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Introduction:

Heidi is a coming-of-age novel by Johanna Spyri, published in 1880. It is one of the notable novels from early on for the naive and bright young girl who lives in the countryside with his grandfather and no parents. The book follows Heidi and her new life in the mountain area and her quick travel to the city area. The book was also made into a film in 2015, starring Anuk Steffen, Isabelle Ottmann, and Bruno Ganz. 

Plot:

The novel begins with Dete traveling with her niece, Heidi, to the mountains of Switzerland, where they visit Heidi’s Grandfather. Heidi’s parents have died, and Dete can no longer care for her. When they reach the small town of Dorfli, a local woman named Barbel warns Dete that Grandfather is a bitter old man, but Dete takes Heidi to his mountain home anyway. At first, Grandfather is upset but soon softens when Heidi’s cheerful nature wins him over. Heidi quickly adapts to mountain life, enjoying the air, scenery, and new friends like Peter, a goat herder. Heidi befriends Grandmother, who lives with Peter’s family. Although Grandmother is blind, Heidi brings her comfort, even convincing Grandfather to fix a noisy shutter at Grandmother’s house. Years later, Dete returns to take Heidi to Frankfurt, where she will care for a wealthy family’s daughter, Clara, who is in a wheelchair. Heidi feels out of place in the city and longs for the mountains. She quickly befriends Clara, though their housekeeper, Fraulein Rottenmeier, dislikes Heidi’s manners and behavior. Chaos follows as Heidi’s curiosity leads to trouble, but Clara enjoys having her as a friend. When Heidi becomes homesick and starts sleepwalking, a doctor advises Herr Sesemann, Clara’s father, to send Heidi back to the mountains. Grandfather and the townspeople welcome her, and Heidi feels joy again. She shares her newfound faith with Grandfather and Grandmother, bringing them happiness. Clara plans to visit, but illness prevents her from traveling. The doctor, saddened by his own loss, stays in Dorfli for a while, deepening his bond with Heidi and Grandfather. In the winter, Heidi attends school, teaching Peter to read, but struggles with the snow and the isolation. When Clara finally visits the mountains, she is initially confined to her wheelchair, but Heidi and Peter encourage her to walk, which she does. Clara’s miraculous recovery moves her family, and Grandfather asks Herr Sesemann to care for Heidi after his death. Clara, her family, and Herr Sesemann leave, promising to return next summer, leaving Heidi and Grandfather content in the mountains.

Analysis:

Heidi is introduced as a bubbly and naive young girl. Her personality contrasts to her background. She lost her parents at a young age, and children with no parents tend to grow up more aggressively and more rude than other children with parents. However, she is always cheerful and happy even though they are not beside her. She goes to live with her grandfather in the mountainside of Switzerland. She shows her ability to adapt fast to the new environment she was granted to live in. She quickly gets used to the lifestyle with her grandparents, helping her blind grandmother. She also befriends Peter, a goat herder. Then, she moves to Frankfurt, a city in Germany, and lives with Clara who befriends with Heidi. This was a sudden change for a young girl like Heidi but she adapts quickly. This is the second time where the author proves Heidi’s quickness to adapt. The author portrays her curiosity through her actions’ consequences leading to chaos. Her demeanor gains hate from Clara’s housekeeper. However, this time, she gets homesick and has symptoms such as sleepwalking, and the doctor advised her to go back to her grandparents. She started getting better, starting a normal life and going to school. The author shows Heidi’s intelligence and cleverness through the scene when she helps Peter with school. The author also shows the grandparents’ love towards Heidi, as they feel happy with Heidi around them. Additionally, Heidi’s grandfather asks Clara’s father to take care of Heidi when he passes away. The book also shows the theme of love and friendship through Heidi’s grandparents and her friends, Clara and Peter. It shares a lesson that no matter your background, your past, and the hardship you have or are in, you should always love and be close to your family and friends. 

Conclusion:Heidi is a coming-of-age novel by Johanna Spyri, published in 1880. This was made into a film in 2015. The book follows a bright and naive young girl named Heidi who doesn’t have parents. She gets sent to her grandparents who live in the mountains of Switzerland. She adapts quickly but gets sent to Frankfurt where she meets Clara, her friend. However, she gets homesick and is sent back home. She gets love from her grandparents and lives a normal life. The author portrays her intelligence, cleverness, curiosity, and cheerfulness throughout the book. She also shares the theme of love and friendship that Heidi has with her grandparents and her friends, Peter and Clara.