The Wolves of Willoughby Chase

The descriptions of Mrs. Brisket’s school is packed with imagery of the hard lives of the children who live there, invoking allusions to 19th-century British literature like Dickens’s Oliver Twist and Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, as well as children’s books like A Little Princess. These novels exposed the harmful conditions and failures of orphanages and reformatory schools like Mrs. Brisket’s, criticizing the illness, malnutrition, and over-work that was often rampant in such institutions. Aiken’s choice to describe Mrs. Brisket’s school mirrors those earlier works: The school is a nightmare in contrast to the dream that was Willoughby Chase before Bonnie’s parents left. 

Once again, the motif of clothing signifies an important change in a character’s status: The clothes at Willoughby Chase were extravagant and specifically designed for each girl, but at the school their clothes are taken and they’re put in identical brown overalls. For Bonnie and Sylvia, their new, numbered clothing reflects their entrance into a degrading and abusive environment that denies their individuality and their basic rights. There is very little food, and that is strictly controlled and used as punishment or bribery. The students are put to work, and because there are too few beds, the pupils have to work and sleep in shifts. 

The change in clothing also helps to reveal Bonnie’s maturation in her character arc. While she enjoyed fine clothes at Willoughby Chase, she quickly adapts to her new surroundings. She bears having her hair cut and wearing the drab overalls with little complaint: “[Bonnie] looked almost unrecognizable, like a thin dark-haired boy. She gave Sylvia a wry grin” (105, emphasis added). Bonnie’s “wry grin” reflects her strength of spirit, and how, in spite of their bad situation, she is still determined to make the best of things. In a similar vein, the rough clothes that Simon provides for their escape don’t bother her either—she only delights at Simon’s wisdom, celebrating “how clever and good Simon is!” (120). Thus, while Bonnie cared deeply for her nice things at Willoughby Chase, she has learned to focus on the internal value of a thing rather than its external value.

Bonnie’s experiences at the school also develop the theme of The Impact of Independence. Although Bonnie was already characterized in the early chapters as capable and strong, the school forces her to hone new skills, especially since she must figure out how to free both herself and Sylvia from the school’s toxic environment. Her time in the kitchen, in particular, demonstrates her growing independence as she develops new, practical skills, no longer having servants on whom to rely. Her conflict with the abusive cook also reinforces her willingness to question and resist unjust authority. Furthermore, when Bonnie is thrown out of the kitchen, she works alone in the yard, which places her in the ideal position to supplement her diet and to encounter Simon. That same independence allows her to pursue a plan for escape, and to take the risks necessary to get both her and Sylvia placed into the coal room.

Simon’s appearance and immediate willingness to help shows his moral character, connecting him again to The Importance of Friendship. His copying of the key reveals his trustworthiness and resourcefulness, providing the girls with an escape plan. Simon is established as a savior figure in the novel’s exposition, and his return in the development of the primary conflict here reinforces that characterization. When he sees Bonnie working, he immediately knows she needs help and springs into action. He fools Mrs. Brisket and takes the first opportunity to make a copy of the key to the coal room to prepare for a rescue. Bonnie’s solid friendship with Simon is thus the primary element that leads to the girls successfully escaping the school, with Simon becoming an essential aid as they seek to regain their rightful home and status. 

The time at the school also deepens the friendship between Bonnie and Sylvia. While the girls supported one another at Willoughby Chase, their time at the school presents even greater challenges, making their teamwork all the more crucial to their survival and well-being. It is their dedication to one another that gives them the courage to regularly skirt the rules to help each other. What is more, Bonnie’s friendliness and gift for bonding with others also plays an important role in their escape. They are surprised and touched to discover the other girls at the school are willing to risk severe punishment to help them: “Bonnie was amazed and touched. She had had no idea how popular her bright face and friendly ways had made her with the other children, in the fairly short time she had been at Mrs. Brisket’s” (123). The girls at the school are willing to risk having their food limited and other punishments to provide some small comfort to Bonnie and Sylvia because of how much they value Bonnie’s kindly ways. Their escape is ultimately successful thanks to these friendships, reinforcing the value of good friends in the novel.