A Little Princess is a 1903 children’s novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, and it tells the captivating story of Sara Crewe, a young girl who faces dramatic changes in her life with grace, imagination, and resilience. The novel is a classic of children’s literature, exploring themes of friendship, courage, and the contrast between wealth and poverty.
Plot Summary
On a cold, foggy day in London, Sara Crewe, a seven-year-old girl, sits in a carriage beside her father, Captain Crewe. Sara is being taken to Miss Minchin’s Select Seminary for Young Ladies, a boarding school. The little girl has traveled from India, where she lived a luxurious life with her father after her mother passed away. Captain Crewe, a rich and doting father, loves Sara dearly but must return to India for business, leaving her in the care of the school. Despite her tender age, Sara possesses a deep sense of maturity and an extraordinary imagination that colors the world around her.
Miss Minchin, the school’s headmistress, welcomes Sara with insincere warmth. Though polite and charming on the surface, Miss Minchin is primarily interested in the wealth that accompanies Sara. Captain Crewe spares no expense in ensuring Sara’s comfort—she is given a luxurious room, beautiful clothes, and even her own French maid. This display of wealth impresses everyone at the school, and Sara is dubbed “the little princess” by those who envy her.
Sara, however, is not affected by her wealth. She is kind-hearted and generous, treating everyone with respect, regardless of their status. Her compassion extends to the scullery maid, Becky, a young girl who works tirelessly at the school. Sara befriends Becky and often sneaks food and small comforts to her, forging a bond between them despite the vast difference in their circumstances.
At school, Sara excels in her studies, especially in French, a language she learned from her late mother. Her intelligence, coupled with her vivid imagination, captivates those around her. She often entertains the younger girls, including little Lottie, by weaving magical tales, transforming the dreary atmosphere of the school into something wondrous. One of her closest friends is Ermengarde, a fellow student who struggles academically but adores Sara for her kindness and creativity.
As Sara settles into her new life, news arrives that her father has invested all his wealth in a diamond mine, anticipating great fortune. But tragedy strikes when Captain Crewe falls ill and dies, leaving Sara an orphan. Worse still, his investments are revealed to be worthless, and Sara is left with nothing. Upon hearing this news, Miss Minchin’s attitude changes drastically. She strips Sara of her fine clothes and room, demoting her to a servant at the school. Now, she is forced to live in the cold, dark attic, sharing her space with rats and performing menial tasks to earn her keep.
Despite the sudden reversal of fortune, Sara refuses to let her spirit be crushed. She continues to rely on her imagination and inner strength to endure the harsh conditions. She still finds solace in her friendship with Becky, and the two girls share what little food and comfort they can manage. Sara also remains kind and brave in the face of Miss Minchin’s cruelty, gaining the admiration of those who once envied her.
One day, while running an errand in the bitter cold, Sara finds a coin in the street. She uses it to buy six hot buns, intending to eat them herself, as she has not eaten in days. But before she can, she notices a beggar girl staring hungrily at the buns. Sara’s innate generosity compels her to give five of the buns away, keeping only one for herself. This act of kindness catches the attention of the bakery owner, who, moved by Sara’s selflessness, begins to quietly help her in small ways.
Meanwhile, a new neighbor moves into the house next to Miss Minchin’s seminary. The gentleman, Mr. Carrisford, is an old friend of Captain Crewe’s, and unbeknownst to Sara, he was responsible for managing the ill-fated diamond mine investment. Consumed by guilt, Mr. Carrisford has been searching for Sara, believing himself to be responsible for her misfortune. Though the diamond mines have since become profitable, and a vast fortune is waiting for her, Mr. Carrisford has no idea that the girl he seeks is living next door in poverty.
As Sara continues to struggle in her new life, she frequently daydreams about better times, imagining herself as a princess even in her rags. She tells herself that a true princess remains kind, dignified, and compassionate, no matter her circumstances. This belief sustains her, allowing her to remain strong when the world seems against her.
One night, after an especially hard day, Sara returns to her attic to find it transformed. The cold, dreary room has been made warm and comfortable, with new blankets, pillows, and food laid out for her. This magical transformation feels like a dream to Sara, but it is the work of Mr. Carrisford’s servant, Ram Dass, who has taken pity on the poor girl. Over time, Ram Dass continues to bring gifts to Sara, turning her attic into a place of warmth and comfort.
Eventually, Sara’s identity is discovered by Mr. Carrisford. Overjoyed to have found his old friend’s daughter, he brings her into his home, restoring her to the wealth that rightfully belongs to her. Miss Minchin, upon learning that Sara is once again rich, attempts to regain her favor, but Sara remains as she always has—dignified, kind, and true to herself. She refuses to return to the seminary and instead ensures that Becky, her loyal friend, is freed from servitude and given a comfortable life as well.
Sara’s kindness and compassion never waver, whether in wealth or poverty, and she remains a true princess in spirit. The harshness of Miss Minchin’s school is replaced by the warmth and care of Mr. Carrisford’s household, and Sara is finally able to live the life she once imagined, surrounded by those she loves and who love her in return.
