Alex Rose, P.L. Travers' Mary Poppins

Like my knowledge of most Disney films or stories, what I know about Mary Poppins is limited to fragmented memories at least ten years ago. My memories of Marry Poppins were limited to a very nice nanny who sang the children songs and made their lives better. Upon reading this story I was shocked to discover that not only was Marry Poppins not sweet, but rather she was snooty and sharp with the children. Mary Poppins reminded me of a conservative, formal, and strict grandmother who does not like to have any fun. In general, the Mary Poppins of P.L. Travers’ story seemed to be the opposite of the Disney Mary Poppins.

The most interesting aspect of the story was the connections to the childhood of P.L. Travers. Growing up without a father and a very distant mother manifests itself several ways throughout the stories. One of the first ways that stands out is the characterization of the Banks family. The father is rarely around due to work and the mother wants no part in raising her children. One of the more minor parts that stood out to me was the scene where Michael takes comforts Jane when she has a searing headache. Michael first offers to read her stories and when she refuses he describes what occurs on the street below their window to entertain her. The story of an older sibling taking care of their younger one is a tale as old as time, but directly applies to P.L. Travers’ childhood where she had to raise her younger sister.

            

In chapter 6 of the story Michael begins to act irrationally rude and there seems to be no reason behind it. P.L. even writes that Michael does not seem to know why he has a desire to behave in a beyond rude manner. Part of the reason behind this could be Michael is acting out for the attention of his parents because he feels neglected. Michael enjoys acting rudely because it garners at least a negative reaction out of his mother. This interesting because given P.L. Travers situation it seems very likely that she is writing about her own experience with herself or with her sister.

           

Furthermore, the strict attitude of Mary Poppins seems to represent the mother figure P.L. Travers wishes she had. Mary Poppins is strict in a nature that does not seem appealing to the audience, but the children love her despite her snootiness. P.L. Travers writes Mary Poppins as a strict mother figure and makes sure the kids adore her to emphasize that a level of strictness in a mother figure is better than the alternative of a distant mother.

           

The last thing that stood out to me while reading the stories was the choppiness. I know that the story was designed to be read to children before bed, so each individual chapter could be treated as its own mini story for convenience. While that is practical for the purpose of the story it is extremely maddening to read.

Charlotte Hagerty on P.L. Travers's Mary Poppins

To echo many of my classmates, I did not remember much of the plot that occurs in Mary Poppins, much less in Mary Poppins Comes Back. The familiar, jovial tunes such as Spoonful of Sugar and Let’s Go Fly a Kite were ingrained in my head since youth, but other than that I had a very limited recollection of the plot. Perhaps I have a tendency to romanticize the past, but the Mary Poppins from P.L. Travers’s novels bore little resemblance to the cheerful, magical Poppins that I fondly remembered. In her place is, instead, a terse, vain, rude, strange, yet magical woman. Stylistically the novel reminded me of the Harry Potter series, as discussed in class, with a slew of unexplainable characters, the emphasis on the house number, and the British tone. Additionally, it reminded me of The Phantom Tollbooth and Alice in Wonderland, where things “magically” happen with no explanation, such as Mr. Turvy’s confusing bad day and the floating tea party at Mary Poppins’ uncle's house. Broadly speaking, I enjoyed the two novels immensely, more than I enjoyed either Snow White the film or the movie, although they did wander from how my memory preserved them. 

To adapt a novel into a film is a daunting task, as characters in text can be molded by the readers, each creating their own description and vision of each character. However, as soon as the text is translated into film, the character becomes rigid, becoming the actor that plays the role. Julie Andrews is so lovely and beautiful it is nearly impossible to dislike her. However, the same cannot be said for the Mary Poppins that exists within the text. If she existed in the age of social media, her platforms would be chock full of selfies and highly-edited photos that scream, “look at me”! I did not know it was possible to spend time deciding which arm to carry your bag, so it is a good thing that Mary Poppins does! Her vanity is not the only thing that makes her unlovable. She never answers any of the children’s questions and claims that all of the inextricable things that seem to happen exist only in the children’s imaginations. Additionally, whenever asked the question of, “how long she will stay”? She responds flippantly with either, “I’ll stay until the chain breaks” or “I will stay until the wind changes”. These things combined make for a more complex, but less saccharin, character, yet the Banks children are still infatuated with her and the running of the house comes to a halt when she leaves. 

