Tina: #1

Title: A Little Princes

Author: Frances Hodgson Burnett

Number of Pages: 191

Genre: Children's literature

Copyright: 1994


The main characters are Sara Crewe,Ermengarde, Lottie, Becky, Miss Minchin, and Mr Carrisford. Sara is a bright child with a great imagination. She always thinks differntly and loves to imagine or pretend all queer things. The two things Sara enjoys the most are book and storytelling. She has a unique personality and charm. She is slim and all with an intense, attractive face. She has black, heavy hair and big greenish grey eyes with long, black lashes. Ermengarde is a fat, slow, and stupid girl, who adores Sara. Sara pitties her when the other students laugh at Ermengarde's stupidity, and they soon become friends. Lottie is a younger student, who also loves listening to Sara's stories and with whom Sara also becomes friends. Becky is the third friend of Sara although she is the sullery maid. Miss Minchin is the headmistress of a boarding school in London. She is a selfish and cruel woman, whom Sara detests. Mr. Carrisford is a friend of Sara's father. He has invested Captain Crewe's fortune into diamond mines. When they think that all their money is lost, Sara's father dies. Later, Mr. Carrisford revives his and his friends fortune and starts seeking for Crewe's daughter.

The setting of the story is in London, more specifically in Miss Minchin's boarding school. Sara has lived in India before moving to London.

Sara is seven years old when she is sent to live in Miss Minchin's boarding school. Her father, the rich Captain Crewe, goes back to India and leaves his daughter with piles of expensive clothing, a doll with the same outfits, and a private room with a maid. Miss Minchin is given the instructions to give Sara everything she desires for; therefore, the headmistress thinks that Sara is a spoiled child and dislikes her. However, she is a practical woman and turns the well-dressed Sara into her show pupil due to Captain Crewe's great fortune. Sara quickly becomes famous in the school. Some students are jealous at her for being so rich, but others adore her for her knowledge and the enchanting way she tells stories. Sara becomes friends with Ermengarde, Lotttie, and the scullery maid Becky, who love to listen to her stories. Miss Minchin doesn't approve of Sara's friendships, but doesn't do anything because she is afraid of Sara complaining to her father. The students who envy Sara give her the nickname "Princess Sara", which first embarrasses her. However, soon Sara accepts it and decides that in order to deserve it, she should behave like a real princess. On her eleventh birthday, Sara learns that her father has died in India because he lost all his fortune due to investments made by a friend. Sara's school bills are unpaid and Miss Minchin, who has always detested her, makes her a servant. Sara's room is moved to the attic next to Becky's. For the next three years, Sara is expected to do work in exchange for a little food, which she often doesn't receive if the cook is angry, and a place to live. She is send to errands from early mornings to late at night. Then she is allowed to go to an empty cllassroom and study for the lessons she has to teach the younger students. Despite being exhausted and starving, what is the hardest for Sara to stand is the loneliness. She feels happier when sometimes Ermengarde or Lottie manage to sneak into her room and Sara tells them wonderful stories. She also imagines that her attic room is the Bastille and that Becky is her fellow prisoner. In her loneliness, Sara becomes a friend with a rat and calles him Melchisedec. Sara is alwfully treated by the other servants and Miss Minchin, but she never stops pretending that she's a princess and keeps her good manners. However, poor Sara can't imagine food to fill her stomach or fire to warm her frozen body.
One day Sara sees that the house across the school being occupied. She recognizes the furniture as Indian. Later, Sara talks to the master's servant, an Indian lascar, and finds out that he is ill from a "brain fever", which is the same that killed her father. Sara grows fond of the old Indian and starts callling him in her fantasies as "the Indian gentleman". Occasionally, the Indian lascar sees Sara's poor funished attic and her hard life, so he pities her. Therefore, he tells his master about it. Mr. Carrisford, the Indian gentleman, is happy to help the little girl. He wants something to think about other than the search of his dead friend's daugther. Therefore, the two Indians make a plan, and the lascar slips into Sara's attic at night when she's asleep. he leaves her gifts of food, books, and furniture. When Sara wakes the next morning, she thinks that all her imaginations has been made real by "the Magic". Every day, new comforts are added to Sara's room, and she shares them wit Becky. Once, Sara receives new clothes. Miss Minchin gets worried that someone knows of her case, so she lets her attend school with the other students. When Sara returns to her attic, she finds that the lascar's pet monkey has escaped. The next morning she brings it back to the Indian gentleman. During a conversation with Sara, Mr. Carrisford understands that she is the child he's been looking for two years across Europe, the daughter of his friend Captain Crewe. Sara is told that after her father died, Carrisford revived his fortune. After learning that Sara is rich again, Miss Minchin tries to convince her to return to her school. However, Mr. Carrisford is acquainted with Miss Minchin's cruelty towards Sara and refuses. Sara is given permission to invite Ermengarde and Lottie to visit her anytime, and Becky is made her own maid.