REVIEW: Dauntless Patty
Dauntless Patty: E.L Haverfield Oxford, 1927 (reprint)
I’ve read some other books by Haverfield, although I see I haven’t reviewed any by her here. I must have enjoyed the first book that I read by her, because I always have positive associations with her name.
Patricia ‘Patty’ Garnett is about sixteen years old and has come from Australia to go to the same school as her cousin Marjorie Furnival - Molesworth House, run by Miss Ellsmere. Her career there begins badly when, in trying to help a fellow passenger, Patty leaves the train, but the train leaves the station, with Patty stuck on the platform. A combination of being new to the country and Marjorie being a self-centred snob who has given her a strange impression of what is and isn’t done in England leads to Patty, rather than asking to ask for help, thinking that she can walk the equivalent of an hour’s train journey. Her journey is a picaresque episode with nightmarish qualities as, hungry and dusty, she carries out a couple of rescues and foils a robbery, getting scratches and a fever for her thanks.
She gets to the school eventually, where she makes a terrible first impression on the other girls. Her cousin is not popular, but has the advantage of Patty in terms of looks. Modest and overwhelmed, Patty never really explains what happened to her, and responds unfortunately to the chaff of her new schoolfellows, who take their slight prejudice and run with it, leaving her to her own devices. They sort of assume that there’s nothing to her, and when the popular Kathleen misunderstands her, it effectively shuts Patty out from trying for the school tennis team, even though she claims she can play.
Puzzled and homesick, and now realising what Marjorie is like, Patty decides to brave it out, but when the day of the big tennis match against a nearby school comes, one of the visiting team falls ill. The headmistress, knowing only that Patty can play, suggests that she stands in and tells her to do her best for the honour of the school, although part of the reason why Miss Ellsmere nominates her is that, as a new girl, it will be easier for her to play against her school. A bundle of complex emotions, Patty settles in and shows that her prowess is equal to, if not better than, the school champion, who is, of course, Kathleen, the girl who thought that Patty was cheeking her when she said that she was better than every other player at the school. At this, Kathleen’s temper gets the better of her, leading her to hit the ball right at Patty. She immediately apologises, which Patty accepts, but Patty’s eye was injured and they’re all worried about her sight. However, Kathleen is such a favourite and, at some level, the girls are all riled up at unpopular Patty for making them feel bad, that they start to believe the worst of her.
Miss Ellsmere realises something is awry and vows to make Patty a more integrated part of school life. As Patty’s sight needs to be protected from strain, there’s a lot that she can’t do, but when she accidentally overhears one of Kathleen’s most partisan friends spouting, she thinks Kathleen hates her. Things are at an impasse, because a contrite Kathleen is rebuffed by a proud Patty. Patty is still very much out of it, with Miss Ellsmere’s discovery that Patty is not just good at tennis (having played with her older brothers and men in Australia) but at performing, especially singing, meaning that she is given someone else’s part in the end of term play - As You Like It - something that a strong contingent of the school does not like at all.
And this only takes us to halfway through the book, which goes on to the summer holiday and ties things up during the next half term, when the school magazine is published. It takes two more life-threatening events for an adult to realise things are badly wrong and get Patty to open up. It’s not Miss Ellsmere, who is described as wise, but doesn’t always live up to it, but a friend, who then doesn’t take the opportunity to get Kathleen’s side of the story. For Kathleen is now perfectly aware that she judged Patty unfairly, that the girl is something of a hero, but a modest one, with a lot of virtues that Kathleen admires. However, Kathleen is convinced, based on what Patty has said, that Patty wants nothing to do with her, and, essentially, Patty is acting on the assumption that Kathleen wants nothing to do with her and has been trying to make it easier for Kathleen. Of course, when one of those life-threatening events forces them to talk, they untangle all the misunderstandings and can start afresh, so that by Patty’s second term, Miss Ellsmere doesn’t have to interfere too much, for the two girls, now chums, agree to set up a friendship league which changes the tone of the school.
It’s a long book, with various strands. Yes, the misunderstandings are contrived and it’s as eventful a school as most fictional girls’ boarding schools are - this is a pretty early school story (Googling suggests it was first published circa 1909). The writer is one of many trying to work out the form. There are fairy tale influences and the central focus is on Patty and Kathleen’s relationship.
Patty is deserving of the ‘extraordinary new girl’ tag that I came up with with my tongue in cheek - apart from the tennis, the singing and acting and rescuing, she’s a born storyteller with a knack of coming up with stories for younger girls, whom Miss Ellsmere believes will be a writer! But she is out of the ordinary too, plain and not one to put herself forward, especially because she’s sensitive to unkindness. She is isolated and not welcomed at school, as is shown when another new girl comes to the school in the middle of the term and is given a chance to show her mettle, which isn’t as fine as Patty’s. Haverfield isn’t afraid of showing how nasty girls can be, and although it doesn’t all come together convincingly, I gobbled it up towards the end.
