Mary Olivier: A Life · Chapter
Chapter XI explained
Mary, now eleven, hides behind her mother's chair in the drawing-room, reading philosophical works like Locke's 'On the Human Understanding' from her secret book box.
What happens
Mary, now eleven, hides behind her mother's chair in the drawing-room, reading philosophical works like Locke's 'On the Human Understanding' from her secret book box. She engages in a conversation with Mr. Ponsonby, Mark's friend, about innate ideas, and he shows genuine interest, which delights her. Later, Mamma discovers Mary's secret game of putting imaginary children to bed and shames her, forcing her to give it up. Mary and Mr. Ponsonby go for a walk, where he kisses her, and she promises not to hang from top-storey windows. Mamma later undermines Mary's confidence by claiming Mr. Ponsonby was only laughing at her reading, but Mary finds solace in Mark's love. The chapter ends with Mary contemplating the transience of religion.
Themes in this chapter
Female Intellectual Ambition
Mary's secret reading of philosophy and her desire for intellectual recognition contrast with Mamma's dismissal of her pursuits.
Repression and Freedom
Mary's hidden book box and imaginary children represent her need for freedom, while Mamma's shaming and restrictions symbolize repression.
Religious Doubt and Philosophical Search
Mary's contemplation of the Parthenon and the possibility of Christianity passing away reflects her philosophical questioning of religion.
Characters to notice
- Mary Olivier
At eleven, Mary reads philosophy secretly, plays with imaginary children, and experiences her first kiss with Mr. Ponsonby.
- Mamma
Mamma disapproves of Mary's reading and imaginary games, shaming her and undermining her confidence.
- Mark Olivier
Mark is at the Royal Military Academy, brings Mr. Ponsonby home, and remains a source of love and support for Mary.
- Richard Nicholson
Referred to as 'Mr. Ponsonby' in this chapter, he is Mark's friend who shows interest in Mary's reading and shares a kiss with her.
Key passages
“Nobody has any innate ideas. Children and savages and idiots haven’t any, so grown-up people can’t have, Mr. Locke says. But how did he know? You might have them and forget about them, and only remember again after you were grown up.”
Mary questions Locke's assertion that no one has innate ideas, wondering if they might be forgotten and later recalled in adulthood.
Mary's philosophical skepticism about Locke's theory.
“She had to hide there because Mamma didn’t believe you really liked reading. She thought you were only shamming and showing off.”
Mary hides her reading from Mamma, who thinks she is pretending to like books to show off.
Mamma's distrust of Mary's intellectual interests.
““I mean,” she said, “the ideas you were born with.” “Seems to me,” said Mr. Ponsonby, “I was born with precious few. Anyhow I can’t say I remember them.””
Mary asks Mr. Ponsonby if he remembers innate ideas, and he jokes that he was born with very few and doesn't recall them.
Mr. Ponsonby's playful response to Mary's philosophical question.
““You’d no business to touch those baby-clothes,” Mamma said. The baby-clothes were real. Every evening she took them from the drawer in the linen cupboard; and when she had sung the children to sleep she shook out the little frocks and petticoats and folded them in a neat pile at the foot of the bed.”
Mamma scolds Mary for playing with real baby clothes, which Mary used to dress her imaginary children each evening.
Mamma's disapproval of Mary's imaginary play.
“He was laughing at you. “He wasn’t. He wasn’t.” “Of course he was laughing at you. What did you think he was doing?” “I thought he was interested.””
Mamma insists that Mr. Ponsonby was mocking Mary's reading, but Mary believes he was genuinely interested.
Mamma's attempt to undermine Mary's confidence in Mr. Ponsonby's interest.
