Dear Enemy (novel)
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| Dear Enemy | |
| Author | Jean Webster |
|---|---|
| Genre(s) | Young Adult |
| Preceded by | Daddy-Long-Legs |
Dear Enemy is the sequel to Jean Webster's novel Daddy-Long-Legs first published in 1915, and among the top ten best sellers in the US in 1916.[1] The story as presented in a series of letters written by Sallie McBride, Judy Abbott's classmate in Daddy-Long-Legs. Among the recipients of the letters are the president of the orphanage where Sallie is filling in until a new superintendent can be installed, Jervis Pendleton; his wife and Sallie's long-time friend, Judy (the same Judy Abbott of Daddy-Long-Legs), and the orphanage's doctor, embittered Scotsman Robin 'Sandy' McRae (to whom Sallie addresses her letters: "Dear Enemy"). The epistolatory structure gives a unique insight into Sallie's thoughts and also her relationships with her correspondents, shown by what she chooses to recount to each of them.
Contents |
[edit] Plot Introduction
Similarly to how Daddy-Long-Legs traces Judy Abbott's growth from a young girl into an adult, Dear Enemy shows how Sallie McBride grows from a frivolous socialite to a mature woman. It also follows the development of her relationship with Dr. Robin McRae, which blossoms from a sour rivalry into friendship as they work together in the orphanage and help each other with their own personal difficulties. The daily calamities and triumphs of an orphanage superintendent are wittily described, generally accompanied by the author's own stick-figure illustrations.
[edit] Major Themes
The novel is set in the eastern states of America at the turn of the 20th century. A number of social issues are examined by the author. Most notably, the education of women is a continuing theme from Daddy-Long-Legs which is still viewed with some hostility by minor characters, such as Gordon, Sallie's fiancé. Arguably, Sallie's use of Scottish vernacular, adapted from exposure to Dr. McRae's influence, is a device used to illustrate her continuing growth - immediately met with jealousy and dislike from Gordon.
The purpose women's education is turned towards is also subtly dealt with by the author, comparing the wasted life of Helen when she turned her career to simply being a housewife, with the fruitful life of Sallie as she devotes herself to the demanding and strenuous task of running an orphanage. Even Judy Abbott, who married soon after completing college, is considered an anomaly for her remarkably successful marriage with Jervis. Helen ultimately finds happiness in joining Sallie's cause at the orphanage, applying herself to work for the public good.
Socialism applied to charitable causes is an underlying theme, with the beneficence of the trustees and community in assisting the orphanage being the only means by which it survives. The novel also deals with the evolving beliefs regarding the running of orphan asylums at the turn of the century, with the institution-style establishments falling out of favor, in light of the modern 'cottage' approach. Care for the children's emotional and spiritual needs is considered paramount, as Sallie works with the Dr. McRae, Judy and Jervis to enact her reforms. The reasons these are necessary at the John Grier Home is clearly outlined in the first novel, in Judy's miserable recollections of her old home.
Concerns with hereditary origins of 'feeble-mindedness' and alcoholism are expressed by the Dr. McRae, as a representation of the scientific opinion that he offers for the running of the orphanage. While Sallie is less enthusiastic about this, favoring the nurturing of the children as being more important, the doctor's anxieties are proven to have an underlying emotional basis, revealed towards the end of the novel. Although the themes are intense, the author deals with them in an amusing and light-hearted fashion, through the eyes of her young and frivolous protagonist.
[edit] Other media
Dear Enemy was made into a BBC serial in the early 1980s.[2]
[edit] External links
- Dear Enemy, available at Project Gutenberg.
[edit] References
- ^ Keely, Karen (Sept. 2004), “Teaching Eugenics to Children:Heredity and Reform in Jean Webster's Daddy-Long-Legs and Dear Enemy”, The Lion and the Unicorn 28 (3): 363-389
- ^ Simpson, Alan; Mary Simpson with Ralph Connor (1984). Jean Webster: Storyteller. Poughkeepsie: Tymor Associate. B0006EFCTE Library of Congress Catalog Number 84-50869.
