I am going to be honest, before
being assigned this book to read, I had no idea Mary Poppins was written by P.L
Travers. Like many have stated, the only recollection of this magical, signing
nanny was from the Disney film. I had the preconceived notion that Mary Poppins
was this great person who loved to handle kids. P.L Travers really had to ruin
that one for me. But for real, P.L Travers invites her readers on a creative
and imaginative journey through her tales of Mary Poppins & Mary Poppins Comes Back. Through her main focus is
around the Banks children and Mary Poppins, we can begin to understand and
interpret why Travers illuminates this imaginative world and the ultimate influence
by including the children.
Though it would almost seem as Mary Poppins
would need a tissue with the amount of times she sniffs, her character comes off
to the audience with a very dark, mean, and overall rude nature. I could never
truly get an understanding if she was actually happy to be with the children,
or if she would rather be escaping into her own adventure with the Match-man.
However, throughout the entire book Mary Poppins takes and shows the children
some of the most imaginative things. Particularly, the Laughing Gas chapter, we are taken into a scene of having tea while
floating because of humor. Mary Poppins herself seems very dismissed and doesn’t
want to participate (until she gets involved later on), but still allows Jane and
Michael to experience this fun event. Thus, looking past Mary Poppins cold-hearted
emotions, she still stands for the expression of childhood and the infatuation
with fun and imagination. It is very interesting to observe however, that Mary
Poppins denies the crazy spectacles whenever the children try to validate their
legitimacy. This creates this idea for me that separates imaginative experience
from real experience, which still allows for the children to experience their creativity,
but to still be rooted in the real human condition. In addition, this idea
continues on in Mary Poppins Comes Back
with The New One in which Annabel is
born into the Banks family. Just like the younger twins in the first book,
Annabel from birth is able to talk and communicate with the sun, the bird, and
Mary Poppins. This specific scene to me instills nostalgia in me as it makes me
try to reflect back to what the earliest memory of my life I still have. Travers
enables this reflection as it demonstrates what the power of imagination during
childhood can have on us, but also how easily it can be forgotten. She creates
this unattainable goal of going back to our childhood, but just like the
Sterling says, “Not so young as we were. Eh, Mary Poppins?” (Travers 249). We
must grow old and continue on with life, but this book by Travers calls us back
to our imaginative side, almost wanting us to take time and reflect on the
power that nurturing imagination can have.
As well, something
I would like to mention is the Zoo Scene. I am a big Taylor Swift fan, attended
the Reputation Tour Concert this summer by flying to Cleveland (yes, that
dedicated). This new album and personality of Taylor Swift takes up this imagery
of the snake: selling merchandise snake things, having snake animatronics at
the concert, and even snakes in her music video. I could not resist by relating
the imagery of seeing Mary Poppins in her Snake House on the Full Moon birthday. The snake, who is
Mary Poppins first cousin once removed (not a typo J), tells the children that “we
are all one, all one”. This is the last image the children see of him. It is
actually a really powerful message that I think can still be interpreted today,
that setting aside our difference, we are all one with a beating heart. Travers
really got me involved with this scene, which lead me to thinking that it was a
comment towards discipling the children away from judgement.
Overall, I
wish I could fly in the wind. That would be lit. But seriously, Mary Poppins and Mary Poppins Comes Back
by P.L. Travers created a whole new picture and contrast in my head of my
working definition of “Mary Poppins”. From her novel, I believe through the
character of Mary Poppins are we invited to the fantastical and imaginative
world, while still receiving the control a nanny can exert.
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