1. friendship can bring out a person’s best qualities. how does mary’s friendship with the robin bring out her better qualities?

2. martha is also mary’s friend, and she expects mary to be self-reliant. what does she teach or encourage mary to do?

3. how does mary feel as she becomes more independent? why?

4. what is the theme of the secret garden, and how does mary’s transformation contribute to the development of the theme?

1. Mary's friendship with the robin helps her. It helps her realize that she is lonely, so she starts to the the robin and not feel so lonely, The robin is very smart even though he cannot speak he can communicate in other ways.

2. Martha encourages Mary to learn how to play like other children do when they don't have anyone to play with. Martha also refuses to continue to allow Mary to act like a spoiled brat and instead determines that Mary will become more independent and strong as long as she is taking care of her.

3. Mary finds herself changing for the better, as she spends more time outside she gains her strength and her appetite increases. Mary learns to take care of herself instead of depending on others to everything for her.

4. The theme is about healing. By discovering how beautiful nature is. Once a person such as Mary is in tune with nature, she realizes that genuine beauty and happiness comes from within her.