1. The Role of
Femininity in The
Secret Garden
Jeff
Hirsche
http://l.yimg.com/g/images/spaceout.gif

2. Masculinity vs. Femininity in The Secret
Garden
Male associated with
society
Society is a negative force
i.e. Cholera hits places
where many people are
gathered (Burnett, 1911, pp. 596-597)
http://www.askart.com/AskART/photos/CNY5232001/105
.jpg
Female associated with
nature
Nature is a positive force
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d4/Gustave_Caillebotte_-
_Jour_de_pluie_à_Paris.jpg/786px-Gustave_Caillebotte_-
i.e. Mrs. Lennox was
_Jour_de_pluie_à_Paris.jpg warned to flee to the hills
to escape the plague (p.

3. Society’s Negative Side
Society and
Culture, the
masculine
domain, is
depicted in a
Cholera kills large
negative light
gatherings of
people, causing
desolation (pp. 596-597)
Mary’s parents too busy
with work and parties to
http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/hockney/hockney.furstenberg-
be good parents (p. 595) paris.jpg
Archibald Craven supplies doctors and luxuries, but none of these help
Colin’s recovery (p. 612.)

4. Nature’s Positive Role
Nature, although at times perceived negatively...
Mary is teased for being “quite contrary,” which includes references to cockle
shells and marigolds—symbols of nature (p. 598)
Some people think that the country manor Misselthwaite, located in a moor,
is too dreary to improve children (p. 599)
...has a positive role
Mary, although surrounded by
death, is not frightened—and
seemingly comforted—by a
snake (p. 597)
The robin befriends the lonely—
nature (pp. 607-608)
Garden’s ability to heal Colin
(pp. 613-615)
http://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large/landscape-at-cagnes-pierre-auguste-renoir.jpg

5. For the Female Reader
According to Foster and
Simons (1995), The Secret
Garden has mainly appealed
to female readers because of
the following values:
A focus on “personal and family
values” over community ones
An “emphasis on nurturing”
“The importance of a mother figure”
“The empowering role of of the
imagination in personal development”
• (p. 174)
http://cdnimg.visualizeus.com/thumbs/5f/80/art,female,painting,p
And this point is relevant ortrait-5f803aa2898919ada367aac589e5582f_h.jpg

6. The Importance of these Themes
...the feminine values allow
the main characters to heal
and grow
Mary’s disposition and health become
more agreeable as “her mind
gradually filled itself with robins, and
moorland cottages crowded with
children... With springtime and with
secret gardens coming alive...”
(Burnett, p. 609)
Colin’s health is likewise benefited by
his play in the garden, which
ultimately brings Mr. Craven out of his
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/99/L%27enfant_au_Tablier_Rou
ge.jpg
melancholy also
Also...

7. Healing Values continued
...Simons and Foster point out
that contemporary novels such as Peter Pan, The Secret Garden focuses
Unlike
on collective play between boys and girls (p. 175)
This play occurs in the feminine sphere of the garden, emphasizing the
feminine role of cooperation
However,
The race between the children in the
concluding chapter in which Colin wins
instigates a return to the sphere of
society (p. 175)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/98
/VanGoghIrises2.jpg/760px-VanGoghIrises2.jpg

8. Masculinity
Evidently, the healing that the feminine sphere of
nature provides allows for the building up of
masculinity
Colin describes his
own masculinity as a
result of the garden:
“It was the
garden that did
it—and Mary and
Dickon and the
creatures—and
the Magic... I’m
well, I can beat
Mary in a race.
I’m going to be
an athlete.”
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ea/Seurat_bathers.png/800px-
Seurat_bathers.png

9. Mr. Craven
Mr. Craven does not display
extremely masculine qualities;
in fact, his role can be
perceived in several lights:
A kind of romantic figure, wandering
aimlessly over his dead love
A terrible father, only providing for his
son’s material needs while neglecting
his social or parental needs
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5b/Caspar_David_Frie
drich_032.jpg/300px-Caspar_David_Friedrich_032.jpg

10. Identity Lost
Essentially, Mr. Craven lost his
identity when he lost the
feminine influence in his life
He was unsure how to be a proper
father
He was incapable of accepting a new
feminine role into his life
He shut away the garden, his link to
memories of a positive feminine role
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/f4/The_Scream.jpg/475px-
The_Scream.jpg

