The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

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The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett



The Secret Garden is the story of Mary Lennox, a young girl whose parents died of cholera in India, leaving her in the care of her uncle Archibald Craven, a man she has never met or heard of. She arrives at Misselthwaite Manor an unattractive, unappealing, spoiled little girl who had never even dressed herself in her 10 years of life. Mary is left in the care of Mr. Craven’s housekeeper, Mrs. Medlock and her housekeeper, Martha. Mrs. Medlock informs Mary that the manor is full of rooms with locked doors that she cannot explore. Martha pushes Mary to explore the grounds outside, emphasizing that Mary needs fresh air and sun. Spring is coming and the moor outside of the manor is more appealing to Mary than she ever imagined. The story of a garden not touched for years has grasped Mary’s attention and she begins searching for the key to what can become her secret garden.
                 “Mistress Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow? With silver bells, and cockle shells and marigolds all in a row.” Whenever I think of the film adaptation of this novel that is the first thing that pops in my mind. The Secret Garden is another jewel from Burnett that just captures the spirit of youth. I loved this novel and the transformation that happens between the two main characters, Mary and Colin, the cousin she discovers. Both are products of an unloved and unhappy home. They are spoiled, rude, mean and unapologetic. It isn’t until they can change their way of thinking about themselves and life that they can change how they feel about themselves and other people. It’s so simple and yet, they didn’t realize they had the power to change their way of thinking until their circumstances changed. The changes were subtle and amazing.     

                I feel like Burnett wrote the foundation for The Secret when she penned The Secret Garden. The idea of thought being as “powerful as electric batteries- as good for one as sunlight is, or as bad for one as poison” is something that is at the root of Byrne’s inspirational book. The principle seems so obvious and yet it is like magic. You think happy thoughts, speak happy thoughts, believe in happy thoughts, and those things that make you happy will come to be! I loved this book and I hate that it took me so long to get to it. It is a fast, fascinating, captivating read that I definitely recommend and give 5 out of 5 stars.  

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