Perhaps this seemingly blind admiration from the Banks children is a reflection of Travers’ own childhood. As we discussed in class, her father died and her mother was absent, leaving an emptiness in her childhood. This manifests in the Banks’ children as they, too, do not seem to have the affection of their parents; thus when they get even a shred of attention, they relish it. Although Mary Poppins can be harsh and vain and all the other negative adjectives previously mentioned, she gives the children her undivided attention, unlike any of the other adults in their lives, and is always there to save the day, though she routinely denies doing it. 

On the topic of adult to child relationships, Mary Poppins and Mary Poppins Comes Back put forth an interesting depiction of this complex dichotomy. In present society, adults are seen as having the ultimate authority, with children’s opinions often being discounted, with the excuse that they know little yet. However, Travers flips this notion on its head. The adults are irresponsible: Mr. Banks wanting to leave town on a ship as soon as trouble arose and Mrs. Banks being unable to do even the most simple of household tasks. Conversely, the children are able to take care of each other and handle tasks such as patching holes in their clothing. 

In conclusion, Mary Poppins and Mary Poppins Comes Back was a welcome dose of magic in an otherwise dreary week of midterms. 

Elizabeth Reneau, P.L. Travers' Mary Poppins Response

        My recollection of Mary Poppins I had from my childhood consisted of a woman in a pretty black dress holding an umbrella and singing supercalifragilisticexpialidocious beautifully in a movie. If I am going to be completely honest, I thought before reading this book that it was going to be a surface level children’s book filled with whimsy and some creative stories. Well, let’s just say I was pleasantly surprised about the depth this seemingly simple “children’s book” would possess. I was not ready for the different twists and turns this book was about to offer or the direct relationship between the characters and the life of P.L. Travers.

The deepest and darkest depths of this book are revealed throughout the character dynamics. From the mannerisms of Mary Poppins herself to the underlying theme of the adults as a whole, this book showed the audience there is more to life than what meets the eye. Mary Poppins was definitely a fascinating character. She did not come to the Banks home and become the nurturing motherly figure who Mrs. Banks could never be. She tended to be stern with the children and acted as if she was all knowing. For example, on page 61, in the Bad Tuesday chapter, she was almost threatening towards Michael when he was arguing with her. There were many instances when she would sniff her nose or display a certain harshness towards the children. She was not all whimsy and magic as I expected before reading this book. Her wealth of knowledge caused her to put herself above others in society as well. From the story of Miss Lark’s dog Andrew and Mary Poppins conversation together or the knowledge she had during the Zoo scene in regards to the animals and the power of birthday’s, Mary Poppins seemed to possess a kind of knowledge “higher” than everyone else. Mary Poppins, beyond her sternness and “higher” intelligence was the glue, however, which kept the Banks family together. When she left by being whisked away by the wind, the children cried and the Banks parents did not know what to do without her. The adults throughout this book act more like children than adults (besides Mary Poppins). They are honestly irrational. I believe the life if P.L. Travers in relation to the adults in the book directly coincide. Her father was a drunk (died) while her mother was emotionally unstable. Her aunt had to come in and be that glue to the family just as Mary Poppins was for the Banks family. Mary Poppins had one last side of her which is worth noting, her vanity. She seemed confident at all times in public, but deep down she was always looking at how people viewed her. These are just a few of the deeper dynamics found in this more than average “children’s book.”

Beyond the interesting character dynamics, I really loved the last few chapters of the book. When I first read the book, I was asked in class what was something I did not love about the book…  I quickly responded with, “I am not the biggest fan of the short, choppy and almost seemingly misplaced chapters.” The end of the book, however, helped to bring more of an understanding behind the reasoning of writing all of those short creative stories. The quote at the very end of the book, “And high above them the great shaped circled and wheeled through the darkening sky, shining and keeping its secret for ever and ever and ever….” shows the audience that the star in the sky, Mary Poppins, was magical and creative, but also had parts of her which should be kept a secret. Mary Poppins added whimsy and creativity to the book, but it was the different facets of her character which left a lasting impact on the children and their ability to be creative and dream of their magic “fairyland” (pg. 21).

