The Secret Garden
About
After the sudden death of her parents in India, Mary Lennox is sent 'home' to England, and the Yorkshire estate of a distant relative. Sad and lonely, her only interest lies in a secret garden, abandoned after a tragic accident. With the help of Dickon, a local country boy, and Colin, her guardian's invalid son, Mary's spirit is reawakened as they bring the garden back to life.
Read one section at a time, then discuss the questions to review understanding. These questions are a starting place for conversation, not a complete test of the chapter.
Chapter 1
Comprehension questions
Describe the main character and how she became alone.
Page 7 — Mary Lennox; disagreeable looking, spoiled, sickly, thin, yellow hair and face, born in India; was raised by a servant because her mother didn’t want her since she was a girl; her parents, Ayah and other servants died of cholera; she was alone and was going to live with her uncle
7
Chapter 2
Comprehension questions
Describe Mrs. Medlock.
Page 16 — Mary’s uncle’s housekeeper; short and stout; stern and would take no nonsense from children
16
Describe her uncle’s house.
Page 17 — has a hundred rooms with doors that are mostly locked; gloomy; on the edge of a moor
17
Chapter 3
Comprehension questions
Define a moor.
Page 21 — Miles of wild land without trees; used for animals to graze on
21
Summarize this chapter.
Page 19 — Mary and Mrs. Medlock travel in the carriage for the last leg of their journey to her uncle’s house
19
Chapter 4
Comprehension questions
Describe Martha.
Page 24 — Pleasant, good attitude, talkative, hard worker, has 11 siblings, strong
24
What does the following phrase mean, “give you some stomach for your meat”?
Page 29 — Help her be hungry so she’ll eat
29
What did Mary learn about herself in this chapter?
Page 35 — She’s lonely; she’s not pretty and has a nasty temper
35
Chapter 5
Comprehension questions
Summarize why Mary’s uncle hates the garden.
Page 40 — He and his wife used to tend the garden and spend time together in it; one day she sat on a branch which broke and she died
40
List two good things that have happened to Mary since arriving at Misselthwaite Manor?
Page 41 — She understood the robin; she’s run in the wind until her blood ran warm, she was hungry for the first time in her life; she felt sorry for someone
41
Chapter 6
Comprehension questions
How did Mary amuse herself in the chapter?
Page 45 — Wandered the house and explored
45
Why did Mrs. Medlock get angry with her?
Page 48 — Mary heard crying and left her rooms
48
Chapter 7
Comprehension questions
How did Mary acquire the old key?
Page 53 — The robin landed in a hole that had been dug by a dog
53
Chapter 8
Comprehension questions
What did Mary say for the first time in her life and why?
Page 56 — Thank you; Martha’s mother had purchased her a skipping rope
56
How did Mary find the secret garden door?
Page 59 — She was skipping rope and the robin landed on a vine that blew in the breeze and uncovered it
59
Chapter 9
Comprehension questions
Summarize this chapter.
Page 62 — Mary goes into the Secret Garden and explores; she finds bulbs growing and digs around them to give them room to grow; she wrote to Dickon and sent him some shillings to purchase garden tools and seeds; Mary heard the crying sound again
62
Chapter 10
Comprehension questions
Describe Dickon.
Page 76 — 12 years old; Martha’s brother; purchased seeds and tools for Mary and brought them to her; he has a way with animals; he’s kind; round blue eyes; wears clothes with patches; is trustworthy
76
Chapter 11
Comprehension questions
Summarize what Dickon and Mary did in this chapter.
Page 82 — Explore the Secret Garden and look for plants that were alive
82
Chapter 12
Comprehension questions
Describe Mr. Craven.
Mary’s uncle; kind and handsome; worried and distracted; miserable; tall with crooked shoulders; black hair with white streaks 91
Chapter 13
Comprehension questions
Describe Colin.
