toastier.org ; Harriet the Spy

The things you saw or read as kid-- don't you love rewatching and rereading them? Man, I watched Clueless again a few weeks ago for the first time since it came out. That movie is (still) so smart: the references, the witty dialogue, the fact at Cher knows about AA, that Josh listens to Radiohead... I never noticed these things as a kid! I'm pretty sure my reaction to the movie back then was, "Oh my god! JOSH AND CHERRRR!!!" Ahem.

So I recently reread one my favorite childhood books, Harriet the Spy. I never quite saw how... dysfunctional her family was, being that she lived in the privileged Upper East Side: she was raised by her nurse, Ole Golly, has a family cook, and there's even a part in the book where she asks her own mother if she'd be having dinner with her own parents! Her parents are dedicated to her, but really are clueless to her needs. While she is encouraged by Ole Golly to write, I think she writes and spies so she can lose herself and make sense of the world. The rollercoaster of emotions Harriet goes through-- it's something to behold.

But, at any age when you read this book, you find the moral of the story is that lying isn't all bad. It isn't hypocritical but rather, sometimes being kind is better than being truthful. I always liked Harriet's interaction with her good friend, Sport-- she learns to show consideration for someone else's feelings because she realizes that you do not want to hurt the people you care about (even though we all inadvertently do at some point, right? I know I have). Wow, I could write a whole thesis on this! Anyway, this is one of my favorite quotes in the book by Ole Golly:

"Little lies that make people feel better are not bad, like thanking someone for a meal they made even if you hated it, or telling a sick person they look better when they don't, or someone with a hideous new hat that it's lovely. Remember that writing is to put love in the world, not to use against your friends. But to yourself you must always tell the truth."

Actually, that entire letter by Ole Golly is pretty great. So now that I've rambled on forever, have you rewatched or reread anything from your childhood lately?

—14 September 2008 ; 3 comments

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Lacey Bean on September 14, 2008 at 10:00PM

I loooved Harriet the Spy when I was younger, and eerily I also just reread it too. I agree with your review of Harriet's family... totally dysfunctional!

Denise on September 14, 2008 at 11:35PM

For some reason, I didn't like Harriet the Spy. I didn't like the movie either...

I visited my godson yesterday and we talked about his Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends toys. He was telling me the names of all of them. I had no idea that there are girl engines! I asked him about one of the red engines that I remembered from the show, and he was all 'THERE IS NO RED ENGINE.'

(There is a red engine and his name is James.)

Ashley on September 17, 2008 at 7:55PM

I definitely became a spy for a while after reading that book. I still have the journal to prove it. Didn't Harriet eat tomato sandwiches? Ew.

Hi, my name is Amy. Be well, and say hello!