The Doll’s House
Week of March 17, 2008

Chapter 17:

Big changes have come to the dolls’ house. Emily has decided that they must make room for their best doll, Marchpane. She takes Birdie and Mr. Plantaganet out of the pink bedroom and relegates them to the attic since there is no room in Tottie and Apple’s bedroom. Marchpane will, of course, have the Plantaganets’ big bed. Mr. Plantaganet and Birdie will have to sleep in a cardboard box. Charlotte does her best to make them comfortable by making bedding for the box, but she is not happy with it.

Birdie isn’t upset about the change. She feels that since Marchpane’s eyes open and shut and her hair is real, she deserves the big bedroom and the big brass bed. Birdie came from a cracker box, so why shouldn’t she sleep in a cotton-reel box?

Mr. Plantaganet tells Birdie to stay out of Marchpane’s room, but she can’t help herself. She loves pink; she loves her old room and finds herself in there. Marchpane can’t stand her being around and tells her to get out.

Birdie hates Marchpane but Tottie tells her not to waste time hating but to wish. However, nothing is happening with all the wishing going on. Perhaps Marchpane is wishing harder.

Emily is now doing nothing for the Plantaganets. Everything is for Marchpane. The Plantaganets are very concerned, but Tottie explains that Emily will realize in time that she is wrong. She will find out that Marchpane isn’t the beautiful doll she seems. They must keep wishing. Emily will come to her senses.

DISCUSSION:

What is wrong with Emily? She has done a complete turnaround. She has decided that their “best” doll, Marchpane will have the Plantaganets’ bedroom. The Plantaganets will go to the attic.

I feel bad that Birdie thinks so lowly of herself. She has such a sweet personality; one can't help but love her. She just accepts that she is not good enough to sleep in the big bed in her beloved pink bedroom.

Emily certainly turned on the Plantaganets. Everything is now for Marchpane. Maybe Emily is feeling strong vibes from Marchpane!!! Maybe she just plain loves the beautiful doll!! I really think the doll is now controlling Emily’s thoughts. Creepy!!
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Emily and Charlotte are such nice girls, so thoughtful to the dolls, that it almost felt like Emily had been bewitched by Marchpane. It felt like such a betrayal.
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Oh, I felt the most sorry for Birdie. She just takes it without a complaint. She has no self-esteem. And yet, one just knows that she feels every slight, and every insult from Marchpane.

I think the reason Emily turned is that she is under the heavy Marchpane's 'wishing' spell. She is bewitched by her beauty and doesn't realize it is not an indication of her true personality. But it does sadden me to see her do this to her faithful dolls.
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I have been trying to convince one of my porcelain dolls to play Marchpane. But she doesn't want to play someone so mean.
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Maybe if you explain to her it is just make-believe, and she doesn't have to be really mean. But then--who could blame her? I wouldn't want to be Marchpane!
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I think Emily is bewitched also. I swear I'm going to cringe if I hear a doll's eyes make a clicking sound, ha ha. Marchpane is starting to give me the creeps!!! Something evil this way is coming!!!
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OOOooooo, this makes me want to read Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes!
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Poor Birdie. Luckily, she doesn't worry about things for very long. One of her endearing qualities is her sweetness in the face of adversity.

Once again Tottie is exhorting the Plantaganets to WISH, but she seems to be less certain than before that wishing would work.

I'm not sure how to interpret the last sentence in the chapter---Tottie replied in her "MOST WOODEN VOICE." Does that imply she said it without hope that Emily will come to the realization that Marchpane is baaaaad? Is little Tottie so afraid of Marchpane that she fears Emily is enchanted by her?
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I wondered about that too. Did they mean she said it woodenly, which is to say it without intonation or staunchly, as she is made of good wood? Tottie does fear Marchpane, but I think--not for what she can do to Tottie, but what she is doing to Birdie and Mr. P. And of course, the girls.
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I had those same feelings about Tottie’s hopelessness in wishing. She rationalizes about Emily to Mr. P and says that Emily is making a mistake and that she will find out someday, but when we get to that last sentence, it seems that she's secretly afraid Emily won't change. Even though it all seems hopeless right now, she tries hard to keep Mr. P's spirits up.