| Genre:Classic, Fiction Main characters: Jerusha “Judy” Abbot, Jarvis “Jarvie” Pendleton Summary: The beautiful story of an orphan girl who was sent to college by an unknown benefactor because he was captivated by one of her stories and thought her good enough to become a writer. For that reason he asks from her, as only payment, a monthly letter, so that she may develop her writing skills. He wants to remain unknown to her and asks her to think of him as John Smith. She however finds the name too impersonal so she nicknames him Daddy Long Legs because the only thing she knew about him was that he was tall, with long legs. |
Judy is a very believable character. She is quite far from perfect, she has likes and dislikes, sometimes she envies people, sometimes she’s ashamed of her orphanage past, but overall she manages to go through everything with good humor. Her letters (meaning almost all of the book) are very upbeat and fun, you cannot help but discover alongside the things she discovers and enjoy that (even if it’s something you yourself have discovered ages ago). Her enthusiasm is simply contagious. Jarvie… from what she says Jarvie is a lot like her, they enjoy the same things and share the same ideas. I cannot help wishing we saw more of him, his feelings or opinions related first hand not through Judy’s letters.
All in all I liked this book very much (albeit it was rather short).
Some quotes:
“I wish Mrs. Lippett would use a little more ingenuity about choosing
babies’ names. She gets the last names out of the telephone book–you’ll find Abbott on the first page–and she picks the Christian names up anywhere; she got Jerusha from a tombstone. I’ve always hated it; but I rather like Judy. It’s such a silly name.
It belongs to the kind of girl I’m not–a sweet little blue-eyed thing, petted and spoiled by all the family, who romps her way through life without any cares. Wouldn’t it be nice to be like that?
Whatever faults I may have, no one can ever accuse me of having been spoiled by my family! But it’s great fun to pretend I’ve been.
In the future please always address me as Judy.”
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“You know, Daddy, I think that the most necessary quality for any person to have is imagination. It makes people able to put themselves in other people’s places. It makes them kind and sympathetic and understanding. It ought to be cultivated in children. But the John Grier Home instantly stamped out the slightest flicker that appeared. Duty was the one quality that was encouraged. I don’t think children ought to know the meaning of the word; it’s odious, detestable. They ought to do everything from love.”
—————
“It isn’t the big troubles in life that require character. Anybody can rise to a crisis and face a crushing tragedy with courage, but to meet the petty hazards of the day with a laugh — I really think that requires spirit.”
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i just got slapped with a feeling of dejavu .. whos your favorite author?
I have too many to count :)
From the ones in this blog the absolute favorite is Richard Matheson (though I also liked E. Nesbit and Jean Webster very much).
From all the authors I have to say Terry Pratchett and Stephen Fry but there are also plenty others that slip my mind now but no less important :)
How about you?