Caroline, Mary Poppins (P.L. Travers)

I must confess that prior to this class the most I could tell you about any Mary-Poppins-story was that she sings a song about a spoon full of sugar. While I did not expect much singing in the book (although you never know), I did start it thinking Mary Poppins the character would be the type of person to sing about sugar – as in sweet, maternal, and a whole lot of fun. While she does provide the Banks children with plenty of pleasure and pure fun, she is unafraid to scold them (or anyone for that matter), and even insult them at times when provoked, and most importantly, she leaves them (twice!) when they so desperately love and need her. At the end of both Mary Poppins and Mary Poppins Comes Back, Jane and Michael are both devastated at the sudden departure of their beloved nanny, ending uncharacteristically sad and disappointing for children’s books. 

In each chapter, the Banks children in some way or another feel some sort of frustration, often with the adult world. Everyone from Mary Poppins (who does so purposefully) to their parents and the help (who do so habitually) dismiss the children as, well, children. It’s difficult to get a straight answer out of any adult, even when their mother is having a baby. They get in trouble for walking too slow but must stop and wait every time Mary Poppins wants to check her reflection. Between all the magic, talking animals, and spontaneous adventures lies an ongoing double standard for child and adult behavior. At times, it seems like the children are more mature than the adults, and chapters with the twins and Annabel demonstrate that perhaps the older you get, less wise you become. 

While Traveler’s intended audience for Mary Poppins and Mary Poppins Comes Back, may never have been deliberately children, I think the darker and more mature parts of the stories are what makes them so appealing to kids. Even now, in college, older adults occasionally feel the need to impart their “wisdom” on me and dismiss me as too young or inexperienced in life. The constant frustration Jane and Michael feel resonates with children. Similarly, chapters like “Bad Tuesday” and “Bad Wednesday,” which have no real resolution to Michael and Jane’s respective aggravation are experiences shared by most children and validate the fact that sometimes you’re just going to be upset with the world. 

The only parts I don’t like – but acknowledge as necessary for both the plot and Mary Poppin’s character – are her departures. Both times she leaves, especially the second time given the newest addition to the family, I struggle to see why she feels is as time to go. If she comes when she is needed, why leave so abruptly and turn the household upside down and why leave when, to me, the children still obviously need her. Mary Poppins is the most present and constant being in the Banks childrens’ lives until she leaves, so surely she can’t think a sudden disappearance without much of a goodbye will leave them prepared for life without her? To me, the only explanation is that she wants to give herself a reason to keep coming back because she loves them just as much as they love her. 

Simran Bansal, P.L. Travers' Mary Poppins Response

Before reading both Mary Poppins and Mary Poppins Comes Back by P.L. Travers, I only had a faint memory of watching the Mary Poppins movie as a child. What instinctively came to mind was an image of the sweet Julie Andrews singing “A Spoonful of Sugar” and being silly with her song, “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.” My preconceived notion of Mary Poppins as the ultimate dream nanny (I mean, what child wouldn’t want an adult to tell them that their problems would vanish by consuming sugar or make them laugh by creating ridiculously lengthy words?) was shattered as I began reading the novel. Instead, the questions that I kept asking—and now that I’m finished reading the book, have still annoyingly been left unresolved—are, “Why did the children love Mary Poppins so much when she was constantly rude and falsely accusing them of lying? Why did Mrs. Banks let Mary Poppins even come back in the first place, when she so disrespectfully left without warning? If Mary Poppins was so obsessed with her own image and with being superior to those around her, why did she lie about her magical qualities instead of flaunt them for the world to see?”

Like I said, Mary Poppins was far from the maternal, heroic figure I envisioned her to be. Instead, she was unnecessarily sharp to the point of being a tyrant, extremely narcissistic, and incredibly stubborn. We all know those arrogant people who think that they are always right and that just because they possess certain values, everyone must have those same values. In other words, they think that their truth is the only truth, that their opinion is actually fact—undoubtedly, Mary Poppins is one of those people. For some unfathomable reason, despite all her character flaws, Mary Poppins seemed to be worshipped by the other characters (especially the children) throughout both the books, though she seemed to show little respect in return. She literally made Jane and Michael wait outside in the freezing cold just so that she could look at her own reflection in the mirror, and yet, when she is gone, everything seems awry in the world.

