The Gardener

           The Gardener

Summary

     The story, The Gardener was written by a British poet, novelist and short story writer, Rudyard Kipling. In this story the writer shows his hatred for organized society's shallowness of feeling and his faith on the depth and purity of individual feeling.

    Helen Turrell was unmarried and independent woman of 35. When she was pregnant she was ashamed of having her baby in her society of Hampshire and went to Marseilles, South of France to have the baby. After returning to her Hampshire home, she cooked up many lies in other to save her face in her society. She told her neighbors that the child she had just brought was the son of her brother, George Turrell. He is an inspector of Indian police and had been engaged with the daughter of a retired non-commissioned officer. As eh had died falling off a horse few weeks before the baby was born and as both of his parents had been dead, she was obliged to take charge of the child. She even told the villagers that she had been to France to treat her lung problem.

   The child was baptized as Michael Turrelll. When he was six years old, he asked Helen why he could not call her, "Mummy" as other children did to their mothers. Helen explained to him that she was just his aunt but allowed him to call her mummy at bed times as pet name. When Michael was ten years old, he was told at his school that his civil status was not regular. Returning home, he asked Helen about it but she only stammered. However, he console her saying that he was not the only person who had born outside marriage. At the age of 12, he had measles followed by high fever 104. At this time he spoke of nothing except Helen and assured her that laughing on earth could make any difference between them. As he grew older, he developed new interest but his interest in Helen remained constant.

   When Michael was supposed to go to oxford, he joined Army. Helen did not like him to join Army but he insisted on going to army with an explanation that it was his family tradition. Michael on going to army with an explanation that it was his family tradition. Michael battalion was fortunate while it was in England as it was assigned to defend Norfolk coast. Luck again favored his battalion after it was transferred to France where it was assigned to do some manufacturing works on the bank of Somme. He wrote to Helen saying that there was nothing special doing and therefore, there was no need to worry about but just after he had written to her, he was killed by an exploding shell. The dead body of Michael was completely buried under sand as the successive shell exploded. Helen was informed that Michael was missing n the war. Helen understand that missing in the war meant dying. Though she was comforted with a hope that his body would be found, non of the organizations she had requested to seemed to be able to trace his body. Sometimes later she was sent another letter, along with a pencil, a silver indentify disc and a watch. This letter informed her that the dead body of Michael had been found, identified and entered into Hagenzede third Milllitary  Cemetry, Belgium. Now, she was a bit more relieved that she at least found an altar where she could pour her love for her son.

      Helen gathered all the information required t got to the cemetery of her son and started her journey. On the way to Hagenzede, she met a woman called Miss Scarsworth who told Helen that she was going to sugar factory in order to take the photograph of the cemetery there. She would distribute photographs to her neighbors who could not come to cemetery themselves. She had already been there eight times earlier. Both of them stayed at the same hotel and dined together. Later at night she revealed to Helen that she was going to visit the grave of someone special to her. She also told her that she had been tired of telling lies for more than six years and could not go on telling lies any longer.

     Early the next morning, Helen Turrell went to visit the cemetery of her son in Heganzede Third Millitary Cemetery. Though she had the number of Michael's grave, she could not identify it because there were thousands of black crosses that all looked alike. While she was looking for her son's grave a person, evidently a gardener approached her and asked her whose grave she had been looking for. She told him that she was looking for the grave of her nephew, Michael Turrell but to her great surprise he offered to show her the grave of her son. Visiting the grave of Michael, Helen returned back. As she glanced back for the last time she saw the same man and she went on supposing him to be a gardener.

Questions

    1.   How do we know who the gardener really is?

       The gardener might be an incarnation of Jesus Christ himself. It is an enlightened person like Jesus Christ alone who can have infinite compassion for human beings. It is again enlightened person like Jesus Christ who is omnipotent, omnipresent and therefore, can know the relationship between Helen and Michael. Like Michael Turrell Jesus himself had been born outside marriage from Virgin Mary. He had resurrected from his grave and had appeared to his mother in order to forgive her sin. Like Virgin Mary, Helen Turrell committed a sin of having a child before marriage though she carried out her maternal responsibilities sincerely. So, Jesus Christ might have appeared in the form of gardener to forgive the sin of Helen.

    2.   What is the real relation between Helen and Michael?

      The real relation between Helen and Michael can be described as close relatives. Helen Turrell says that her brother George Turrell had a relationship with the daughter of retired non-commissioned police officer. She also says that before George Turrell's death, George gave birth to a child, later on George died falling from a horse. According to Helen, she goes to French because of her lung problem and there she manages to bring the child from India. Her parents and brother are not alive to know the truth. She also says that Michael's mother said nothing for child. At the graveyard the gardener, also she said Michael was her son. In fact, what she said to the villagers was false. She might have created this false story to keep the villagers silent. Otherwise, she would be condemned in the society. To tell the truth, she was unmarried so she hid the real fact. In fact Helen and Michael were mother and son she told all these lies so that she would not be condemned in the society.

    3.   What was the effect of Michael's death on Helen?

        Helen was eager to know more about Michael's death who had become a soldier. First he was sent to England but later on he was sent to Somme. One day a shell-splinter dropped and killed Michael. Helen becomes so sad when she heard the news about Michael's death. She wrote many letters too many people and officers to find Michael's death. The war stopped but she didn’t take any interest in the war. She sat on various relief committees. One day she got an official letter and there was news of Lieutenant Michael Turrell. She knew that Michael's dead body was in Hagenzede. Hagenzede was the third military cemetery. Finally, she goes to Hagenzede to see Michael's grave.

    4.   Sketch the character of Helen.

   Helen Turrell was a thirty five years independent young woman. She fell in love with a young man of lower status than her and became pregnant. Frightened with criticism of society, she made a false story that her brother George Turell had a relationship with the daughter of retired non- commissioned police officer. She also says that before George Turrell's death. George gave birth to a child, later on George died falling from a horse. According to Helen, she goes to France because of her lung problem and there she manages to bring the child from ndia. Her parents and brother are not alive to know the truth. She also says that Michael's mother said nothing for child. She convinced Michael to say her a auntie. At the graveyard the gardener also said Michael was her son. In fact, what she said to the villagers was false. She might have created this false story to keep her villagers silent otherwise, she would be condemned in the society. To tell the truth, she was unmarried. So she hid the real fact. In fact, Helen and Michael were mother and son. She told all these lies so that she would not be condemned in the society. She was victim of emotion and fear of social condemnation. At last, emotions got victory over fear.

    5.   "Helen Turrell is ashamed that Michael is her son." Do you agree with this statement?

    Helen Turrell says that her brother George Turrell had a relationship with the daughter of retired non-commissioned police officer. She also says that before George Turrell's death. George gave birth to a child, later on George died falling from a horse. According to Helen, she goes to France because of her lung problem and there she manages to bring the child from India. Her parents and brother are not alive to know the truth. She also says that Michael's mother said nothing for child. At the graveyard, the gardener also said Michael was her son. In fact, what she said to the villagers was false. She might have created this false story to keep her villagers silent. Otherwise, she would be condemned in the society. To tell the truth, she was unmarried so she hid the real fact. Since Michael was not her legitimate son so Helen Turrell is ashamed that Michael is her son.

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