What Is A Theme Of The Secret Garden – Emma Hayes does not work for, consult, share or receive any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant relationships beyond her academic appointment.
Frances Hodgson Burnett’s The Secret Garden has been described as “the most significant children’s book of the 20th century”.
What Is A Theme Of The Secret Garden
First published in 1911, after serialization in an American magazine, a critic at the time dismissed it as simplistic and lacking “enough enthusiasm”. The novel is a sensitive and complex story, which explores how a relationship with nature contributes to our emotional and physical well-being. It also reveals concerns about national identity during the British Empire, drawing on ideas from Christian Science.
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The Secret Garden has been read for generations, still has a place on children’s publishing lists today, and has inspired many film versions. A new film starring Colin Firth, Dixie Eggerix and Amir Wilson updates the story in some ways for modern audiences.
The book opens with nine-year-old Mary Lennox, who is found abandoned in an Indian bungalow after her parents die in a cholera outbreak. Burnett depicts India as a place of permissive behavior, disease and laziness:
[Mary’s] hair was yellow and her face was yellow because she was born in India and was always sick.
Máire is “disagreeable”, “contradictory”, “selfish” and “cross”. She tries gardening in vain, planting hibiscus flowers in mounds of dirt. Aya took care of Mary and the other “native servants … Mary always obeyed and gave her own way in everything.”
The Secret Garden.
After the death of her parents, Mary is sent to live with her great-uncle Archibald Craven at Misselthwaite Manor in Yorkshire.
Mary’s arrival in England was a great surprise. The “freedom” of the Yorkshire servants – compared to the servants in India – examines her behavior. Martha Sowerby, a naive young housewife, presents Mary with a skipping rope: Yorkshire takes offense to Mary’s royal discomfort.
Also at the manor is Colin, her 10-year-old cousin. While hiding from Mary, she finds him after hearing his cries in the night.
Colin is unable to walk and believes he will not live to be an adult. Sitting in his bedroom, Colin terrorizes his servants with his rage: he commits “hysterics” in the style of the Gothic feminist.
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Perhaps the most famous image associated with Burnet’s text is the closed door leading to the eponymous garden.
This walled garden previously belonged to Lilias Craven, Colin’s mother. When she died in an accident in the garden, her husband, Archibald, locked the door and buried the key.
After Mary discovers the key, she begins working with Martha’s brother Deacon in this mysterious overgrown garden. Eventually, she brings Colin out of her room with Deacon’s help, and the garden help him recover his powers.
The Secret Garden Theme Flower Decoration With Cherry Tree During Famous Macy S Annual Flower Show Editorial Stock Image
Burnett draws cultural links between youth and nature and highlights Eádí’s beliefs about the importance of the garden. The Wind in the Willows (1908) by Kenneth Grahame and J.M. Like other Edwardian texts such as Barrie’s Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens (1906), The Secret Garden traces England’s turn to paganism and mysticism. The Greek god Pan expressed through the spirit of the book.
Deacon, who has an affinity for animals and the natural world, is first introduced as he sits under a tree “playing a rough wooden pipe” reminiscent of Pan’s flute.
Mary and Colin are physically and mentally transformed working in the garden. The narrow rooms and passageways of Misselthwaite Manor contrast with the freedom of the secret garden.
At first it seemed like the green things would never stop pushing their way through the earth, into the grass, into the beds, even through the holes in the walls. Then the green things began to grow and bud and colors appeared, every shade of blue, every shade of purple, every shade of crimson and color.
Mapping The Secret Garden Characters
Children are healed by gardening in the “fresh wind of the turf”. Both increase weight and strength and reduce pallor. Colin’s gardening shows a mastery of space as he plants roses – the floral symbol of England.
Mary is secondary because Colin’s treatment becomes the main focus of the text; Colin gains the ability to walk and – more importantly – win the race against her.
The Secret Garden emphasizes the power of positive thoughts: “Thoughts – just thoughts – are as powerful as an electric battery – as good as sunlight to one person or as bad as poison to another”.
This focus on the power of positive thinking underlies Burnett’s interest in New Thought and Christian Science. New thinking teaches that people can improve their lives by changing their thinking patterns. It was developed by Phineas Parkhurst Quimby in the 19th century, and Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of Christian Science, was one of Quimby’s students. Burnett did not join any religions, but she admits they have influenced her work. Both religions generally reject mainstream medicine.
The Valiant Little Jacob. Story Of A Secret Garden: A Story Based On The Theme Of
The garden, seen here in the 1949 film, captures the New Thought ideal of the healing power of thought. IMDB/MGM
Colin’s talk of the “magic” of the garden reflects his belief in the healing power of thought.
The sun is shining – the sun is shining. That is magic. Flowers are growing – roots are stirring. That is magic. Being alive is magic – being strong is magic. The magic is in me…it’s in all of us. Secret Garden today
Written during the expansion of the British Empire, The Secret Garden is clearly concerned with national identity. He draws an implicit (and clear) distinction between the sickness and lethargy of India and the health and vitality of life on the Yorkshire moors.
The Secret Garden Party 2022
But The Secret Garden still resonates with contemporary audiences. This new adaptation elaborates on the “magic” of the healing power of thought, introducing a wonderful element of the story when Mary, Colin and Deacon enter a secret garden full of otherworldly plants.
Director Mark Munden’s new adaptation seems to revisit the colonial spirit of Burnett’s text. The film moves to a period to be set in 1947, the year of partition of India.
This change in time suggests a change in the original text’s ideas about national identity. Burnett’s 1911 text considered British relations with India at the height of British imperialism, while Munden’s adaptation tells the story of India’s independence from Britain.
This new film indicates a desire to ensure The Secret Garden’s continued relevance to today’s audiences, who may be swayed by the book’s colonial ideology.
The Secret Garden
Write an article and join a growing community of over 167,400 academics and researchers from 4,665 institutions. With The Secret Garden being remade for the big screen next month, a new generation of kids will fall in love with this beloved classic. You’ve seen our secret garden bedroom, but what about a secret garden party? Whether it’s a book club, bridal shower or birthday party, we’ve rounded up the best resources to recreate the magical world of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s romance novels. Tell us how to celebrate the release of the new movie.
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The Secret Garden takes place in an English garden, so it only makes sense to throw an old fashioned English garden party. The following items will help set the scene for your guests.
Tablescape: For the table, you will need a tablecloth. Plates, tea cups and cake stands. They all have a floral motif that goes with the theme but because they are paper they are easy to clean.
The Secret Garden Theme Flower Decoration During Famous Macy S Annual Flower Show Editorial Photo
Paper Flowers – You’ll need to create a garden party vibe with lots of flowers. We love the idea of creating these giant paper flowers on a grass background as a photo booth or cake backdrop. Bonus, you’ll save money because these are DIY blooms.
When it comes to entertaining your guests, we recommend sticking with a theme. Make flowers, decorate flower pots, play outdoor games and enjoy tea!
Paper Flower Making – While this kit is perfect for teaching adults how to make paper flowers, we recommend the following set for children.
Button Flowers – Aren’t they pretty? They are perfect for children who cannot make delicate paper flowers.
Secret Garden Wedding Table Decor Ideas
Flower Pot Painting – Now that you have the flowers done, let’s add something to them! Paint these pots with acrylic paints, bake them to set the paint, and then add real or paper flowers inside.
Garden Party Games – Why not try a variety of garden party games? Like potato sack races, hula hoop, egg spoon races and other old fashioned fun.
Croquet – Croquet is a classic game that has stood the test of time. It’s fun for all ages, but we recommend a small crochet set
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