Mary Poppins is undoubtedly a peculiar character. Perhaps we can’t really understand why Mary Poppins behaves the way she does because she doesn’t even know who she really is, grappling to find her own identity. I believe that Mary Poppins struggles to form a close attachment to the children because she really just doesn’t know how to connect to others. For her whole life, Mary Poppins has been alone in her oddities….She is the one child who didn’t forget how to communicate with the animals as she grew older. She is neither completely human nor completely mythical, so perhaps she just never gained that essential sense of belonging we all yearn for. Though she experiences other-worldly events such as kissing the sun and making London ready for spring, these magical occurrences always come to an end. Her life is full of uncertainty, the changing wind guiding her from place to place, hindering her from permanently settling down. In a way, I pity Mary Poppins—what is the point of having such amazingly magical qualities if you have no one you truly love to share them with? Michael has Jane, the twins have each other, Mr. Turvy has Miss Tartlet, and the Prime Minister has Lady Muriel Brighton-Jones, yet Mary Poppins is alone. She can’t even touch the one figure she seems to have a deeper, romantic connection with without getting burned. The last image we are left with at the end of Mary Poppins Comes Back is one of Mary Poppins riding away into the night sky on an empty carousel, a distant star millions of miles away from interpersonal contact.

Finally, the last thing I noticed was that the chapters became extremely repetitive, with the chapters in the second book closely mirroring those in the first book. For example, in the first book, there is a chapter, “Bad Tuesday,” where Michael is extremely naughty; in Mary Poppins Comes Back, the chapter “Bad Wednesday” is exactly like its earlier counterpart, except this time it is Jane who doesn’t listen. In the first book, John and Barbara have conversations with the wind and the bird, convinced they will forever be able to remember the language of nature; in the second book, it is Annabel who thinks that like Mary Poppins, she too will not forget how to communicate with the Starling. I wonder if P.L. Travers received any criticism for her seeming lack of creativity and inability to explore new depths from novel to novel.

In essence, Mary Poppins is a multifaceted, complex character—her cold exterior may be a product of the fact that she has had to go through the stages of her volatile life without anyone who can truly relate to her situation.

Andrew Shin: Response to Mary Poppins

Mary Poppins by P. L. Travers certainly stands out as a work of upmost creativity and childish wonder. Personally, I have never read this novel before, but I have seen both the musical and movie. Mary Poppins as a character is dramatically different from her play and film portrayals. For one, her vanity is perhaps her defining characteristic in addition to her rudeness and whimsical nature. She has a dry sense of humor to her that is not lost on the children, yet she is quick to dismiss this part of herself.

Mary Poppins' character and personality is what drives the entertainment aspect of this book. However, deeper analysis of each chapter reveals a specific moral within each that children are meant to pick up on. There is an overarching Emersonian theme that is omnipresent: children see what adults cannot. Emerson wrote that the child's eye, having not been exposed to the ills of society, was more keen and therefore made the innocent youth wiser. The same can be said Jane and Michael in this collection of stories. Each day, they have an amazing adventure that challenges the bounds of the imagination. They can talk to animals and they can make themselves float just by laughing. And yet, after each adventure, Mary Poppins is quick to deny that anything out of the ordinary has occurred. The message here is that children should never give up on their imaginations, and the fact that adults may tell them otherwise should never discourage them.

In taking a closer look at the adults in this story, it could be argued that nothing really differentiates them from the children except for the fact that adults cannot see with their imagination. After all, the adults are neither mature nor responsible. Mrs. Banks is often observed crying over everything falling apart around her, despite her minimal efforts to avoid this scenario. Mr. Banks may have a job, but his own immaturity is especially highlighted when his old governess comes to visit. Overall, the adults are not at all role models for young readers. In fact, Michael and Jane, even given their occasional misbehaviors, are much more appealing in terms of people we might strive to be like.  Perhaps the idea is to always retain some aspects of childhood and youth, yet staying too snugly in the mold of a child may result in becoming like Mr. or Mrs. Banks.

As mentioned before, each chapter shares a new moral. For instance, the chapter about the king and dirty rascal communicates that wisdom can be gained from the most unexpected of places, and no one should be judged purely based on appearances. The laughing gas chapter suggests that with happiness is magical, so much so that it can make one fly. The last chapter is perhaps the most curious and significant one in terms of message. Mary Poppins leaves again, but in her place is a new shining star in the night sky. In that moment, Mary Poppins is no longer a character, but instead a symbol that can be present in all our lives. Everyone can have amazing adventures. The "Mary Poppins" element that encourages us to do so is pervasive and is accessible from anywhere.

