Article #479-2 | Gutenberg Articles

Excerpt

Excerpt from Little Lord Fauntleroy, by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Then suddenly his loving little heart told him that he'd better put both
his arms around her neck and kiss her again and again, and keep his
soft cheek close to hers; and he did so, and she laid her face on his
shoulder and cried bitterly, holding him as if she could never let him
go again.

“Yes, he is well,” she sobbed; “he is quite, quite well, but we--we have
no one left but each other. No one at all.”

Then, little as he was, he understood that his big, handsome young papa
would not come back any more; that he was dead, as he had heard of other
people being, although he could not comprehend exactly what strange
thing had brought all this sadness about. It was because his mamma
always cried when he spoke of his papa that he secretly made up his mind
it was better not to speak of him very often to her, and he found out,
too, that it was better not to let her sit still and look into the fire
or out of the window without moving or talking. He and his mamma knew
very few people, and lived what might have been thought very lonely
lives, although Cedric did not know it was lonely until he grew older
and heard why it was they had no visitors. Then he was told that his
mamma was an orphan, and quite alone in the world when his papa had
married her. She was very pretty, and had been living as companion to a
rich old lady who was not kind to her, and one day Captain Cedric Errol,
who was calling at the house, saw her run up the stairs with tears on
her eyelashes; and she looked so sweet and innocent and sorrowful that
the Captain could not forget her. And after many strange things had
happened, they knew each other well and loved each other dearly, and
were married, although their marriage brought them the ill-will of
several persons. The one who was most angry of all, however, was
the Captain's father, who lived in England, and was a very rich and
important old nobleman, with a very bad temper and a very violent
dislike to America and Americans. He had two sons older than Captain
Cedric; and it was the law that the elder of these sons should inherit
the family title and estates, which were very rich and splendid; if the
eldest son died, the next one would be heir; so, though he was a member
of such a great family, there was little chance that Captain Cedric
would be very rich himself.

Explanation

**Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from Little Lord Fauntleroy by Frances Hodgson Burnett**

Context of the Source

Little Lord Fauntleroy (1886) is a children’s novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, best known for works like The Secret Garden and A Little Princess. The story follows Cedric Errol, a kind-hearted American boy who discovers he is the heir to a British earldom. The novel explores themes of innocence, class, family, and redemption, contrasting the purity of childhood with the corruption of adult society.

This excerpt occurs early in the novel, after Cedric’s father, Captain Cedric Errol, has died, leaving Cedric and his mother in poverty. The passage reveals their emotional bond, their isolation, and the circumstances surrounding Cedric’s parents’ marriage, which led to their estrangement from the aristocratic Errol family in England.

Breakdown of the Excerpt

1. Emotional Intimacy Between Cedric and His Mother

"Then suddenly his loving little heart told him that he'd better put both his arms around her neck and kiss her again and again, and keep his soft cheek close to hers; and he did so, and she laid her face on his shoulder and cried bitterly, holding him as if she could never let him go again."

Childlike Intuition & Empathy: Cedric, though very young, instinctively understands his mother’s grief. His actions—embracing her, kissing her—are pure, unspoken comfort, showing his innate kindness (a central trait in the novel).
Physical Closeness as Solace: The imagery of "soft cheek" and "bitter" crying contrasts innocence with sorrow. His mother’s desperate grip ("as if she could never let him go") suggests fear of loss, reinforcing their dependency on each other.
Symbolism of Isolation: They have "no one left but each other", emphasizing their emotional and social seclusion.

2. Cedric’s Childish Understanding of Death

"Then, little as he was, he understood that his big, handsome young papa would not come back any more; that he was dead, as he had heard of other people being, although he could not comprehend exactly what strange thing had brought all this sadness about."

Limited Comprehension of Death: Cedric knows his father is gone forever but doesn’t fully grasp death’s finality. His confusion reflects a child’s perspective—death is a "strange thing", mysterious and inexplicable.
Indirect Grief: Because his mother cries when he mentions his father, Cedric avoids speaking of him, showing his maturity beyond his years—he suppresses his own sadness to protect her.

