Critical interpretation of Mary Norton's The Borrowers

Borrower's Analysis

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Critical Analysis of the Borrowers

The Borrowers: Critical Analysis

For children, nearly every aspect of life is dictated. Bigger people tell them when to go to bed, when to wake up, what to eat, how to dress, and how to behave at every turn. As a result, children equate size with autonomy. However, since children are unable to care for themselves independently, their food, clothing and material needs are provided by the bigger people around them, much like the Borrowers who needed a few human beans around to 'keep' them (79). Mrs. May describes the Borrower's perspective of humans by saying, "They thought human beings were just invented to do the dirty work -- great slaves put there for them to use" (8). However, she continues the thought by saying, "At least, that's what they told each other…It was because they were frightened, he thought, that they had grown so small" (8). For both Borrowers and children, the world can be a frightening place because they feel small and vulnerable and have limited control.

Question 2

Mary Norton begins the story with the dialogue between Mrs. May and Kate to place a temporal barrier between the time the story took place and the time it was told. This adds an element of doubt to the authenticity of the story. The literary function for the character of Kate is to listen to the story as told by Mrs. May and to continue the narrative by asking questions and giving prompts. Children can identify with Kate's character because she is an imperfect child. Kate was described as being "wild…untidy…and self willed" (3). She lost objects and spent time daydreaming. However, Kate was a good listener who could recognize clues from Mrs. May's story. For example, she recognized the fact that Mrs. May had read Arrietty's diary because Mrs. May was able to tell her what was written inside. Kate was aware that the boy, who had met Arrietty personally, had difficulty reading and often asked Arrietty to read to him. Consequently, he could not have read the diary and told her what was inside. This observation might encourage problem solving skills in a young reader by teaching the child to rule out obvious facts when drawing conclusions.

Question 3

Homily, the mother, represents a stable if inert family element. She is in charge of running the Clock household. She provides security for Pod and Arrietty by taking care of their basic needs. Pod, the father, is more of a risk-taker. He is brave enough to have regular conversations with Aunt Sophy, who thinks she is seeing things because she drinks too much. He is a link between the inner world of the Clock household and the larger outside world. Arrietty, a young girl on the verge of womanhood, lives in isolation but longs for adventure. For Arrietty, the boy represents the unknown elements of adult life. She has no young men within the walls with whom she can form relationships, marry or start a family. The boy is the first young male she has ever met. One of the first things he points out to her is the obviousness of her situation. "One day," he told her, smiling triumphantly, "you'll be the only Borrower left in the world!" (87). The boy's purpose is to shake the family out of isolation and inertia and force them out into the larger world.

Question 4

Mrs. Driver, the cook, was created by Mary Norton to represent the adult double standard of "do as I say, not as I do." She mistrusts children and Borrowers because they are disruptive elements to her system of order and authority. These disruptions have the potential to threaten her livelihood and her personal comfort. For example, around the time when Rosa Pickhatchet spotted Hendreary and quit, there were a number of items missing. Although the book does not specify that Mrs. Driver was a suspect, the implication is that all of the household staff members were suspected of stealing. Part of her concern with theft is because she does steal. "A drop of Madeira here, a pair of old stockings there, a handkerchief or so, an odd vest, or an occasional pair of gloves -- these, Mrs. Driver felt, were different; these were within her rights (136). Mrs. Driver has a double standard. For her, the use of household property is her right as an employee, but for others, it is theft and should be punished.