The Secret Garden Essay Questions

How does Mary transform throughout the novel?

Mary’s great move from India to England is only the most superficial level of change she experiences in the story. Most importantly, she transforms from a closed-off and bitter child to a joyful and courageous girl. This change is shown to happen through her immersion in nature and also through the grace of life itself. By unexpectedly being placed in a foreign environment, she is forced to leave behind her comfortable yet lonely routine and her identity as the wealthy child of nobles. Instead, she learns to come out of her shell, make new friends, and even becomes the catalyst for the healing of the Craven family.

Why do you believe Archibald Craven has chosen to neglect his son and leave him in the care of servants?

At first, this choice of Mr. Craven seems reprehensible. Yet as the story unfolds, the reader comes to understand this character better, seeing the great level of grief he carries from the death of his beloved wife. On one level, Archibald rejects his son because he is a blunt reminder of the wife he lost. Yet more deeply we can infer that this refusal to fully parent his son shows a resistance to fully heal and come to terms with the past. By keeping Colin a secret, Archibald believes that he can somehow pretend the death of Mrs. Craven never happened.

Describe one instance where an animal is used symbolically to further develop the characters.

Dickon is known for being especially well-connected to the animal kingdom; he often shows up with a whole flock of creatures trailing behind him. At one point in the story, Dickon rescues a newborn lamb who has been orphaned by his mother. He brings this lamb when he visits Colin for the first time. The presence of the lamb illustrates how Dickon is a kind and gentle boy who can properly care for the smallest and most vulnerable creatures. By sharing this lamb with the sickly Colin, it also demonstrates his generosity.

How does the author connect themes of magic and health in The Secret Garden?

Magic and health are primarily connected through the character of Colin. Colin has been told his whole life that he is sick and will never live a long and fulfilling life. We are shown how this belief has been imprinted deeply upon him, thus leading him to spiral deeper and deeper into sickness. Through experiencing the beauty of the secret garden, Colin awakens to the magic of life that he had forgotten and begins to see how this same magic of nature also exists within him. By realizing the connection between mental and physical health, he can heal quickly and profoundly, even able to walk after years of being bedridden.

How would you describe the author's mode of storytelling? Is there a moment when she breaks from this style?

For most of the story, the author relates the events in a standard third-person narrative, focused mostly through the perspective of Mary. In one instance, however, this perspective is switched. Chapter 25 begins with an exposition of life in the secret garden through the eyes of the robin and his family. This section underscores the theme of nature and animal life, showing how it is not solely humans who are sentient and observant. It is also a playful stylistic choice that makes the setting of the garden come more alive.