3. The Mother’s Loneliness and Cedric’s Protective Instincts

"He found out, too, that it was better not to let her sit still and look into the fire or out of the window without moving or talking."

Observant Childhood Wisdom: Cedric notices his mother’s withdrawal (staring into the fire, silence) and acts to distract her. This shows his premature responsibility—he becomes her emotional caretaker.
Fire & Window as Symbols:
- Fire = warmth but also consuming sorrow (she is lost in grief).
- Window = looking outward but seeing nothing (her isolation).

4. The Backstory of Cedric’s Parents: Love, Defiance, and Estrangement

"Then he was told that his mamma was an orphan, and quite alone in the world when his papa had married her... The one who was most angry of all, however, was the Captain's father, who lived in England, and was a very rich and important old nobleman, with a very bad temper and a very violent dislike to America and Americans."

Romantic but Tragic Love Story:
- Cedric’s mother was a poor, orphaned companion to a cruel old lady.
- His father, Captain Cedric Errol, saw her crying and was drawn to her innocence.
- Their marriage was for love, but it defied class and family expectations.
Class Conflict & Prejudice:
- The Earl of Dorincourt (Cedric’s grandfather) despises America and disowned his son for marrying an American commoner.
- The inheritance laws mean Cedric’s father was never expected to inherit, making their marriage socially and financially risky.
Foreshadowing: This backstory explains why Cedric and his mother live in poverty and isolation—they are outcasts from both American high society (due to her past) and British aristocracy (due to the Earl’s disapproval).

Key Themes in the Excerpt

Innocence vs. Corruption
- Cedric’s pure, selfless love contrasts with the bitterness and prejudice of the adult world (e.g., the Earl’s hatred of Americans).
- His instinctive kindness is untouched by the class snobbery that ruined his parents’ lives.
Loneliness & Isolation
- Cedric and his mother are socially and emotionally alone.
- Their poverty and rejection by family force them into a private world of their own.
Sacrifice & Protection
- Cedric suppresses his own grief to comfort his mother.
- His parents’ marriage was an act of defiance against societal norms, but it came at a cost.
Class and Social Prejudice
- The Earl’s disapproval represents aristocratic disdain for Americans and the lower class.
- The inheritance laws highlight the rigidity of British nobility, where birthright matters more than love.
Grief and Coping
- The mother’s uncontrollable weeping vs. Cedric’s silent understanding show different ways of processing loss.
- Cedric’s avoidance of his father’s name is a child’s way of managing pain.

Literary Devices Used

Imagery
- "Soft cheek close to hers" → tenderness.
- "Cried bitterly" → intensity of sorrow.
- "Look into the fire or out of the window" → emptiness and reflection.
Symbolism
- Fire = both warmth and destructive grief.
- Window = longing, isolation, and unfulfilled hopes.
Foreshadowing
- The Earl’s anger hints at future conflicts when Cedric inherits the title.
- The mother’s vulnerability suggests she may struggle when Cedric is taken to England.
Contrast
- Cedric’s innocence vs. adult cruelty (the Earl’s temper, the old lady’s unkindness).
- Love (parents’ marriage) vs. hatred (Earl’s disapproval).
Free Indirect Discourse
- The narration blends Cedric’s childlike perspective with the omniscient narrator’s explanations, making the emotional impact stronger.

Significance of the Passage

Establishes Cedric’s Character
- His compassion, maturity, and resilience are introduced early, making him a sympathetic protagonist.
Explains the Family’s Tragic Situation
- The backstory of his parents’ marriage justifies their poverty and isolation, setting up the conflict with the Earl.
Sets Up the Novel’s Central Conflict
- The Earl’s prejudice against Americans and the lower class will be challenged by Cedric’s innocence, leading to the redemption arc of the story.
Reflects Victorian-Era Social Issues
- Class discrimination, women’s vulnerability, and transatlantic tensions (America vs. British aristocracy) are key themes.
Emotional Resonance
- The mother-son bond is so deep and poignant that it makes the later separation (when Cedric goes to England) even more heartbreaking.

