Another World Book Club discussion

And we're back to lighter fare this month with George MacDonald's The Princess and the Goblin (originally published in 1872).

You can download a free ebook from The Project Gutenberg, or you can find the audiobook on LibriVox.

There are also ebook editions on Overdrive.

After rereading George MacDonald’s THE PRINCESS AND THE GOBLIN, I am reminded why this was a wonderful book to read to my children and grandchildren, but even more, a wonderful book to keep rereading myself.

While lost in her father’s huge house, Princess Irene finds her way to the garret of her loving, caring great-great-great-grandmother. When she returns to her room, Lootie her nurse, not only does not believe the princess, but is disappointed when Irene continues to insist that her grandmother is real.

MacDonald says some very important things about belief. When Irene finds her great-grandmother again, Irene wonders why she couldn’t find her the last time she looked for her. Here is the answer in chapter 11:

“Because I [grandmother] didn’t want Lootie to know I was here.”
“But you told me to tell Lootie.”
“Yes. But I knew Lootie would not believe you. If she were to see me sitting spinning here, she wouldn’t believe me either.”
“Why?”
“Because she couldn’t. She would rub her eyes, and go away and say she felt queer, and forget half of it and more, and then say it had been all a dream.”

MacDonald is teaching me that believing something, or in someone always involves two steps. First I have to become aware that the grandmother might exist. Then, I have to decide to accept the observations that she does exist. I have to choose NOT to explain the data away.

I appreciate that MacDonald gives doubters like Lootie the freedom to continue to doubt until she is ready to see the reality.