Jean Webster's 1912 novel, "Daddy-Long-Legs," is a wonderful story about Jerusha "Judy" Abbott. I chose it as the first novel to write about simply because I'm a huge fan of the anime adaptation. When I first watched the anime as a child, I didn't know it was based on a novel. And then, ebooks weren't as readily available as they are now. Back then, you needed a real budget to buy books. Today, every book is on your mobile phone or tablet, but unfortunately, nobody reads anymore!
I sound very old saying this, don't I?
But it's true, and you don't have to be old to say it. Today, access is vast, and not only that, but also the time you can spare to read something.
Anyway, the novel tells us how Judy Abbott spent her life in the John Grier Orphanage, a rather bleak place. At eighteen, her life changes when a trustee, impressed by her writing talent, offers to send her to a prestigious women's college. He stipulates that she write him a letter each month updating him on her academic progress, and that he remain completely anonymous and never reply.
You should check out the cute drawing in the book!!
As he leaves the orphanage, Judy glimpses his tall, thin shadow on the wall and begins to call him Daddy-Long-Legs.
Judy's letters reflect her life at college, and we grow up with her as we witness the difficulties and challenges she faces.
She befriends wealthy classmates like the haughty Julia Pendleton and the kind-hearted Sally McBride. During her time at college and on her travels, Judy meets Jervis Pendleton, Julia's young uncle. Unlike the rest of the reserved Pendleton family, Jervis is unconventional and kind. He and Judy develop a close bond through shared interests and summer vacations.
As Judy approaches graduation, an emotional conflict arises. Jervis proposes to her, but Judy tearfully rejects him. A letter summons her to meet her benefactor in New York. Upon arriving at the luxurious mansion, she discovers the truth: Jervis Pendleton is "Long-Legged."
Judy realizes that the man who supported her education is the same man she loved. The book ends with their marriage proposal and Judy embarking on a life of her own making.
The story is like those tales where a girl is rescued by a male hero, a poor girl and a rich man, and the story ends in love, transforming the orphan into a princess.
However, as we grapple with these Cinderella stories, we mustn't forget the effort Judy put into standing on her own. To dismiss all her hard work by saying she wouldn't be who she is without Jervis is unfair to her, and to deny his role in supporting her is equally unfair to him. Judy showed a genuine desire to support herself through her writings rather than relying on the rich man, and she even tried to return the money. The novel shows that sometimes opportunity is all a person needs to get up and prove themselves. At the same time, social disparities, moral implications, and class conflicts remain evident in every time and place.