Main Characters
Sara Crewe: A kind-hearted, imaginative, and intelligent young girl. Initially wealthy and adored, she faces a fall from grace when her father dies and loses his fortune. Her ability to maintain her dignity and compassion despite adversity defines her character arc.
Miss Minchin: The headmistress of the seminary where Sara is placed. She is cold, greedy, and treats Sara cruelly after her wealth disappears. Her character represents the oppressive nature of class and privilege.
Captain Crewe: Sara’s beloved father, a wealthy British officer stationed in India. His sudden death and financial ruin set the main conflict of the story into motion.
Becky: A scullery maid at Miss Minchin’s school who becomes one of Sara’s closest friends. She symbolizes the lower class but shares a strong bond of friendship and kindness with Sara.
Lavinia Herbert: One of Sara’s classmates who is envious and spiteful, especially when Sara is wealthy. She becomes an antagonist who highlights the themes of jealousy and entitlement.
Ermengarde St. John: A fellow student and Sara’s loyal friend. Although not as bright as Sara, she is warm-hearted and provides emotional support to Sara.
Theme
Resilience in Adversity: One of the most powerful themes is Sara’s ability to remain dignified and compassionate despite losing her fortune and enduring cruelty. Her imagination and inner strength help her rise above her circumstances.
Imagination and Storytelling: Sara’s rich inner life allows her to cope with hardship. Her ability to turn grim situations into imaginative stories is both a source of comfort for herself and those around her, particularly Becky.
Kindness and Compassion: The novel contrasts the warmth of Sara’s kindness with the cold cruelty of characters like Miss Minchin. Sara’s generosity, even in poverty, highlights the theme that wealth of spirit matters more than material wealth.
Class and Privilege: The story explores the rigid social hierarchy of the time. Sara’s fall from riches to rags shows how society treats individuals based on their wealth, yet her inherent nobility shines through regardless of her status.
Writing Style and Tone
Frances Hodgson Burnett’s writing style in A Little Princess is rich in detail and emotion, making the world of Sara Crewe vivid and engaging. The tone shifts from the magical and whimsical to the somber and oppressive as Sara’s fortunes change, yet the overall tone remains hopeful. Burnett masterfully balances descriptive language with dialogue, drawing readers into Sara’s imaginative world and the harsh reality she faces. The narrative voice is compassionate and often mirrors Sara’s own optimism and resolve, which helps convey the novel’s underlying message of hope.
The tone is both tender and instructive. Burnett often addresses the reader directly or indirectly through Sara’s reflections, making it clear that Sara’s generosity and compassion are virtues to be admired. Even in the face of hardship, Sara’s unwavering belief in the importance of kindness and her ability to imagine a better world give the novel a hopeful, inspirational tone.
Quotes
A Little Princess – Frances Hodgson Burnett (1905) Quotes
“Whatever comes," she said, "cannot alter one thing. If I am a princess in rags and tatters, I can be a princess inside. It would be easy to be a princess if I were dressed in cloth of gold, but it is a great deal more of a triumph to be one all the time when no one knows it.”
“Everything's a story - You are a story -I am a story.”
“I am a princess. All girls are. Even if they live in tiny old attics. Even if they dress in rags, even if they aren’t pretty, or smart, or young. They’re still princesses.”
“Perhaps to be able to learn things quickly isn't everything. To be kind is worth a great deal to other people...Lots of clever people have done harm and have been wicked.”
“Somehow, something always happens just before things get to the very worst. It is as if Magic did it. If I could only just remember that always. The worse thing never quite comes.”
“Perhaps there is a language which is not made of words and everything in the world understands it.”
“What you have to do with your mind, when your body is miserable, is to make it think of something else.”
“She did not care very much for other little girls, but if she had plenty of books she could console herself.”
“I pretend I am a princess,so that I can try and behave like one.”
“I don't like it, papa," she said. "But then I dare say soldiers - even brave ones - don't really like going into battle.”
“Are you learning me by heart, little Sara?" he said, stroking her hair. "No," she answered. "I know you by heart. You are inside my heart.”
“But I suppose there might be good in things, even if we don't see it.”
“All women are princesses , it is our right.”
“Yes," answered Sara, nodding. "Adversity tries people, and mine has tried you and proved how nice you are.”
“She says it has nothing to do with what you look like, or what you have. It has only to do with what you think of, and what you do.”
“If Sara had been a boy and lived a few centuries ago, her father used to say, 'she would have gone about the country with her sword drawn, rescuing and defending everyone in distress. She always wants to fight when she sees people in trouble.”
“Never did she find anything so difficult as to keep herself from losing her temper when she was suddenly disturbed while absorbed in a book.”
“The fact was, however, that she was always dreaming and thinking odd things and could not herself remember any time when she had not been thinking things about grown up people and the world they belonged to. She felt as if she had lived a long, long time.”
“Perhaps you can feel if you can't hear. Perhaps kind thoughts reach people somehow, even through windows and doors and walls. Perhaps you feel a little warm and comforted.”
“It's so easy that when you begin you can't stop. You just go on and on doing it always.”
“Things happen to people by accident.”
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