Tom's Midnight Garden

In these chapters, Tom’s loneliness and craving for the company of other children introduce the theme of The Transformative Power of Friendship. The prospect of getting to know the Melbourne brothers changes Tom’s attitude toward staying with the Kitsons. Instead of feeling exiled, he no longer wants to go home. His initial lack of interest in Hatty is emphasized when he mentions her as an afterthought in his letter to Peter, making the fact that only Hatty can see and hear him ironic. In the depiction of Tom and Hatty, the author draws parallels between the two characters from different eras, as both are socially isolated. Tom’s unsuccessful attempts to capture James’s attention and his inability to follow the brothers into the house echo Hatty’s exclusion from the activities of her cousins. Like Tom, she is made to feel invisible and superfluous.

The beginnings of Tom’s character arc are outlined in his changing attitude toward Hatty. Of all the Melbourne children, Hatty is the closest in age to Tom. However, his initial description of her as “very young” conveys an air of superiority and a belief that he is more mature. Tom also displays gender discrimination when he dismisses Hatty as “only a girl” and assumes that she will want to play “silly girls’ games” (60, 73). As Tom learns more about Hatty, he realizes that he has underestimated her. Her revelation that she has been spying on him undetected gains his respect, leading him to admit, “You don’t hide badly, for a girl” (71). This early shift in Tom’s mindset begins to develop the theme of the transformative power of friendship, as his interactions with Hatty have already challenged his assumptions about gender. Furthermore, Hatty’s tour of her favorite trees and hiding places in the garden shows that they enjoy similar activities. The characters’ common traits illustrate how the nature of children remains essentially the same, transcending time and gender differences.

The novel also continues its exploration of The Contrast Between Childhood and Adulthood in these chapters. Tom’s conversation about the fallen tree with Alan highlights their conflicting perspectives. Tom is excited by his uncle’s assertion that the scenario he described would only be possible if one “put the clock back” (55). Misunderstanding, Tom takes the statement as proof that the grandfather clock’s unconventional timekeeping is related to the time slips he experiences. However, Alan is frustrated by Tom’s literal interpretation of his words, clarifying that it is just a figure of speech. Alan’s insistence that it is impossible “to have the Past again” directly contradicts Tom’s lived experience (56), illustrating how the adults and children are inhabiting different worlds.

Tom’s discordant interactions with Alan are echoed in indications of the adversarial relationship between Hatty and her aunt Grace Melbourne. Hatty’s fear of incurring her aunt’s displeasure presents Grace as an authoritarian figure whose expectations spoil her niece’s enjoyment of innocent childhood pleasures. Hatty’s depiction of her aunt as an evil antagonist from a fairy tale is improbable, but her assertion that her aunt thinks her “unfit” for society is believable, hinting at Grace’s social ostracization of her niece. While Alan’s attempts to correct Tom’s misconceptions are well intentioned, Grace represents the abuse of adult authority.