Sowerby, a youngnine-year old housemaid and Mary’s first friend, and Susan Sowerby, Martha’s peculiar mother. The arrival of Mary Lennox at Misselthwaite Manor, a hundred room mansion, changed the way of life for the eight major characters in this story especially in Chapters 7 & 21. A thrilling, interesting event took place in Chapter 7, “The Key of the Garden”, in which Mary had discovered something that would change her life. The rainstorm over the moor in Yorkshire had ended and the blue sky and the sun had shone high over the moorland. Mary informed Martha that she was extremely excited to play in the gardens of Misselthwaite Manor and to feel the fresh air of the breeze while running on the moor. Martha agreed with Mary and declared that Spring was soon to arrive in Yorkshire. Mary exclaimed that she would love to walk five miles in the sunshine to Martha’s cottage, but Martha knew she would not be able to, as she had not walked since her birth. Mary shared with Martha that she liked Dickon and Mrs. Sowerby although she had never seen them and was only related to them through Martha’s stories. Mary thought that Dickon wouldn’t like her, but Martha asked Mary how much she liked herself. Mary answered that she still had to think about it. Martha had left to help her mother with baking food and washing dishes, which made Mary feel lonelier than ever. Mary decided to play on the moor and speak with Ben Weatherstaff. Ben Weatherstaff spoke with Mary about springtime and how the flowers would bloom. Mary heard the robin present himself with the rustling of his wings. Mary wondered whether there were any animals or plants stirring in the garden where the robin lived (the secret garden). When Mary asked Ben Weatherstaff, he suggested that she ask the robin since he had never been in the garden for ten years. Mary knew ten years was a long time since she was born ten years ago. As the robin approached Mary, he jumped, flirted his tail, and twittered. Mary understood it was a signal that the robin remembered her. Robin had flapped his wings and made a gesture indicating Mary to follow him. The robinled Mary to newly dug up soil which revealed a rusty ring. However, Mary found out that it wasn’t a ring, it was a key! Mistress Mary stared at the key, frightened and bewildered, and she whispered that it may be the key to a garden that had been untended for ten years! This key Mary had found led her to a garden that not only made her feel better, but helped her even more sickly cousin, Colin, feel happier, stronger, and more courageous than ever. Another astounding, miraculous, joyful event took place in Chapter 21 “Ben Weatherstaff”, when Colin first stood on his feet for the first time in his life. Mary and Dickon were working in the garden, while Colin was dreamily enjoying the gorgeous afternoon in his wheelchair drinking tea. Colin was speaking his first Yorkshire dialect as well! Colin spotted a man on a ladder near the garden and asked Mary and Dickon who that man was. Mary and Dickon were puzzled and frightened when they learnt that the man was none other than Ben Weatherstaff! Ben Weatherstaff scolded Mary for sneaking into the garden with Dickon and Colin. When Mary protested the robin had led her to the garden, Ben Weatherstaff did not believe the story and complained that Mary was a bad little lass. In a few minutes, Colin understood what was going on and asked Dickon to move his chair towards Ben Weatherstaff. Colin yelled at Ben Weatherstaff that he was Master Colin, son of Master Craven. Ben Weatherstaff shrunk of fear, and he asked Colin meekly if he was crippled. This made Colin so furious that he stood up on his feet at once for the first time in his life! Ben Weatherstaff became even more frightened. He kept asking questions to Colin meekly to which Colin answered “No,”. While Ben Weatherstaff was coming back to his senses after his strange encounter, Colin exclaimed to Dickon and Mary that he could stand! Dickon replied that he knew Colin would stand once he stopped being afraid of attempting to. Colin then turned his attention to Ben Weatherstaff and demanded that he must enter the Long Walk where Mistress Mary would lead him to the garden. Ben Weatherstaff knowing he had to follow the orders of the young rajah obediently descended from the ladder and disappeared.
The Secret Garden is a fascinating and exhilarating novel. Francis Hodgson Burnett’s characters started their lives filled with sorrow and despair, but their lives ended being pleasant and joyful at the end of the novel. The author also uses unique, descriptive words to help one visualize as if they were in the story. The impressive part of the story is how Mary had a strong, lasting influence on Ben, Colin, Mrs. Medlock, Mr. Archibald Craven, Martha Sowerby, and Susan Sowerby. Mary finding the key to the secret garden and the hidden door makes the novel exciting and suspenseful. This book should be read by a 5 year-old child who is interested in learning how two other children who seem wrong in similar ways and understand each other can have a positive impact on not only themselves but on everyone else around them. Although the novel started on a sad note, it ended on a bright one!
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