Devon Wolfe Mary Poppins P. L. Travers

Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers

Going into reading Mary Poppins, I vaguely remembered the storyline; I knew there was a nanny who came into the picture because of some distant parents, and she was basically the children’s hero! I imagined the film I watched when I was little where Mary Poppins was a living, breathing angel. The book could not be farther from my expectations.

Mary Poppins is full of herself and not at all sweet or caring. Of course, she is entertaining, magical, and full of interesting tricks. However, she is openly rude to her children. In her eyes, “Everything Jane did was bad, everything Micheal did was worse” (104). The book is filled with hints of her know-it-all attitude and egotism. Yet she is the one who the Starling says will never forget how to talk to the wind and moon. All other grown ups, and eventually Jane and Micheal (which they do at the end of the chapter) will lose this power as they mature, but for whatever reason, Mary Poppins is the exception! It doesn’t seem to make sense why she is the special “exception” to every rule. Jane and Micheal consistently try to wheedle information out of her since she seemingly knows all, yet she never confides in them. I wonder why she is presented as a role model when she has little to no connection to the kids other than yelling at them. 

Not only is she openly rude, but the children also somehow look up to her. There is such an interesting dynamic between the children and Mary Poppins because of the constant flux between loving and fearing her. Mary Poppins does not tolerate any misbehaving, and kills their imagination and creativity whenever possible - yet she simultaneously seems to be the magical leader who brings them into these magical adventures. Therefore she externally presents herself as rude and cocky, but cares about making the children experience life? I’m not quite sure! I wonder what PL Travers’ childhood was like (I hope we learn more about this in class) because I feel that she has a skewed view of what motherhood or maternal role models should look like. 

I found the last three chapters to be particularly interesting because they are the culmination of all the disparate stories in the beginning of the novel! I thought it was very interesting to write about not just middle-aged men imprisoned in cages in the zoo, but children as well. This scene is extremely dark, since all the humans are starving, greedily looking for food. I love when Jane asks, “Why it might have been John and Barbara - or any of us” and the Lion ignored her. I love how sometimes it is children who, because of their purity, have a more wholesome and comprehensive view of what is “normal” and what is right and wrong. Oftentimes society clouds our judgement and morphs us to think a certain way, but kids are the least impacted by society’s influence! The fact that she has empathy for the humans in the cages shows her ability to question the norm. In addition, when Mary Poppins leaves after the wind changes, the children sob as they fear what things will be like without her. Mary Poppins is no better than their parents, one second she is there, the next she is gone. I did like how Mary Poppins’ caregiving had lasting effects on the children - since their mom has to go out after Poppins leaves, Jane tucks Micheal in “just as Mary Poppins used to do” (143); even though Mary Poppins wasn’t the traditional sweet and caring nanny, she has a lasting effect on the children that make them more considerate for each other.

Devon Wolfe Grimm Snow White Version

I enjoyed reading Snow White because there are a few interesting details not included in the film, for better or for worse.

The first thing I noticed is that the written story includes information about the origins of Snow White’s name – her mother pricked her finger with a needle, and her blood fell on the white snow, making her think of having a child that is purely white, black and red. In addition, when the stepmother becomes envious of her stepdaughter, she not only asks for her heart (as shown in the movie), but also eats it. This is extremely brutal, which makes sense why Disney left it out! Disney is strategic in leaving this part of the story out because it is wicked and inhumane for any viewer (not just children) to watch a mother eat her own daughter’s heart and soul.

I also notice how in the movie, there is resistance to Snow White taking over the dwarf’s house – Grumpy refuses to wash his hands and is very against having her there. However, in the written story, there is no such resistance. Instead, they welcome her with open arms even though they know the Queen is a threat. They are happy as long as she cleans, cooks, and shows her pretty face, just like in the movie.

In addition, I thought it was interesting how Disney chose to include how the stepmother uses magic and special potions to disguise herself as an old woman; however, in the story, the stepmother simply paints her face by natural means and dresses like an older lady.

