English 305.002
Spring 2005
Dr. Stewart

Ticket In #3

The Secret Garden

Everyone should answer Part I (questions 1-3) and Part II. Look for your name regarding the other questions and answer that question under Part III. Be sure to use specific textual support (quotations) and indicate the page number. If you're using a different edition than the assigned text, also provide the chapter with the chapter number being the first and the page number being the second, separated by a colon: (I:5).

Part I

1. Who is the author?
2. What year was the novel first published?
3. Who seems to be telling the story (who is the narrator)? Identify some of the characteristics of the narrator. For instance, does the narrator seem to be able to get into one person's thoughts? Several people's thoughts? Or, said differently, what does the narrator seem to know? (See "Narrator" in the Glossary)

Part II

Construct a question about The Secret Garden that you believe would encourage productive class discussion. (You don't have to answer the question you create.)

Part II

Group 1

• Chambers, Jessica
• Davis, Neely
• Eubanks, Elizabeth
• Fay, Micheal
• Forrester, Sandra

In two or three paragraphs, describe the narrator's and/or Mary's attitude regarding India. What might be the significance of these attitudes?

Group 2

• Garrett, Regan
• Graham, Victoria
• Hatten, Deonna
• Henderson, Brittany
• Huggins, Sherry

In two or three paragraphs, discuss Mary's attempts at gardening before and after she arrives at Misselthwaite and what their significance might be.

Group 3

• Lawnicki, Nick
• Lenoir, Dawn
• Lopeman, Tara
• Mann, Grant

Some critics provide a psychosexual reading of The Secret Garden. That is, they believe that the garden serves as a metaphor for Mary's latent sexuality. Some terms that are sometimes used in psychosexual readings are "phallus" (used as a noun: the phallus is a powerful symbol in western literature; the adjective is "phallic": a key can be recognized as a phallic symbol), or "yonic." The terms can be loosely equated to male (penis) and female (vagina), although phallic symbols are often seen as being more powerful. So, metaphorically, protruding objects such as towers, keys, spades, knives, etc. can be seen as phallic symbols. Receiving objects, such as keyholes, the earth, gardens, etc. can be seen as yonic symbols. Choose one of the following and demonstrate a psychosexual reading in two or three paragraphs

1. Mary and the key to garden
2. Mary and Dickon in the garden

Group 4

• Parker, Rachel
• Pruitt, Audrea
• Taylor, Anthony
• Tijerina, Gonzalo

Lissa Paul reads Mary's quest in The Secret Garden as "a thwarted story of independence [. . .]" and that Mary learns "to be a follower not a leader, learning that winning selfhood means losing self" (197). That is, she believes that Mary has done all of the work, but ultimately, Colin reaps the rewards, and what begins as Mary's story ends as Colin's story. What evidence can you find that supports Paul's theses? If you disagree with Paul's theses, what support can you offer?

Group 5

• Martin, Laura
• Mayeaux, Geneice
• Newell, Yvette
• Olmsted, Cheryl

Consider how India and Indians are represented in The Secret Garden and Homeless Bird. What differences and similarities did you see? What might these differences and similarities suggest?

Group 6

• Brakebill, Jeri
• Robison, Loretta
• Mann, Grant
• Leake, Sarah

Consider the various places that Mary, Colin, and Dickon inhabit. For instance, Mary, while she lives in the manor, with all its rooms, isn't supposed to have access to them, but she does have access to the gardens. Colin, until he goes to the garden, is confined to his room. Dickon wanders the moors and shares the secrets of the garden. What might the places that the children inhabit suggest? Does any of this have to do with gender?

Works Cited:

Paul, Lissa. Reading Otherways. Stroud, Glos: Thimble, 1998.