Essay #6 The Secret Garden

Lia Martinez

Essay #5

January 31, 2019

Can I tell you a secret? Are you sure I can trust you? It’s hard to know. That is the dilemma that Mary, the main character in Frances Hodgson Burnett’s The Secret Garden, faces when she discovers that the howling in the night isn’t just the wind and the ivy covered wall is really the entrance to a garden forced into hiding. Everyone agrees that Mary must decide; should she trust her cousin Colin with the secret of the garden’s existence? It is easy to argue all the reasons Mary should not trust Colin with the secret of the garden, and yet it is equally as compelling that she should. 

    Mary should not tell Colin about the secret garden for three reasons: the probability of him revealing the secret is high, it might not be good for his mental health to know the truth about the garden or what happened inside, and it might get both of them in trouble.

Mary should not tell Colin about the garden because the probability of him revealing this information is high. He has never been trusted with a secret before so it is unclear if he can keep one. The likelihood of him keeping the secret is also a result of the fact that up until this point in his life he has been allowed to be selfish, always getting his way. This selfishness has resulted in a default response of being demanding and difficult. He could whine and demand the garden be opened, thereby revealing to Ms. Medlock that Mary has been snooping around and know two of the biggest secrets the house holds. Lastly, it could get Martha fired because only she knows that the cousins, who are forbidden from even knowing each other's existence, have met.  

The second reason Mary should not tell Colin about the secret garden is that it might not be good for his mental health. He might be too fragile to know the truth about the horrific thing that occurred inside; to know that it is part of the reason his mother died. It could also further alienate him from his father, causing more emotional pain in Colin. Finally, it could cause a rift between the newly connected cousins, especially since Colin has not had any friends or close relationships. 

Lastly, Mary should not tell Colin about the secret garden because it might get both of them in trouble. If her uncle finds out, Mary could be sent away for not obeying and staying in the parts of the house she was told to. Another risk is that Mary might be forced to separate from her newly found cousin. Mary has already suffered a great deal of loss in her young life, and if the secret is revealed it places the only two things that grant her joy at risk.

Mary should not tell Colin about the secret garden because the probability of him telling is high, it might not be good for his mental health to know about the garden, and it might get both of them in trouble. This matters to Mary because this very decision has the potential to alter the few things that have softened her spirit and brought true childlike happiness into her life.