6/100

One sultry afternoon, after taking a shower and pouring myself a mug of ice tea, I randomly searched for my sixth English book in my booklist, and then Sara, a little princess, appears into my view and later walks into my mind.

-Is she a real princess?

-Kind of.

Although she is not born in royal family, she enjoys a princess-like life. Her mother dies at her early birth, and her father Crewe, a wealthy English captain, has elaborately brought her up into an elegant little lady in India where he is stationed with the British Army. She is her father's beloved daughter, a pearl in the palm; all her requests and wishes, once uttered, are immediately satisfied by the gentlemen with delight. Captain Crewe dotes on his little princess so much that even sending her to Miss Minchin's boarding school in England, he insists to order and pay the headmistress for special treatment and exceptional luxuries for Sara, such as a private room, a personal maid, a separate sitting room, along with Sara's own private carriage and a pony. In this manner, despite living far away from her father, Sara soon gets used to the new environment, and to Miss Minchin's preference and the other students' admiration. Helpful, smart and generous as she always is, Sara sometimes feels like imagining herself a princess living in this blithe fairyland.

-Is she a real princess?

-To other, well, it now becomes a piece of joke.

On Sara's lavish birthday party held by her headmistress, unexpected things happen, which dooms Sara's fate, as well as attitudes of the people around her in school. Her father dies and all her wealth is gone! Miss Minchin openly fawns suddenly turns into bitter, ugly hatred. She takes all Sara's belongings, moves her from her "palace" to a cold, dim, poorly furnished attic, and degrades her as a servant to labor for her school. Her peer students, who once feel jealous of her privileges and greedy for her wealth, now cast sneer and contempt on her. As a homeless orphan, a pauper and a servant now, Sara, starving and poorly dressed, tolerates all the maltreatements from Miss Minchin and her people. Everyday, she works from morning till night, sent out in all weathers, and deprived of food, warmth and even worse, the chance to receive education.

-What kind of princess could have had such miserable life like this?

-The real princess, like Sara.

It is the miserable life that tempers her willpower, deepens her insight into people's mind, and envokes her aspiration to be a real princess. Like a dying phoenix, only through the worst Nirvana, does it give its life for its rebirth and divinity. So we can't help wondering what are the virtues cherished by Sara survive her the harsh ordeal eventually.

1. knowledge

As a servent, Sara has no right and certainly no time to receive education. But instead of giving it up, Sara repeatedly asks for her slight chance to read books, even after a long exhausting working day, and even every other student has fallen asleep, Sara sits in the dark emply classroom, with dim light, eagerly absorbed into the knowledge from the books. The happiest moment during her long abysmal life in the school is when her friend Ermengarde says she will bring her books bought from her father. To Sara, books can change her life, spiritual life now, and real life in the future.

2. politeness and elegance

Even abused by Miss Minchin, the cook, and other servants, such as less or no food punishment or more errands in bad weather, Sara has just taken them all, betraying no sense of compromise on her young face, and instead talked to them with courtesy. As a princess lies in her, no matter how difficult the living condition worsens, elegant conducts can't be adandoned, as they are inherent in her soul, which, in turn, makes an ironical contrast between the girl's dignity and the adults' inferiority.

3. pride and self-esteem

Once or twice, Sara has cried to herself for missing her father, or scared for her unpredictable future, as everyone cannot be born to be an hero, not to mention this little girl! She isolates herself from her friends, and feels shamed for her shabby appearance. Her torn dress becomes more and more shrinking against her growing body, and her muddy shoes ripped open and almost falling apart. But when she comes to know that no one tends to escape his life but a coward, and no one can help her but herself, Sara pulls together, and decides to change her own fate. Just as Hemingway has put it, "A man can be destroyed but not defeated." Wherever she goes, Sara always holds her head, smile around the corners of her mouth. In spite of hunger and fatigue weakening her mind, Sara's radiating confidence and assurance make her a difference, shining in gloomy days.

4. kindness and generosity

Even fallen to a servant, Sara still extends her friendship to Ermengarde, looks after Lottie, a four-year-old student, and comforts and assists Becky,a scullery maid as much as possible. To them, the happiest hour in whole day is when night falls and everyone comes into slumber, they sneak up to the secret attic, revelling in Sara's beautiful story world.

Although suffering hunger and cold, one day, after finding a coin in the street, she doesn't spend the money on delicious food or warm clothes or shoes, but walks into the nearby bakery shop and asks the owner who loses the money. After accepting the kind owner's buns, instead of taking all to herself, Sara gives most of the buns away to a beggar girl dressed in rags who is hungrier than herself.

5. dream and hope

When I was reading this book, I am wondering what supports the little girl to take on such sudden misfortune on her weak shoulders and face her fate with assurance? In essence, it is her dream. Dream, like the sunshine, lightens her drudgery life, making her future hopeful. Dream to be a princess encourages her to discipline herself. When living in luxury, she is neither arrogant nor frivolous, and in her hardships, she pretends to be a warrior in the Bastille and swallows all the sufferings in a lenient mind.She spares no efforts to meet the standard of a true princess in any circumstance, which, at last, turns out to be valuable experiences to refine her to be a real princess mentally and physically in the process.

To me, every girl is a Sara, and every one treasures a dream of princess, but how to realize your own dream? I think the little Sara has set a role. @夏一