Linnets and Valerians

March 20, 1985

Copyright © 1997 Property of Deborah K. Fletcher. All rights reserved.

The title of the book I read was Linnets and Valerians. It was written by Elizabeth Goudge. It was published by Avon books which is a division of the Hearst Corporation.

This book was entitled Linnets and Valarians because the main characters' surnames were Linnet and Valerian.

The setting of Linnets and Valerians was the West Country of England in the year 1912. The main part of this setting was the village of High Barton, a small village of "crooked houses and winding narrow streets" grouped about a "pocket-handkerchief size" green. Above the village was a wooded hill, above which rose two rocky peaks - one shaped like a benevolent lion, and the other, above the lion, shaped like a city blending up into the clouds. The hills were called Lion Tor or the Lion and the Castle.

This setting greatly influenced the characters because there was a great evil in the village and the castle, which the Linnet children had to undo.

The setting was very closely related to the story because only under the circumstances described could such elements as the witchcraft of Emma Cobley, the power of the bees, and the autocracy of Grandmama have existed. These elements were extremely important to the plot. The reason for this was that the evil in the village was caused by Emma Cobley, and it was dispelled by the power of the bees and the children's grandmother.

There were several protagonists in Linnets and Valerians. These were: Nan, Robert, Timothy, and Betsey Linnet, Uncle Ambrose, Grandmama (although she appeared as an antogonist at the beginning), Ezra, Lady Alicia, Moses Glory Glory Alleluja, Abedneo, Jason-Rob-Roy, Absolom, Daft Davie (who later became Francis Valerian), and the bees. Nan was quiet, thoughtful, and practical. Robert was self-assured and money conscious. Timothy was delicate andsensitive. Betsey was hot-tempered and loyal. Uncle Ambrose was strict and concerned about his neices and nephews. Grandmama was autocratic. Ezra was kind, patient, and respectful. Lady Alicia was grieving and kind. Moses Glory Glory Alleluja was melancholy and holding to the departed glory. Abednego was playful, mischievious, and helpful. Jason-Rob-Roy was loyal and understanding. Absolom was loving. Daft Davie was kind, friendly, and loving of all life. The bees were simply good.

There were also several antagonists in Linnets and Valerians. These were: Emma Cobley, William and Eliza Lawson, Tom Biddle, Frederick, and the bulldog. Emma was a black witch by earliest teaching. William and Eliza were inately evil. Tom was enchanted by Emma. Frederick was also enchanted by Emma. The bulldog was as naturally evil as its master.

Emma Cobley, Tom Biddle, and Frederick became good, law-abiding citizens as a result of the children's burning of her spell book. This was because they were not truly in possession of the power for evil; it was lent to them by the spell book.

Daft Davie regained his voice and his memory because the children removed the pins from a figure carved of mandrake root, and then burned the figure. When he regained his memory, he was reunited with Ladie Alicia, who was his mother, and with Moses and Abednego, who were servants from his childhood.

Lady Alicia's husband regained his memory because the children removed pins from the head and feet of a mandrake figure, and then burned it. He was then found in Egypt by the children's father, who brought the squire home and reunited him with Lady Alicia.

The return of her husband and son made Lady Alicia much happier, and she ceased to hate the sunlight.

Each character in the book owed a great deal of his success (or failure) to his natural goodness (or evil). The story could not have taken place otherwise.

I admired Nan because of her constant good temper and her ability to empathize with the other characters.

Robert earned my admiration because he tried his hardest in all he did.

Timothy was admired because he always tried to overcome his delicate condition and to do what he could to aid his siblings' cause.

Betsey was high in my admiration because her youthful sensitivity allowed her to help others when she might rather have done her own will.

I admired Uncle Ambrose because of his undying conviction that goodness would prevail. I also admired his constant concern for all those under his care.

I admired Grandmama because she did her best to do what was right for her grandchildren, though they gave her a particularly hard time.

I admired Ezra because he employed his craft for the good of all.

I admired Lady Alicia because she never allowed herself to completely give up hope.

Moses Glory Glory Alleluja was admired because he never gave up; he retained the glory of the estate, even after it was gone.

I disliked all the antagonists simply because they caused their own evil and never tried to dispel it.

Each character in Linnets and Valerians was the way he was as a result of the time and place of his life.

The Linnets were all involved with the plot because it fell to them to set right all that was wrong.

The Valerians were involved with the plot because they were the victims of the evil.

Emma, Tom, William, and Eliza were involved with the plot because they had caused the evils of the village.

The only true obstacles that the characters faced were each other in the battle between good and evil. The Linnets and the Valerians, with their servants and animals, overcame the evils by proving that good conquers evil.

The main turning point in the story came when Nan found Emma's spell book and realized that it was up to the children to set things right.

The plot was true to life in nearly all respects, if taken literally, and in all respects if taken symbolically.

The ending of Linnets and Valerians was pleasing. It was the "happy ever after" sort of ending, and was an enchanting bit of work. All the pieces of the story were pulled together and everyone was reunited with everyone else.

The universal truth underlying the plot was the concept of good versus evil, and the ultimate prevalence of good.

I do not feel that this novel influenced my way of thinking or my point of view in any way. Rather, I feel that my thoughts, feelings, and beliefs were echoed by those behind the story.

Linnets and Valerians did not deal with any overwhelming current or past social problems. Therefore, it did not alter my awareness of them.

I believe that Linnets and Valerians would make a good movie, but I do not feel that it would be successful.

I felt that the strongest feature of Linnets and Valerians was the way Ms. Goudge tied each part into each other part, but left enough of a mystery to keep the reader's attention. I did not feel that there were any truly weak points to this book.

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