Reading Comprehension Template

1. Author

1.1. Frances Hodgson Burnett

1.2. November 24, 1894 - October 19, 1924

1.3. She is a English

1.4. Frances was born near Manchester, England. Her father died when she was only 3 years old. Frances and her family eventually emigrated to Knoxville, Tennessee when she was 15. She started writing stories at a very young age, but when they left England her mother made her burn all of them. Frances had 2 sons named Lionel the oldest and Vivien. She had money so her kids wore nice clothing. When Lionel died Frances went into Spirituals and Christian Science. She had bough a Manor house in England. She lived there for 10 years and eventually got married to a younger lad. But shortly after that they separated.

2. General Info

2.1. It was initially published in serial format starting in the autumn of 1910, and was first published in its entirety in 1911.

2.2. Classic Novel

2.3. English

2.4. First she lived in India and then there was a really bad sickness that was going around and so she had to move to England because her parents got the sickness and died.

3. Plot

3.1. This girl named Mary was living a really god life. Her family had a large house and her dad was in the army.

3.2. Conflict: Colin was really sick and he couldn't go into the secret garden. Colin normally gets everything he wants, but he feels as if he can't demand to enter the garden.

3.3. There was a sickness that was going around and killing everyone.

3.4. Climax: MAster Craven returns home suddenly. He was lead by a rwoing sense of peace and joy and a need to revisit his late wife's beloved garden. When he returned home he found out that his son, whom he thought to be cripled and ill was healthey and had found the farden and showed it to his cosin Mary.

3.5. Falling Action: Colin and Mary kept the secret. Also the disclosure of Colin's new found health to his father.

3.6. In the end Colin learns how to walk ad he isn't sick anymore. He wins a race and is really excited and his father and him didn't really have a god relationship, but in the end they have the greatest respect for each other.

4. Themes, Allusions & Symbols

4.1. Theme: Abandonment Mary was only nine when her parents died. No on ever saw her and really no one liked her either. When her parents died no one knew that she was still in the house. Once some people found her they took her to her grandpa's house. He really didn't care for her either.

4.2. The Robin Redbreast

4.3. Allusion

5. Characters

5.1. Protagonist: Mary Lennox

5.2. Sidekick: Colin Craven

5.3. Antagonist: Archibald Craven

6. Vocabulary

6.1. Section 1

6.1.1. Corridor "Two or three times she lost her way by turning down the wrong corridor and was obliged to ramble up and down until she found the right one; but as last she reached her own floor again, though she was some distance from her own room and did not know exactly where she was." Definition of Corridor: A hallway

6.1.2. Embroidered "In one room. which looked like a lady's sitting-room, the hangings were all embroidered velvet, and in a cabinet were about a hundred little elephants made of ivory." Definition of Embroidered: A special curtain.

6.2. Section 2

6.2.1. Accord "He spoke to her of his own accord." Definition of Accord: Harmony

6.2.2. Slyly "He was very pert and lively, and hopped about so close to her feet, and put his head on one side and looked at her so slyly that she asked Ben Weatherstaff a question. Definition of Slyly: Mischievous

6.3. Section 3

6.3.1. Brocade "There was a low fire glowing faintly on the hearth and a night light burning by the side of a carved four-posted bed hung with brocade, and on the bed was lying a boy, crying fretfully. Definition of Brocade: Fabric woven with an elaborate design.

6.3.2. Attracted "Then she crept across the room, and , as she drew nearer, the light attracted the boy's attention and he turned his head on his pillow and stared at her." Definition of Attracted: pull

6.4. Section 4

6.4.1. Salaams "Mary could not help remembering how the young native Prince had looked with his diamonds and emeralds and pearls stuck all over him and the great rubies on the small dark hand he had waved to command his servants to approach with salaams and receive his orders." Definition of Salaams: To salute

6.4.2. Bromide "Did you take your bromide last night, Colin?" Definition of Bromide: A salt of hydrobromic acid consisting of two elements

7. Summary

7.1. Both Mary's father and mother have died of cholera without Mary even knowing it. She doesn't really miss her dead mother, because she barely knew her. Mary's has to go live with her uncle because no one else would take her. Also she doesn't really miss her dead mother, because she barely knew her. Her uncle lives in a really big house and he lives alone. His wife died and he never left his really big house. Mary isn't use to all the attention. She woke up to a girl cleaning out her fire place. She really liked to spend time outside because it gave her room to think. It was raining one day and she still was a brat and didn't listen to anyone and she went were she wasn't supposed to go.

7.2. She was looking for this guy named Ben and as that was happening a bird showed her his hole in this gate and it looked like a key hole and Mary thinks she is the key. She now really likes to go outside and she likes to play. Ben was surprised that she wasn't acting like a old women now. Mary just loves the garden. When it was winter she would look out her window and just stare at the garden.

7.3. Mary was really excited to start gardening, but then the day turned bad and the weather got to her. Mary tells Martha that she has seen the secret garden. Colin is really sick, but Mary helps him not think about him self being sick. It rains for a week and Mary finds ways to bound with Colin. Colin is really scared about dieing, but the garden helps him get his mind off it. Colin gets mad because Mary doesn't spend time with him. Mary starts to get to know Colin and she starts to soften up on him.

7.4. Mary has to go talk to Dickon. She tells Colin about it. Colin has never really seen the secret garden in person he has only seen it through the window. They are planing to go to the secret garden, but first they have to prepare. Colin truly believes that he will get better really soon. Colin finally starting to walk. He is trying and trying very hard. Mr. Dickon has a garden that he keeps up for his mother and he works on it when Mary and Colin are inside. Colin finally learns how to walk and his father was really excited about it.