Daddy Long Legs

By Jean Webster, 1912

A Summary...

A millionaire offers money to an intelligent orphan girl, “Judy”, to go to college, in order to become a writer. In return, she must send him letters about her daily life. She doesn't know who he is but only guesses that he is tall and therefore refers to him as “Daddy-Long-Legs”...

My Opinion...

I've read this book again, 6 years after my initial discovery. This novel is still one of my favorite. Judy, as well as Daddy-Long-Legs himself, is really moving as she meets with success. Here are 5 points that pleased me:

1. During the story, he relation between the two main characters, Judy and Daddy-Long-Legs greatly evolves. Judy becomes more and more confident and convincing and the Daddy-Long-Legs less authoritarian.

2. Judy is so funny and always with wisdom.

3. Besides, she is really clever and she works hard to achieve this. Perhaps is it inspired from the “self-made man” of Horatio Alger?

4. In this book, you can also have a glimpse of the US politics and society in this era. For example, speaking about her rich friend, Judy shows us some ideas of social determinism : “on the topmost branches of her family tree there's a superior breed of monkeys with very fine silky hair and extra long tails”.

5. It's finally s a beautiful experience to read the book a second time when you have solved the ultimate mystery...

Medicis