The Tale of Peter Rabbit
by Beatrix Potter
Resource Sheet 5
Raychel Trevino ~ LSSL 5393 ~
History of Children's Literature ~ Dr. Lesesne
Plot Summary
This classic cautionary tale has been used for over a century and a half to teach children the importance of listening to parents advice and warnings. After becoming a widow, Mrs. Rabbit pleads with her four children not to go into Mr. McGregor's garden, but the mischievous Peter does exactly that. Before he knows it, he's gone too far and is seen by farmer McGregor! After a terrifying chase and losing his way back home, Peter finally finds the garden gate. He makes a dash for it leaving behind his new coat and slippers. By the time he reaches home he is so exhausted flops upon the floor to sleep. His mother worried about his health and puzzled about his clothing, puts him to bed early without supper and gives him a dose of medicine. Meanwhile his three well-behaved sisters sit down to with their mother for a dinner of milk, bread, and blackberries.
Literary and Visual Criticism
While this book was originally published in October 1902, it lacks the stuffy "proper" writing style that many authors used at that time. Instead Potter sounds like a true storyteller sharing her cautionary tale with a young audience. The story has action and suspense and ends with sense of relief when Peter finally makes it home. The reader feels that Peter gets his just punishment when he is sent early to bed with a dose of medicine and a lack of dinner.
Potter creates a story where the animal characters take on human behaviors, such as cooking and dressing, yet her beautiful colorful artwork in soft palettes are lifelike and anatomically correct illustrations. Potter grew up relatively isolated from children, and had pets, such as rabbits, for companionship. One of her childhood rabbits was named Peter Piper, and she wrote about him to the children of her former governess. Her governess was the one that suggested she publish her stories and that's how she got started. However, prior to writing and illustrating children's books, she was highly respected in the field of mycology (the study of fungi) for her scientifically accurate watercolor illustrations of flora and fauna. This scientific artist background is probably what influenced Potter's accurate animal illustrations in her children's books.
Appeal to Children: Then & Now
Significance of Work
Helen Beatrix Potter (July 28, 1866 - December 22, 1943)
Beatrix Potter was an English author, illustrator, natural scientist, and conservationist. She is best known for her children's books that had animals as main characters such as The Tale of Peter Rabbit.
Potter was born into a well to-do family and was educated by governesses, and was isolated from other children. She spent her childhood with pets for companions. This and her holidays in Scotland and the Lake District created a love of nature which she observed and painted. Her parents did not like for her to develop her studied, but regardless she became quite known for her accurate depiction of nature, specifically fungi.
In her thirties, she began to publish children's books which she both wrote and illustrated. Her books, such as The Tale of Peter Rabbit, were hugely successful. With the money she made from her books and merchandising, and the trust fund she received from her aunt, Potter was able to purchase large sums of land which wanted to preserve the unique hill countryside landscape.
Potter married at age of 47, and died from complication of pneumonia and heart disease at the age of 77, leaving almost all of her land to the National Trust. She is credited with preserving much of the land that now constitutes the Lake District National Park. Potter's books continue to sell throughout the world in many languages with her stories being retold in song, film, ballet, and animation, and her life depicted in a feature film and television film.