Mary Poppins
Who is Mary Poppins? In our mind's eye we see Julie Andrews in a pastel Edwardian dress, smiling as cheerily as the star of a toothpaste commercial, as saccharine as the spoonful of sugar that helped the medicine go down, as jolly as a jolly holiday with Bert, as cheery as "Chim Chim, Cheree." Such is the power of Walt Disney.
The original Mary Poppins is not cheery at all. She is tart and sharp, rude, plain and vain. That is her charm; that--and her mystery. (Lawson 143).
Mary Poppins is unique: lovable because of her mixture of magic and sternness, her fantastic abilities hidden behind the facade of an extremely ordinary woman (Lawson 146).
When Michael refuses the medicine Mary Poppins offers him, he is startled by the look she gives him:
"But Mary Poppins's eyes were fixed upon him, and Michael suddenly discovered that you could not look at
Mary Poppins and disobey her. There was something strange and extraordinary about her--something that was
frightening and at the same time most exciting."
Mary Poppins is unique: lovable because of her mixture of magic and sternness, her fantastic abilities hidden behind the facade of an extremely ordinary woman (Lawson 146).
When Michael refuses the medicine Mary Poppins offers him, he is startled by the look she gives him:
"But Mary Poppins's eyes were fixed upon him, and Michael suddenly discovered that you could not look at
Mary Poppins and disobey her. There was something strange and extraordinary about her--something that was
frightening and at the same time most exciting."
The original Mary Poppins was never charming. Her appearance was based on a Dutch doll or peg doll that Travers said she owned as a child. The doll had shiny, painted coal-black hair and a turned up nose, attributes that Travers gave Mary Poppins, who also saw the world clearly through her rather small bright blue eyes. Mary had rosy cheeks, big hands and feet, and a bony frame. She wore shapeless coats and suits, cut to an unflattering low calf length, mufflers, gloves, sensible Mary Jane shoes and carried a businesslike handbag (Lawson 146).
Mary settles into the nursery for the first night. When Michael asks her if she will stay forever, Mary displays her disagreeable habit of responding with a studied insult or threat. If he persists in this line of questioning, she will call a "Policeman" with a capital P.
Mary Poppins seems the epitome of the punishing governess, the bullying woman who has an apt saying for every occasion, and who subdues children as they were subdued in the Victorian age, when they were seen and not heard. "Spit spot into bed," is her most famous order, but Poppins is an absolute compendium of instructions, cliches, declamations and proverbs, among them:
Strike me pink; Early to bed, early to rise; Curiosity killed the cat; Trouble trouble and it will trouble you; Don't
care was made to care.
She carefully hides her compassion. Almost sadistic at times, Mary is never really nasty but often very sharp. She is a controlling force, making order from disorder, making magic, then never admitting magic took place (Lawson 149).
Mary Poppins seems the epitome of the punishing governess, the bullying woman who has an apt saying for every occasion, and who subdues children as they were subdued in the Victorian age, when they were seen and not heard. "Spit spot into bed," is her most famous order, but Poppins is an absolute compendium of instructions, cliches, declamations and proverbs, among them:
Strike me pink; Early to bed, early to rise; Curiosity killed the cat; Trouble trouble and it will trouble you; Don't
care was made to care.
She carefully hides her compassion. Almost sadistic at times, Mary is never really nasty but often very sharp. She is a controlling force, making order from disorder, making magic, then never admitting magic took place (Lawson 149).
For example, in "Laughing Gas," a chapter from the first Mary Poppins book, she levitates in order that she, Mr. Wigg, Jane, and Michael might have tea while they're floating:
To this day Jane and Michael cannot be sure of what happened then. All they know for certain is that, as soon as
Mr. Wigg had appealed to Mary Poppins, the table below began to wriggle on its legs. Presently it was swaying
dangerously , and then with a rattle of china and with cakes lurching off their plates on to the cloth, the table
came soaring through the room, gave one graceful turn, and landed beside them so that Mr. Wigg was at its
head (Travers, "Laughing Gas," Mary Poppins).
To this day Jane and Michael cannot be sure of what happened then. All they know for certain is that, as soon as
Mr. Wigg had appealed to Mary Poppins, the table below began to wriggle on its legs. Presently it was swaying
dangerously , and then with a rattle of china and with cakes lurching off their plates on to the cloth, the table
came soaring through the room, gave one graceful turn, and landed beside them so that Mr. Wigg was at its
head (Travers, "Laughing Gas," Mary Poppins).
After everyone's feet are again on the ground, Mary Poppins, Jane, and Michael ride the bus home. Michael asks a question:
"How often does your Uncle get like that?"
"Like what?" said Mary Poppins sharply, as though Michael had deliberately said something to offend her.
"Well--all bouncy and boundy and laughing and going up in the air."
…….
"Rolling and bobbing! What an idea! Rolling and bobbing on the ceiling! You'll be telling me next he's a balloon!"
Mary Poppins gave an offended sniff.
"But he did!" said Michael. "We saw him."
"What, roll and bob? How dare you! I'll have you know that my uncle is a sober, honest, hard-working man, and
you'll be kind enough to speak of him respectfully.
"How often does your Uncle get like that?"
"Like what?" said Mary Poppins sharply, as though Michael had deliberately said something to offend her.
"Well--all bouncy and boundy and laughing and going up in the air."
…….
"Rolling and bobbing! What an idea! Rolling and bobbing on the ceiling! You'll be telling me next he's a balloon!"
Mary Poppins gave an offended sniff.
"But he did!" said Michael. "We saw him."
"What, roll and bob? How dare you! I'll have you know that my uncle is a sober, honest, hard-working man, and
you'll be kind enough to speak of him respectfully.
Evaluating Mary Poppins |
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To effectively evaluate literature, readers must look at the ways in which authors of children's books use plot, characterization, setting, theme, and point of view to create memorable and meaningful stories (Norton).
In order to evaluate Mary Poppins, use examples from the text to discuss the following ways that P.L. Travers creates her memorable and meaningful stories: (1) plot, (2) characterization, (3) setting, (4) point of view, and (5) theme.
For explanations of these terms, refer to the plot, characterization, setting, theme, and point of view document file below.
In order to evaluate Mary Poppins, use examples from the text to discuss the following ways that P.L. Travers creates her memorable and meaningful stories: (1) plot, (2) characterization, (3) setting, (4) point of view, and (5) theme.
For explanations of these terms, refer to the plot, characterization, setting, theme, and point of view document file below.
plot_characterization_setting_theme_and_point_of_view.docx | |
File Size: | 130 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Other evaluation methods, more specific to pedagogical interests, are English Language Arts Common Core Standards and The Lexile Framework.
A fantastic peer-reviewed article is Christina Valverde's "Magic Women on the Margins: Ec-centric Models in Mary Poppins and Ms Wiz.
Also of interest is Jonathan Goldstein's short-short story "The Penguin and Mary Poppins."