Healthy Children In The Garden

Frances Hodgson Burnett’s The Secret Garden is known as one of the mostpopular and influential children’s literary classics in the twentieth century. This workis collected into Oxford World Classics Series. Since its publication in1911, manyscholars have studied this work from different perspectives, such as children’seducation, aesthetic point of view, the prototype theory, feminism, ecocriticism etc.This thesis interprets The Secret Garden from the perspective of theecofeminism. Firstly, the little protagonists Mary and Colin live in the coldmale-dominated world. As parents, Mary’s parents and Colin’s father are allirresponsible. These are the reason why they are selfish and tyrannical. Parents, whoare in any kinds of social systems, should fulfill their obligation to rear and educatetheir children. Parents should leave the authority alone, provide their boys or girlswith equal education and give their children love and warmth. Secondly, nature andmother can nurture life. Children’s reliance on mothers and their curiosity aboutnature make them get close to nature gradually. Burnett depicts Dickon as the son ofnature and shows readers the viewpoint that man is part of nature. Mary’sandrogynous traits are in accordance with nature’s diversity and inclusion, whichensures Mary’s recovery and those traits are the internal factors to make Marycollect her courage to embrace nature. Thirdly, with the calling of nature’s power andthe guidance of Dickon, Mary and Colin become innocent, active, dynamic andpassionate. The mysterious nature cures Mary and Colin, and at the same time itfights against man and nature’s binary opposition. At last, the thesis interpretsBurnett’s ideal world with ecocentrism: adults should establish a healthy livingenvironment for children and make them own the healthy body and mind. Onchildren’s education, some educational notions in Burnett’s The Secret Garden aresimilar to Rousseau’s natural education. They respect and keep children’s nature andlet them make full use of their capacities and develop their capacities under their realinner necessity. Healthy Children with natural education in the garden show aharmonious world with equality of life in The Secret Garden. This thesis tries to interpret The Secret Garden by ecofeminism and reveals thepractical significance. Namely, whether between man and nature or even amongpeoples themselves, there should be a harmonious relationship. Ecofeminism doesnot stress women’s superior position in the environmental protection, but theequality of life. The environmental protection is the responsibility and obligation ofall mankind. In this severely polluted environment today, the ecofeminist reading ofliterary works also brings human beings infinite enlightenment and reflection.