Also – the biggest mystery of all is why did Disney replace the stepmother’s original and multiple attempts of killing Snow White with a poisonous apple? In the actual story, the stepmother attempts to kill Snow White by choking her, and going to her door in the same disguise multiple times, not just in one swift act with the apple. I wonder if this was done due to time constraints or something else!

Most interesting of all is how the endings differ. Where in the movie, a kiss from the prince wakes Snow White up, in the story, Snow White wakes up from servants stumbling upon the poisonous apple. I guess Disney changed this part of the ending to make it more romantic and heartwarming for viewers. The kiss is not the only difference in the ending. In the movie, the stepmother dies from the dwarfs chasing her to her death. However, in the story, she actually has to wear red, flaming shoes that cause her to drop dead (only slightly more brutal!

Overall, I liked reading the story more because I felt like there was more depth into the story and characters and greater details. In the movie, I feel like many parts are skimmed over for the sake of cool animations and incredible graphics and songs. The differences between the movie and the written story make me wonder how such differences originated and decided upon – what is due to time constraints or symbolic, thematic reasons? I am also curious how Walt Disney uses self-figuration in Snow White, since we have read about how he adds elements to characters that align with his personal values.

Devon Wolfe Snow White Film Review

While I remembering loving snow white as a kid, I’m surprised and to be honest, disappointed in my 6-year old self for being so blind to many of the sexist or concerning aspects of snow white. I almost wish my parents sat down with me and made sure I was aware of what is awesome, but also what is clearly warped in Snow White. While it’s great that Snow White is absolutely beautiful, Walt Disney makes it clear that being an attractive female with cooking and cleaning skills is her only strengths.

Of course, there were moments where I was fully immersed in the whimsical fantasy! The slow and classical music in the beginning really got me in the feels and quite frankly made me miss my childhood. I love watching the awesome and thorough animations, with tens of animals chasing around and snow white swiftly moving in harmony with them. A few times I even felt like we were in the sound of music (her voice truly does sound like a harp).

But of course, I had a critical eye - let’s start from the beginning - Within the first few minutes, I realized the premise of the movie: snow white is victimized by her wicked step mother because she is too pretty, and her stepmother is dangerously jealous! It got worse when 30 seconds after finding out she wasn’t the “fairest of them all”, the queen orders her huntsman to murder her own daughter. Murder is heavy on any 18-year old, let alone a 6-year old who is looking for any happy ending. Especially when the queen orders for not just the death of her own daughter, but her heart, I freaked. However, I do acknowledge that we shouldn’t protect kids from the gloomy realities of the world. Jealous is a part of life, and if all movies were nothing but daisies and roses, then no one would be interested!

I am also slightly confused about some of the dwarfs. Dopey seemed like the butt of every joke and I could not tell if he was meant to just be the least intelligent of them all or serve as a representation of something more – like a learning or mental disability. Either way, I wonder why Walt Disney wanted to include this!

As the movie continues, and I’m waiting for prince charming to I then remembered how creepy it is that the prince starts making out with snow white randomly. “Don’t take candy, or in this case, apples, from strangers” is not the only message Disney is sending. It is also that kissing someone when they are sleeping is totally normal, as well as accepted! In today’s environment, this fairytale isn’t necessarily the best way to show kids how to go about relationships.

Amidst all this, I still loved re-watching Snow White. She is a breath of fresh air, and her voice is truly angelic. I love how in touch with nature she is and the positive attitude she has amidst her evil stepmother.

Devon Wolfe Introductory Post

I’m Devon. I’m from Bedford, New York. My first semester at Duke was a blast and couldn’t love this place more. Other things I love are tennis and soccer, even though I haven’t found much time to play this past semester! I’m also super interested in conspiracy theories, so I’m constantly reading crazy stories about our sneaky government. I also have a hidden talent - drawing and painting! I could spend hours sketching and getting dirty with chalk pastels and paint without realizing. My first semester I took the “Sexuality Around the World” seminar, which was extremely out of my comfort zone. However, it ended up being super interesting, engaging, and educational! So when I was searching for a Writing 101 class to take, I knew I wanted to spice up my boring course load (statistics, math, and french)! While I am not a crazy Disney fan, I am a huge fan of Beauty and the Beast and Frozen, of course. I can’t wait to learn more about Disney and call laying around with popcorn and a kid’s film schoolwork! 

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