I wish I had a picture to contribute. I have a poem that I wrote for The Longest Night which begins "Open the door and greet the moment the dark begins..." And my first blog post proclaims my love of entering rather than beginning. But I have no door pictures. Only a question:
What's your favorite memory involving a door? Or your favorite book with a door in it?
After reading The Secret Garden for my book club, I will state the obvious: it would have been much more believable for Mary to have found the door behind the ivy early on---I mean, if the wind can lift the ivy, it couldn't have been that hard for her to lift it herself and look--- but then she should have had to struggle to find the key. But who cares if an anthropomorphic robin dug up the key for her? The important thing to the story was that she got in.
I also remember that after reading Nancy Drew books, I began to knock obsessively on walls to search for hidden doors and passageways. I was regularly and cruelly disappointed by the unimaginative architecture of most buildings.
But for some reason, when I think of doors, I think of The Borrowers by Mary Norton.
If you do a "Look Inside the Book" search of The Borrowers at Amazon, it reveals 54 pages with a reference to "door." And this particularly memorable scene (search and choose page 138) is representative of what I remember most---the Borrowers living on the edge of getting found every day. Of the door opening at the wrong moment. The door as opportunity and danger. The door as the gateway between the world of the real and the fantastical.
Hey! What are you still doing here? Open the door and go look already!
Thanks for the heads up on door day! LOVE IT!
ReplyDeleteI think The Secret Garden door is probably my all-time favorite, followed by the wardrobe door in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.
A memorable real-life door is one we had in England. It was about 3-feet high, and located in the back of a kitchen cupboard. It was magic! If you opened it and slid your trash container behind it, your trash would magically disappear the next day.
Oh, and I just saw Sock Monkey's door at Sam's!
ReplyDeleteI love the Borrowers! And you are dead on right about them and doors.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for this post. I put one of my old door photos up here. What fun!
Sara- I love the poem! I'll have to think about a favorite door memory...
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks for linking up-- I'm so glad you're playing!
I love the Borrowers! I should reread all the books.
ReplyDeleteWonderful thoughts on doors.
ReplyDeleteI loved the Secret Garden as a child - but on re-reading all those adverbs!!!!
It needs a fierce editing!
I will add you to the list even though, I, sadly, got to it very late!
100 Cupboards is full of many exciting, little doors! I need to review that already; I've had it since December.
ReplyDeleteYes, I thought of the wardrobe door, jama, and I love it, too, although the way through to Narnia just kind of appears in the back, instead of being opened. An automatic door?
ReplyDeleteAnd nice to hear from other Borrower lovers, cloudscome and Erin! I need to re-read them.
I hope you do review 100 Cupboards, Jules---I haven't read it, but it sounds intriguing.
Jennifer, Elizabeth: thanks for letting me play in your art event, even though I didn't really have any art! (I did get a few good photographers---Tricia and Cloudscome---to jump in, so that counts for something, right?)
Absolutely!
ReplyDeleteAnd anyway, your post was cool. :-)
"I was regularly and cruelly disappointed by the unimaginative architecture of most buildings."
ReplyDeleteWell said, Sara. I think all Nancy Drew fans are forced to suffer this disappointment.
Who knew doors could be so fascinating? I mentioned you when I wrote about doors today:
ReplyDeletehttp://bonniesbooks.blogspot.com/2008/03/youre-door-able.html
I opened the door and went around the world looking at doors, doors, and more doors. Thanks. When I wrote about it, I also asked your questions about books and memories about doors.
I love The Secret Garden.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed my re-read of it. Yes, it's got flaws, but the scene where Mary lets loose the full force of her blunt assessment of Colin is one of my favorites ever. That and the moment he first stands on his own in the garden.
ReplyDeleteOoh, Door Day! Wish I'd known. Thanks for the link!
ReplyDelete