A Little Princess is a story about a seven year old girl named Sara Crew continuously traveling with her adored father, Captain Crew. Sara lived happily in India, but unfortunately Sara's dad takes her to a school in London while he attended the war. Crew Captain is a very rich man, and therefore, Sara Crew does not have to worry about money. She is staying at a prestigious London school where the evil principal, Miss Minchin. She takes kindly to Sarah and Captain Crew because Miss Minchin obviously knows about the huge fortune that belongs to Sara and her dad. Also, the director of the school does not want to miss the opportunity to have a lot of money for the care of the little Sara. Before the Captain Crew goes to war, the girl bought her a beautiful doll, which he called Emily. Sara is very excited about this gift and she clings to both the affection she feels for Emily, Sarah speaks as if the doll was really alive. That is an odd fact that teachers and classmates of Sara noticed in their behavior
Sara Crew is an innocent and spoiled girl who goes to live in a new place and not knowing what awaits you with strangers. For as the story continues, it is clear as Sara Crew becomes a hero in school for being a girl who has a special gift of storytelling to fantasy to entertain the other girls in her school.
So far Sara has enjoyed her stay at school but obviously she misses her father so much. Sara lives in luxury and creature comforts as well as the other girls who also have parents with deep pockets. All the girls enjoy many amenities, but not one of them. One girl in particular that is treated as a slave because he is black and has no money like the other girls. Sara feels touched by this situation and wants to help but the school principal does not allow it. Meanwhile Sara enjoys telling stories of fantasy to her classmates, especially the tales of enchanted princesses. Miss Minchin organizes a party to celebrate Sara's birthday, and in the midst of the celebration, Sara received the worst news of his life. Sara's dad has died in war and both the Governor got hold of all his possessions. So Miss Minchi decides to divest of all Sara's valuables and sent her to live with Becky, the girl who is a slave. The school principal tells Sara that if she wants to live in the school, Sara has to work like a slave, cleaning, cooking and doing other tasks that are not appropriate for a girl of seven years.
Knowing her tragedy, Sara feels so sad that she doesn't want to tell more fantasy stories to the girls. Sara is undermined by Miss Minchin and her sister, Amelia Minchin. They send Sara to live in the dark and unpleasant attic with Becky. Sara's eyes reflects a huge sadness that Becky cries for Sara because she feels love of her and respect her like the princess she is. Even Becky tells to Sara "A Little Princess", but Sara refuses it and tells her both of them are equal, are sevants who has to live together without any privilege.
This novel shows how the little girl has changed her life from rich to poor, and Sara is challenged by Miss Minchin for all the necessities Sara has. Also, Sara has a mission to accomplish, to find out if it is true that her father is dead. By the middle of the story, it talks about how Sara suffers because of the extreme conditions of poverty, and she works so hard to live in the school and follows all Miss Minchin's instructions.
A day when Sara has to buy some food for the school, she sees some people move her to the school, and she is curious about that. Sara continues doing what Miss Minchin says without complaining about any order, and before Sara sleeps, many girls enter to the attic waiting for Sara's fantasy stories. That is the way Sara feels relief, and she finds a reason of not surrender in her tough conditions. Moreover, Sara has to be careful that Miss Minchin cannot know what happens in the attic every night because it is forbidden talking with Sara. The following days continue the same routine. Sara works all day, and she enjoys telling fantasy stories to her friends at night. Until a day when Sara opens the window of the attic, she sees a man wearing a turbant and looking like an Indian with a funny little monkey on his shoulder. Sara feels excited, and she wants to know more about her neighbors. Sara has many good memories about India, and if her neighbors are from India, she would like to know them better.
Sara's friends meet a night in the attic like always they do, and Sara tells them a beautiful fantasy tale about princess and dragons from India. The way Sara tells the story sounds so real, that the girls imagine and see what is happening. It is a magic moment. However, Miss Minchin discovers what the girls do with Sara, and the furious school director yells at them and punishes them. The little girls go to their rooms, and the servants, Sara and Becky stay in their dirty room without food and any permission to go out. They feel so sad, but Sara thinks is time to imagine they are princess, in a beautiful room with food, flowers, nice clothes, and more special things. At the beginning, Becky doesn't like what Sara says, but after a while she likes the idea. They see the horrible, nasty, dark room as a room of a princess. The place where anyone desires. Sara and Becky fall sleep, and the next day when they wake up, it occurs something marvellous. They think it is a dream, but it was real. All they image the previous day is real, in other words, it appears delicious food, a huge and confortable bed with soft sheets, colorful curtains, and both girls wear wonderful clothes. Sara and Becky cannot understand why they have all of that, or who brings it. The real responsible of such amenities is man from India who lives next to the school with his monkey and his boss and a sick man who has amnesia. The Indian man has magic powers that he uses to help Sara from Miss Minchin's cruelty.
Nevertheless, Sara is so unlucky because Miss Minchin looks what is in the attic. Feeling sorprised about what is there, Miss Minchin decides to lock up Sara and calls the police because she thinks Sara is a thief. In the moment the police arrives, Sara escapes from the window risking her life. It is a strong thunderstorm, but Sara succeesfully arrives to the next home where the misterious Indian man lives. Sara feels so scared. Meanwhile, Miss Minchin in the company of the police want to catch Sara, but something changes in that instant, Sara sees her father, the Captain Crew. However, he doesn't recognize her, and Sara Crew screams: "Father is me Sara, your daughter. Papa!". Miss Minchin grabs her strongly to give her to the police. Finally, Captain Crew obtains his memory, and he remembers his daughter, so he takes Sara from Miss Minchin arms.
Fortunately, Miss Minchin loses her job as a director of the school, and she is currently working as a servant in the same school while Sara and Becky become princess. They are going to live in India with Captain Crew in a terrific castle with everything they want.
Work Cited
"A Little Princess". Wikipedia. Web. May 24, 2010.
1 comment:
This is a fantastic plot summary Caroline, with some interpretation in built in there. Can you up the volume on "what it all means" more? Why is this a good story? What does it tell us about life or ourselves or our society or our dreams? I see all these things happening, good, but why are they happening?
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