The Phoenix and the Carpet · Chapter
VI: Doing Good explained
The children, feeling the Christmas spirit, wish to use the magic carpet to go somewhere to perform a good and kind action.
What happens
The children, feeling the Christmas spirit, wish to use the magic carpet to go somewhere to perform a good and kind action. However, the carpet initially refuses to move, leading them to realize they must do good deeds at home. After insisting on going elsewhere, the carpet transports them to an underground passage where they find treasure. They emerge in a shrine dedicated to St. Jean de Luz in France, where they encounter a French-speaking lady who is delighted to meet English children.
Themes in this chapter
Morality and Consequences
The children grapple with the ethics of keeping secrets from their mother and the morality of taking treasure that isn't theirs, even for good purposes.
Imagination and Escape
The children's desire for adventure and escape from everyday life drives the plot, as they wish to go somewhere interesting to do good deeds.
Magic and Adventure
The magic carpet transports the children to an underground passage and then to a French shrine, fulfilling their wish for an adventurous setting.
Characters to notice
- Anthea
Suggests using the carpet to do a good and kind action; feels uneasy about keeping secrets from mother.
- Cyril
Leads the wish for an adventure; proposes taking the treasure to spend on benefits for the poor.
- Robert
Carries matches and candles; expresses disgust at the idea of doing good deeds at home; speculates about finding bones in the dungeon.
- Jane
Initially wants a break from adventures; later becomes interested in rescuing a traveller; threatens to scream at Robert's bone talk.
- The Phoenix
Accompanies the children as a Christmas treat; chides Robert for frightening his sisters; suggests asking the name of the castle's owner.
Key passages
““Oh! I see what it means,” said Robert, with deep disgust; “it’s like the end of a fairy story in a Sunday magazine. How perfectly beastly!””
Robert realizes the carpet wants them to do good deeds at home, which he finds disappointing and compares to a moralistic fairy tale.
Robert expresses frustration that the adventure isn't as exciting as he hoped.
““We might take it and spend it all on benefits to the poor and aged,” said Cyril. “That wouldn’t make it right to steal,””
Cyril suggests using the found treasure to help the poor, but Anthea points out that stealing is still wrong even if the money is used for good causes.
The children debate the morality of taking the treasure.
““Tell us,” she said to the Phoenix, “what is the good and kind action the carpet brought us here to do?””
Anthea asks the Phoenix to reveal the specific good deed they are meant to perform in this location.
Anthea seeks guidance on their purpose.