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Little Lord Fauntleroy

Author: Frances Hodgson Burnett

This beautiful story is written by Frances Eliza Hodgson and its theme is the life of a little boy named Cedric and his journey in becoming lord Fauntleroy.

The novel was published in 1865 in the magazine St. Nicholas. It was a great success and the next year it was published as a book. Because of its popularity in England it was translated to 20 languages.

With this novel the writer managed to link her two countries, England and America, and emphasize only the good in them. The novel was appreciated amongst politicians because they believed it helped people to understand the free and democratic America as well as the conservative, old England.

This children’s novel differs from others by its content. In this novel Cedric is described with his beautiful characteristics. With his simplicity, honesty and a big heart he has a positive influence on people.

The plot is settled in two continents - Europe and America. The author takes us to Cedric’s world and we are able to learn a lot from him. He lived a modest life in a small street in New York City where he hung out with the other kids and the salesman from different shops. He was well raised and everyone noticed him because he acted nicely towards others.

Cedric traveled from America to England and we will see how his life looked like when he arrived to the castle of his grandfather lord Dorincourta. The novel tries to tell us what will happen if we love and take care of other and have our minds set on the good.

"Little lord Fauntleroy" achieved great success and it can be identified as one of the most popular books of those times. Today it can be compared to the popularity of "Harry Potter". The illustrations made by Reginald Birch and also the detailed descriptions of clothes and hair influenced the fashion and style of kids in USA and all over the world.

The novel is very sentimental and there are many film and TV shows made by this novel.

Genre: children’s novel

Time: 2 years in Cedric’s life

Place: England, USA, castle, store, streets

Book Summary

A little boy named Cedric Errol lived a modest life with his mother in NY. He spent his days playing with other kids. He would always get sad remembering his father’s death when he was a kid.

Cedric has best friends and they are Hobbs and Dick. Hobbs is the owner of the store near his apartment and Dick cleaned shoes for a living.

His life suddenly changes when the messenger of his grandfather appears. Then he found out that his grandfather is an English aristocrat Earl Dorincourt and that after the death of his uncles he is the only remaining hare of the estates in England and a royal title.

Cedric had to travel to England and leave all of his friends for a new life.

He went to England with his mother and when they arrived there he met the grumpy old man who was his grandpa. He wanted to turn Cedric into a real Englishman so he forbid his mother to live with him. That made Cedric really sad because he loved his mother.

During the plot many events happen in which Cedric, with his kindness, turns the selfish lord around and makes a positive influence onto other people. In the end Cedric’s mother also lived in the castle with him.

Characters Analysis

Characters: Cedric, his mother, mister Hobbs, Dick, lord Dorincourt

Cedric - a small boy with blond hair and brown eyes who was well known for his kind heart. He helped his friends in need and loved his mother very much. He was always nice towards everyone and his kindness radiated out of him.

Lord Dorincourt - old, gray-haired man who was bitter and angry at the world. He was mean towards others and he constantly had issues with his bones but once he started to hang out with Cedric his pain went away. He became a better lord and a better man.

Cedric's mother - she was a beautiful woman. She had blond hair and brown eyes. Her son inherited hr beauty. After her husband died she changed a lot and enjoyed the great love her son had for her.

Frances Eliza Hodgson Burnett Biography

Frances Eliza Hodgson Burnett was born in 1849 in Cheetham, England. She was one of the best Anglo-Saxon writers.

Amongst reader she was appreciated for her children’s stories and the most popular are "Little lord Fauntleroy", "A little princess" and "The secret garden".

After her dad died her whole family moved from England to USA and lived in Knoxville. Soon she started writing because she wanted to help her family with the bills. She started publishing in magazines when she was 19.

In 1870 her mother died and she married Swan Burnett 2 years later. The young family lived in Paris where her two sons were born. After that they moved back to America, to Washington, were she started writing novels that the critics adored.

Even though she became famous when she published "Little lord Fauntleroy" she was popular because of her novel that she wrote in 1890’s.

She enjoyed a glamorous lifestyle and in 1880’s she traveled through England. In 1890 she bought a house in England and wrote "The secret garden". Soon afterwards her oldest son Lionel suffer from tuberculosis. His death left a great mark on her and she had problems with depression for a long time.

In 1898 she divorced Swan Burnett and in 1900 she married Stephen Townsend who she also divorced after two years.

She died in Long island in 1924.

Book reports from Frances Eliza Hodgson Burnett

  • Little Lord Fauntleroy
  • The Secret Garden

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