The Secret Garden, Chapter 1 summary
Chapter 1 of 27 · 8 min to read the chapter
In Chapter 1, Mary Lennox grows up neglected by her parents and obeyed by servants, until a cholera outbreak leaves her forgotten in the nursery. When men discover her alone, she learns that both parents are dead and the surviving servants have fled, leaving her without anyone in the house to care for her.
What happens
- Mary grows up in India with distant parents and servants who obey her demands to prevent her crying.
- One hot morning, her Ayah is missing, and Mary overhears her frightened mother discussing danger with a young officer.
- Cholera kills the Ayah and other servants, while panic spreads through the household.
- Forgotten in the nursery, Mary finds food and wine, then falls into a deep sleep.
- She wakes to silence, watches a small snake, and waits for someone to attend to her.
- Visiting men discover Mary and explain that her parents are dead and the surviving servants have fled.
Free for 3 months
Get the full summary of The Secret Garden, free
- 200,000+ classics as eBooks, audiobooks and 15-minute summaries, and print and large print at cost
- Up to 5 readers in your home on one plan
Start freeNothing to pay today. USD 0.14 a day in the first year, then USD 0.27 a day.
In this chapter
What to notice
Barney answers Mary's demand for attention with the truth about her isolation. His words mark her discovery that her familiar household is gone.
Quick check
Why does Mary sleep through much of the household's final confusion?
Free for 3 months
Get the full summary of The Secret Garden, free
- 200,000+ classics as eBooks, audiobooks and 15-minute summaries, and print and large print at cost
- Up to 5 readers in your home on one plan
Start freeNothing to pay today. USD 0.14 a day in the first year, then USD 0.27 a day.
200,000+ classics to read, hear and hold
15-minute summaries today, eBooks and audiobooks as each book opens, and printed books, large print included, at cost.
Try 3 months free