This entry was originally posted at http://feather-ghyll.dreamwidth.org/87297.html. Please comment wherever you prefer to.
I’ve read some other books by Haverfield, although I see I haven’t reviewed any by her here. I must have enjoyed the first book that I read by her, because I always have positive associations with her name.
Patricia ‘Patty’ Garnett is about sixteen years old and has come from Australia to go to the same school as her cousin Marjorie Furnival - Molesworth House, run by Miss Ellsmere. Her career there begins badly when, in trying to help a fellow passenger, Patty leaves the train, but the train leaves the station, with Patty stuck on the platform. A combination of being new to the country and Marjorie being a self-centred snob who has given her a strange impression of what is and isn’t done in England leads to Patty, rather than asking to ask for help, thinking that she can walk the equivalent of an hour’s train journey. Her journey is a picaresque episode with nightmarish qualities as, hungry and dusty, she carries out a couple of rescues and foils a robbery, getting scratches and a fever for her thanks.
She gets to the school eventually, where she makes a terrible first impression on the other girls. Her cousin is not popular, but has the advantage of Patty in terms of looks. Modest and overwhelmed, Patty never really explains what happened to her, and responds unfortunately to the chaff of her new schoolfellows, who take their slight prejudice and run with it, leaving her to her own devices. They sort of assume that there’s nothing to her, and when the popular Kathleen misunderstands her, it effectively shuts Patty out from trying for the school tennis team, even though she claims she can play.
Puzzled and homesick, and now realising what Marjorie is like, Patty decides to brave it out, but when the day of the big tennis match against a nearby school comes, one of the visiting team falls ill. The headmistress, knowing only that Patty can play, suggests that she stands in and tells her to do her best for the honour of the school, although part of the reason why Miss Ellsmere nominates her is that, as a new girl, it will be easier for her to play against her school. A bundle of complex emotions, Patty settles in and shows that her prowess is equal to, if not better than, the school champion, who is, of course, Kathleen, the girl who thought that Patty was cheeking her when she said that she was better than every other player at the school. At this, Kathleen’s temper gets the better of her, leading her to hit the ball right at Patty. She immediately apologises, which Patty accepts, but Patty’s eye was injured and they’re all worried about her sight. However, Kathleen is such a favourite and, at some level, the girls are all riled up at unpopular Patty for making them feel bad, that they start to believe the worst of her.
Miss Ellsmere realises something is awry and vows to make Patty a more integrated part of school life. As Patty’s sight needs to be protected from strain, there’s a lot that she can’t do, but when she accidentally overhears one of Kathleen’s most partisan friends spouting, she thinks Kathleen hates her. Things are at an impasse, because a contrite Kathleen is rebuffed by a proud Patty. Patty is still very much out of it, with Miss Ellsmere’s discovery that Patty is not just good at tennis (having played with her older brothers and men in Australia) but at performing, especially singing, meaning that she is given someone else’s part in the end of term play - As You Like It - something that a strong contingent of the school does not like at all.
And this only takes us to halfway through the book, which goes on to the summer holiday and ties things up during the next half term, when the school magazine is published. It takes two more life-threatening events for an adult to realise things are badly wrong and get Patty to open up. It’s not Miss Ellsmere, who is described as wise, but doesn’t always live up to it, but a friend, who then doesn’t take the opportunity to get Kathleen’s side of the story. For Kathleen is now perfectly aware that she judged Patty unfairly, that the girl is something of a hero, but a modest one, with a lot of virtues that Kathleen admires. However, Kathleen is convinced, based on what Patty has said, that Patty wants nothing to do with her, and, essentially, Patty is acting on the assumption that Kathleen wants nothing to do with her and has been trying to make it easier for Kathleen. Of course, when one of those life-threatening events forces them to talk, they untangle all the misunderstandings and can start afresh, so that by Patty’s second term, Miss Ellsmere doesn’t have to interfere too much, for the two girls, now chums, agree to set up a friendship league which changes the tone of the school.
It’s a long book, with various strands. Yes, the misunderstandings are contrived and it’s as eventful a school as most fictional girls’ boarding schools are - this is a pretty early school story (Googling suggests it was first published circa 1909). The writer is one of many trying to work out the form. There are fairy tale influences and the central focus is on Patty and Kathleen’s relationship.
Patty is deserving of the ‘extraordinary new girl’ tag that I came up with with my tongue in cheek - apart from the tennis, the singing and acting and rescuing, she’s a born storyteller with a knack of coming up with stories for younger girls, whom Miss Ellsmere believes will be a writer! But she is out of the ordinary too, plain and not one to put herself forward, especially because she’s sensitive to unkindness. She is isolated and not welcomed at school, as is shown when another new girl comes to the school in the middle of the term and is given a chance to show her mettle, which isn’t as fine as Patty’s. Haverfield isn’t afraid of showing how nasty girls can be, and although it doesn’t all come together convincingly, I gobbled it up towards the end.
This entry was originally posted at http://feather-ghyll.dreamwidth.org/87297.html. Please comment wherever you prefer to.