The Secret Garden · Chapter
Martha explained
Mary Lennox awakens at Misselthwaite Manor and meets Martha, the young housemaid.
What happens
Mary Lennox awakens at Misselthwaite Manor and meets Martha, the young housemaid. Martha's frank, good-natured manner contrasts sharply with the servile Indian servants Mary is accustomed to. Martha talks about the moor, her large family, and her brother Dickon, sparking Mary's first faint interest in others. Mary also meets Ben Weatherstaff, the gruff gardener, and a robin that seems to take a liking to her, prompting her to acknowledge her own loneliness.
Themes in this chapter
Transformation and Growth
Mary begins to learn self-reliance, such as dressing herself, and shows the first signs of emotional growth by feeling curiosity about Dickon and the robin, and acknowledging her loneliness.
Friendship and Connection
The chapter introduces the possibility of friendship through Martha's warmth, the robin's overtures, and Mary's budding interest in others, marking a shift from her isolated existence.
Healing Power of Nature
Martha's love for the moor and its wildlife, and the robin's role in drawing Mary out of herself, suggest nature's potential to heal and connect.
Characters to notice
- Mary Lennox
Mary is introduced to her new life at Misselthwaite Manor. She is initially imperious and ignorant of basic self-care, but begins to feel curiosity about Dickon and the robin, and acknowledges her loneliness.
- Martha Sowerby
Martha is the cheerful, outspoken Yorkshire housemaid who waits on Mary. She talks freely about her family, the moor, and her brother Dickon, and encourages Mary to become more independent.
- Dickon Sowerby
Dickon is introduced through Martha's stories as a kind, animal-loving boy who tames a wild pony and knows the moor intimately. Mary becomes curious about him.
- Ben Weatherstaff
Ben is the grumpy head gardener who bluntly tells Mary they are alike in temperament. He introduces her to the robin and mentions the secret garden.
Key passages
“That's because tha'rt not used to it. Tha' thinks it's too big an' bare now. But tha' will like it.”
Martha tells Mary that she will come to appreciate the moor once she becomes accustomed to it.
Martha's optimistic view of the moor contrasts with Mary's initial dislike, hinting at Mary's potential for change.
“I don't know what it is to be hungry.”
Mary admits she has never experienced hunger, showing her sheltered and privileged upbringing.
This moment highlights Mary's ignorance of the hardships faced by Martha's family and sets up a contrast between their worlds.
“I'm lonely.”
Mary confesses her loneliness to the robin, realizing for the first time that it is a source of her sourness.
This is a key moment of self-awareness for Mary, marking the beginning of her emotional development.