Memory is such a fickle thing. I had remembered this one as not particularly good, but it turns out I like it very well, and it’s absolutely one where I long to be a part of Betsy’s world.
This is the book where Betsy’s penchant for telling stories evolves into a passion for writing. She’s set up with her own little special writing desk, mails a story off to a magazine and even has a poem unexpectedly published. But the best part is how her parents handle Betsy’s voracious reading (an absolute must for aspiring writers). Her mother learns that Betsy has been reading dime novels (we’re expected to know that dime novels are at best melodramas and at worst far too racy for a young girl). Rather than punishment, her parents arrange for her to go to the library on her own every other Saturday. She’s given money so that she can eat her lunch at a nearby bakery and then return to the library for the afternoon. It sounds like heaven to me! It’s in this book that Betsy meets Miss Sparrow, a librarian who helps her find all the best books.
I’m jealous of Betsy’s library trips, but also of her Christmas shopping trip with her friends. Each year the girls go to town with a dime. They go in and out of all the shops and pick what they’re getting from each (never mind that they’re just imagining). Finally at the last stop, the toy store the girls spend their dimes to pick out ornaments. It’s a lovely tradition.
So what’s not so great? Well, a main character Mrs. Poppy is quite large. And this is referred to rather frequently throughout the book, particularly in statements that she’s pretty for someone so fat or graceful for someone her size. It’s a bit awkward. Also, part of the story revolves around a performance of Uncle Tom’s Cabin which means there are several references to blackface. Remembering that these books are set at the turn of the century, blackface would have certainly been expected, especially in a performance of Uncle Tom’s Cabin. But unlike the girls’ experience with the Syrians in Betsy and Tacy Go Over the Big Hill where the girls clearly overcome their prejudice, the racism inherent in blackface is never discussed by them, and is in fact condoned. This can be seen when they attempt to put on their own play in place of going to see Uncle Tom’s Cabin and one of the girls plans to black her face and dance like Topsy. It is likely that modern readers will not know what blackface is, but it’s good to know what they’re reading about.
Sex, Nudity, Dating – The girls read dime novels and although we never know their content, the titles lead us to believe they might be a bit smutty; that and the fact that Tacy’s father burns one when he finds her reading it. The girls are beginning to notice boys. Older sister Julia has a boy to walk with her and carry her books and help her upstairs. Although Betsy and Tacy declare that going around with boys makes them sick, Tib admits that she likes a boy. During a ride in an automobile Tib is nestled against an older lady’s bosom. Mrs. Ray gives Mr. Ray a kiss as thanks for her Christmas present. Betsy writes a horrid story (more on it below) and the main character sees husbands and wives kissing.
Profanity – gosh, Lord-a-mercy
Death, Violence and Gore – Mr. and Mrs. Poppy had a daughter Minnie who died. When Betsy finds out she doesn’t know how to say she’s sorry. Betsy writes a truly luridly awful story about a girl whose head comes off in a bobsledding accident, but who is still alive and carries her head about. It ends well though, she meets a boy who does some type of ritual which clamps her head back on and they go on to get married and have children.
Drugs, Alcohol and Smoking – Again, girls play with empty cigar boxes. A boy sings a song called Brown October Ale. Tib owns a Schlitz beer calendar. The Poppies own a collection of beer steins and one of pipes.
Frightening or Intense Things – Uncle Tom’s Cabin is performed as a play and is the subject of much discussion, including mention of the deaths of various characters, a bloodhound chase and a flogging scene. To be honest, I think most of my knowledge of Uncle Tom’s Cabin is from this book which is a bit shameful.
Goodness, I never knew Betsy had that bloodthirsty streak! Good to know ahead of time. Love these reviews of the “old-fashioned” books. They are such reminders that people have always struggled and maybe the difference is that once we knew how to persevere.
It’s been fun reading your recaps of the Betsy-Tacy books since I read them all as a child. I didn’t remember about Betsy’s story, though. Gracious!