11. Identity Found
When his link to femininity
returned, Mr. Craven regained
his identity
He was unsure how to be a proper
father
He was incapable of accepting a new
feminine role into his life
He shut away the garden, his link to
memories of a positive feminine role
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/66/Hand_with_Reflecting_Sphere.
jpg

12. Femininity and its Role
Essentially, femininity’s role is to allow for growth and
healing femininity allows him to grow healthy
For Colin,
For Mr. Craven, femininity allows him to regain his identity
For Mary, femininity allows her to socialize
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Edouard_Manet%2C_A_Bar_at_the
_Folies-Bergère.jpg/800px-Edouard_Manet%2C_A_Bar_at_the_Folies-Bergère.jpg

13. Femininity and its Role
When the garden is hid away, the balance between nature
(feminine) and society (masculine) is askew
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/77/Monet_Waterlilypond_1926.jpg
When no longer concealed, the gendered spheres are back
in balance, and the characters function more healthily

14. References
Banksy. (Artist). (2005). Untitled. [Painting]. Retrieved from http://l.yimg.com/g/images/spaceout.gif
Cambier, G. (Artist). (n.d.). Untitled. [Painting]. Retrieved from http://cdnimg.visualizeus.com/thumbs/5f/80/art,female,painting,portrait-
5f803aa2898919ada367aac589e5582f_h.jpg
Escher, M. C. (Artist). (1935). Hand with reflecting sphere. [Lithograph]. Retrieved from http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/66/Hand_with_Reflecting_Sphere.jpg
Foster, S., & Simons, J. (1995). What katy read: Feminist re-readings of 'classic' stories for girls. Iowa City, IA: University of Iowa Press. Retrieved from
http://books.google.ca/books?id=gWJMOEFNG1AC&pg=PA172&dq=burnett secret garden feminism&hl=en&sa=X&ei=jk_uT9HLC6uN6AH9mfX1BA&ved=0CDcQ6AEwAQ
Friedrich, C. D. (Artist). (1818). Wanderer above the sea of fog. [Painting]. Retrieved from
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5b/Caspar_David_Friedrich_032.jpg/300px-Caspar_David_Friedrich_032.jpg
Hockney, D. (Photographer). (1985). Place Furstenberg, Paris, August 7,8,9, 1985. [Photographic collage]. Retrieved from
http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/hockney/hockney.furstenberg-paris.jpg
Manet, E. (Artist). (1881-1882). A bar at the folies-bergere. [Painting]. Retrieved from
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Edouard_Manet,_A_Bar_at_the_Folies-Bergère.jpg/800px-Edouard_Manet,_A_Bar_at_the_Folies-Bergère.jpg
Monet, C. (Artist). (c. 1915-1926). Water-lily pond. [Painting]. Retrieved from http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/77/Monet_Waterlilypond_1926.jpg
Morisot, B. (Artist). (1886). Child with a red apron. [Painting]. Retrieved from http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/99/L'enfant_au_Tablier_Rouge.jpg
Munch, E. (Artist). (1893). The scream. [Painting]. Retrieved from http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/f4/The_Scream.jpg/475px-The_Scream.jpg
O'Keeffe, G. (Artist). (1928). Calla lilies with red anemone. [Painting]. Retrieved from http://www.askart.com/AskART/photos/CNY5232001/105.jpg
Renoir, P. A. (Artist). (1905). Landscape at Cagnes. [Painting]. Retrieved from http://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large/landscape-at-cagnes-pierre-auguste-
renoir.jpg
Seurat, G. (Artist). (1884). Bathers at Asnieres. [Painting]. Retrieved from http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ea/Seurat_bathers.png/800px-
Seurat_bathers.png
Stahl, J. D., Hanlon, T. L., & Keyser, E. L. (2007). The Secret Garden. Crosscurrents of children's literature: an anthology of texts and criticism (pp. 595-615). New York: Oxford University Press.
Van Gogh, V. (Artist). (1889). Irises. [Painting]. Retrieved from http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/98/VanGoghIrises2.jpg/760px-VanGoghIrises2.jpg