An Interpretation Of The Secret Garden From The Perspective Of Initiation Story

The Secret Garden has always been considered as the classic of children's literature since it published in 1911. It is warmly appreciated by children as well as many adults and it also makes Frances Hodgson Burnett as one of the most influential writers in 20 th century. This novel has been trans.lated into several foreign languages and it is also edited into plays and films. In 2015, there is a fashionable coloring book which is generally believed could reduce people's depression and then arouse their spirit of beauty is also called The Secret Garden. The “secret garden” seems to be a term which symbolizes magical ability with healing function. Scholars and critics from home and abroad have interpreted this novel broadly and exhaustively, and these researches reveal and demonstrate the investigative value and longing vitality in this novel The Secret Garden. Based on these researches, the author of this thesis tries to analyze the Colin Craven's psychological progress from the perspective of Initiation Story.Colin Craven should be the little master with noble status in Misselthwaite Manor. But the death of his mother, the bitterness of his father and the coldness of servants in the manor make Colin believe that he is a dying poor boy. For ten years, Colin has been in confusion about himself, which involves the confusion about the absence of his existence and the confusion about the absence of his identities. The same age companion Mary lennox is the most important guider on Colin's formation journey whose coming makes a grand change of the world of Colin Craven. With the help and edification of her and natural son Dickon, hysterical Colin begins to experience his magnificent formation journey. Firstly, he leaves that suffocating room to sit in his wheelchair to go to that “secret garden” with Mary and Dickon. Secondly, in that gorgeous afternoon, Colin stands up for the first time and walks several steps with his own feet, then he plants the rose in this so-called secret garden. From then on, every day in this secret garden Colin takes care of the flowers and weeds grasses out, exercises his body and possesses his dream—devoting himself to the scientific discovery on Magic; in the house he opposes the Dr. Craven and the servants and keeps his own secret. He makes hi exploration by commanding servants, contradicting with his doctor and keeping his own secret and so on. Then one day in the secret garden, Colin get the rite of initiation and epiphany. He finally recognizes his four identities: a friend to Mary and Dickon, a healthy man, a successor of the Misselthwaite Manor and a man with great dreams.Because of the guidance of Mary, Colin begins to have consciousness of his identities. Then with the help of the son of nature Dickon, gardener Ben and mother-like Mrs. Sowerby, Colin starts to explore and pursue his own identities. He wants to explore and pursue his identity of being a healthy man, his identity of being the successor of Misselthwaite Manor and his identity of being a scientist who engaged in scientific discovery in the future.The Secret Garden is a popular children 's literature. This thesis tries to interpret Colin's psychological progress from the perspective of Initiation Story, aiming to reveal this ugly ducking Colin Craven how to experience a lot of sufferings and finally trans.form himself into the successor of Misselthwaite Manor with healthy body, optimistic spirit and confidence.