Reciprocal Relationship Between Man And Nature In The Secret Garden

Since it was first published in the US in 1911, The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett has become fashionable and an all-time best-seller. The popular novel has nut only drawn much attention from the readers and the critics, but also been used as teaching materials in primary and middle schools. With such a far-reaching influence, however, the book is little known in China. In 2002 the China Social Science Press published a Chinese version, but the Gritics haven't shown much interest in it, let alone discuss about its value.Through research and analyses of its theme and characters the author of the paper concludes that the value of the book lies in the revelation of the reciprocal relationship between man and nature and even among men themselves. The reciprocal relationship is not always positive, that is, one's personality can be distorted and his health damaged if the environment is unfavorable. But in good surroundings the wound can be healed and the health recovered and the mind elevated. Activated by human involvements, nature itself can become more flourishing and fascinating.The reciprocal relationship can be first revealed by what happened to Mary, the heroin in India. The bad weather, the loveless family and hostile surroundings make little Mary week and eccentric. She loves one and no one loves her.Burnett presents a list of vivid examples to show the effect of the restoration, resurrection and animation of harmonious surroundings. Once Mary is exposed to the favorite environment and is willing to embrace the restorative Moor, she begins to grow in a healthy way. The closer man-and-nature relationship brings Mary friendship and happiness with others. In the meantime, mm immersing in nature bring vitality and animation to nature, too. Due to the tending of Mary and her friends, the abandoned garden revives its beauty with animals running around and flowers in full bloom. AH this shows that man andmature has a direct reciprocal relationship.The harmony between man and nature is attracted to love, which also has the effect of resurrection, the most precious human nature. Mary begins to change surprisingly only after she leans how to love nature and others under the good care of the Sowbey family. It's her love that brings new life to Colin, the dying boy. With the help of the rejuvenating power of nature and love, Mary and her friends transform the gloomy garden saddened by death and tragedy into a blight world bursting with laughter, hope, and life.Burnett reveals the reciprocal relationship between man and nature and the greatness of love with her simple but vivid language. The book is not only a book purely written for growing children but also "a book of fate" for adults, and the two aspects together create the vivid and mysterious world. So it has great value of research.