Page 97 — Mr. Craven’s son; sickly; said he’s going to die young; 10 years old; black hair; big eyes; delicate face the color of ivory; doesn’t like people talking about him
97
How did Colin feel about the Secret Garden and how did Mary stop him from telling others about it?
Page 102 — He was curious and wouldn’t stop asking about it; Mary described it, pretending she hadn’t been there and said it was important to keep a secret
102
Chapter 14
Comprehension questions
Why does everyone want Colon to remember he’s sick?
Page 115 — So he doesn’t get better
115
Chapter 15
Comprehension questions
How are Colin and Mary similar?
Page 124 — Colin’s father doesn’t want him and Mary’s mother didn’t want her; they both have lived without love in their lives; they are spoiled, both have been given everything they want,
124
Chapter 16
Comprehension questions
Why was it good for Mary to stand up to Colin?
Page 130 — He’s never had anyone stand up to him
130
Chapter 17
Comprehension questions
How did Mary stop Colin’s tantrum?
Page 134 — She didn’t have sympathy and wasn’t scared of him; she told him to stop and that he didn’t have a lump on his back and that he wouldn’t die
134
Chapter 18
Comprehension questions
Choose a word that describes how Mary feels about Colin. Explain. Compassionate; trusting; love; friendship.
Page 139 — Listen to your child’s answer
139
Chapter 19
Comprehension questions
Summarize Colin’s reaction to meeting Dickon and his animal friends.
Page 151 — He was speechless and in awe
151
Chapter 20
Comprehension questions
Why did Colin feel stronger and healthier?
Page 158 — He has something to look forward to, a reason to live; he was distracted from his illness
158
Why did he feel like he will live forever?
Page 160 — He felt good and had hope
160
Chapter 21
Comprehension questions
Why were the children so joyous to see spring?
Page 161 — Mary and Colin had never seen it blossom before
161
Why didn’t Mary and Dickon want to talk about the old tree with the broken branch?
Page 163 — They thought it would be too sad for Collin to know that his mother died from the broken branch
163
Why did Ben Weatherstaff cry when he saw Colin stand?
Page 169 — He was so happy
169
Chapter 22
Comprehension questions
Summarize this chapter.
Page 170 — Ben Weatherstaff came into the garden and asked Colin what he could do for him; Collin told him to keep the garden a secret; Ben had been the one coming in to the garden; Colin planted a rose as a king in his new place
170
Why was this chapter so special?
Page 174 — Colin is learning he is strong and will be healthy; Colin has people who love and support him
174
Chapter 23
Comprehension questions
Why does Colon talk of Magic? What is it to him?
Page 176 — The Magic in the garden is what’s going to make him stronger like the sun and the flowers
176
Chapter 24
Comprehension questions
Explain Colin and Mary’s predicament and how it’s solved.
Page 188 — They were eating so much food it was going to ruin Colin’s secret that he was getting strong; Colin wanted to show his father that he’s strong and walking; Dickon’s mother made buns for them and told Dickon to take a bucket of fresh milk for them; Dickon baked potatoes and carrots in a little oven he concocted in the woods near the manor; they didn’t need to request more food from the cook in the manor
188
Chapter 25
Comprehension questions
How did the children entertain themselves on rainy days?
Page 198 — Exploring the house and using the empty rooms to do their exercises and run about
198
Why is Colin going to keep the curtain pulled back?
Page 201 — So he can see his mother laughing and being happy for him
201
Chapter 26
Comprehension questions
List two names used to describe God in this chapter.
Page 207 — Magic; the Big Good Thing; the Good Thing; the Joy Maker
207
How did Susan Sowerby respond when Colin said he wanted her for a mother.
Page 208 — She gave him a hug and said his mother is in the garden
208
Chapter 27
Comprehension questions
Summarize the conclusion of this story.
Page 209 — Mr. Craven started to awake out of his despair and went home; he went to the Secret Garden; Colin ran into him and told him everything; Mr. Craven was joyous to see his son
209
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