Conclusion

This excerpt is pivotal in Little Lord Fauntleroy because it:

Introduces Cedric’s defining traits (kindness, empathy, premature wisdom).
Reveals the tragic circumstances of his family, explaining their poverty and isolation.
Foreshadows the central conflict with the Earl and the transformative power of a child’s love.
Uses rich imagery and symbolism to convey grief, protection, and social division.

Burnett contrasts the purity of childhood with the corruption of adulthood, setting the stage for a story where a boy’s goodness ultimately softens a hardened old man’s heart. The passage is emotionally powerful because it shows love persisting despite loss and prejudice, a recurring theme in Burnett’s works.

Questions

Question 1

The passage’s depiction of Cedric’s decision to avoid speaking of his father or allowing his mother to sit silently reflects a narrative strategy that primarily serves to:

A. underscore the precocious emotional labor the child assumes in response to his mother’s unspoken vulnerability.
B. illustrate the mother’s failure to provide adequate emotional guidance to her son in their shared grief.
C. critique the Victorian expectation that children should suppress their own emotions to maintain domestic harmony.
D. emphasize the irrationality of grief by contrasting the mother’s uncontrollable weeping with the son’s forced stoicism.
E. foreshadow Cedric’s eventual rejection of his maternal lineage once he inherits his aristocratic title.

Question 2

The Earl of Dorincourt’s “violent dislike to America and Americans” functions in the passage most significantly as:

A. a historical annotation to ground the novel’s social realism in late 19th-century transatlantic tensions.
B. a narrative device to justify the family’s financial hardship and the mother’s marginalized status.
C. an allegorical representation of the broader cultural clash between New World idealism and Old World tradition.
D. a thematic counterpoint to Cedric’s innate capacity for unconditional love, untainted by inherited prejudice.
E. a plot mechanism to ensure Cedric’s eventual return to England, where his moral influence can reform the aristocracy.

Question 3

The passage’s description of Cedric’s mother as “very pretty” and seen with “tears on her eyelashes” by Captain Errol is structurally analogous to which of the following literary techniques?

A. Chekhov’s gun, as it introduces a detail that will later explain the Earl’s hostility toward the marriage.
B. Ekphrasis, in that it pauses the narrative to vividly render a moment of visual and emotional pathos.
C. Dramatic irony, since the reader knows the marriage will fail while the characters remain hopeful.
D. Pathetic fallacy, by attributing the mother’s sorrow to an external force (the old lady’s cruelty).
E. Analepsis, as it interrupts the present action to provide retrospective context for the family’s isolation.

Question 4

Which of the following best describes the passage’s implicit argument about the relationship between social class and emotional authenticity?

A. Genuine affection, as exemplified by Cedric’s parents, is inherently incompatible with the performative rituals of aristocratic society.
B. The privations of poverty and exclusion can paradoxically cultivate a deeper, if unarticulated, emotional intimacy than wealth or status.
C. The mother’s orphaned status and the Earl’s aristocratic rage collectively illustrate how class determines one’s capacity for love.
D. Cedric’s ability to comfort his mother demonstrates that emotional intelligence is independent of social conditioning.
E. The Captain’s defiance of his father’s wishes proves that romantic love is the only legitimate basis for marriage across class divides.

Question 5

The “fire” and “window” in the passage operate most compellingly as:

A. metonymies for the mother’s dual desires for warmth and escape, respectively.
B. synecdoche for the domestic sphere, reducing the family’s suffering to its physical confines.
C. ambiguous symbols that simultaneously represent stasis and the potential for transformation.
D. allegorical references to purgatory and liminality, framing the mother’s grief as a spiritual trial.
E. realist details intended to ground the emotional narrative in tangible, everyday settings.

Solutions and Explanations

1) Correct answer: A

Why A is most correct: The passage emphasizes Cedric’s agency in managing his mother’s emotions—he “secretly made up his mind” to avoid certain topics and “found out” how to distract her. This framing positions him as a child performing emotional labor, a role typically assigned to adults. The text does not judge this dynamic but highlights its precocity, making A the most defensible choice. The “loving little heart” and his intuitive actions underscore his assumption of responsibility beyond his years.