MovieChat Forums > Harriet the Spy (1996) Discussion > Deeper meanings of the movie

Deeper meanings of the movie

posted 17 years ago by weezebumble
13 replies | jump to latest

Did anyone else read deeply into Harriet the Spy?

As an anthropology student, I strongly identify with her note writing and ethical concerns arising by writing about people that she has relationships with.

She seemed very unhappy, particularly noticeable when Golly leaves. She becomes increasingly disenchanted with her parents fighting when she lost Golly and then when she lost her friends and notebook. She seems like a girl who is absorbed in what is external to her and perhaps doesn't know herself at all. I know she is only young, but this fact is sad to me.

I think the movie also highlights that people that are unique are often alienated and misunderstood. Even the act of her parents taking her notebook seemed like brutal censorship to me.

There is a lot more to say, anyone want to add?

All up, I found this movie great, even though I am 27, I got a lot out of it.

[–] californiagirl189-1 17 years ago

I completely agree. I remember watching this movie when I was younger. It was my favorite movie then, and is to this day (I'm 17).

I could always relate to Harriet as far as being ostracized. I think there are SO many lessons to learn from this movie.

I loved Harrison Withers and all his cats, and Harriet's ability to ruthlessly point out what was so true in her notebook. I think that there are many little things that mean so much in this movie. Watching the movie now, I can see how much this movie influenced my life and how I think now. I truly feel that it made such a positive impact on me. I hope my kids get to watch it someday. ^_^

[–] SecretS_ChaoS 16 years ago

I agree with you as well, I think this movie can identify with anyone that is or has grown up. To me, it’s a great movie about growing up and life issues that you have to deal with. Here is this young girl that was a victim of a cruel selfish person that took please on other’s misery. This girl was misunderstood and outcast because they could not understand her. So here she had to learn to deal with this life issue, without her nanny and friends to help.

I think we’ve all gone through similar issues in life, and they become great learning experiences. This was one of many issues that Harriet will go through and it’s nice to see that there is always hope in everything.

To me the deepest meaning of this movie was to stick with what you love no matter how other’s see it. Also that life throws you those curve balls once in a while and sometimes you might find your self feeling isolated from everyone else, but there is always a way and hope that things will get better. This girl went through a rough time at school, she lost her friends, her notebook and nanny. Then she got it all back, but she had grown up as a person as well and was stronger than before. She now knows what to write and what not to write, she knows that her notebook is not an unhealthy obsession but something that will help her express her self in many ways, and she’s come to find out that even though her nanny is no longer living in the same house as her she can always come back and see her in the future.

[–] Ruby-Ella 16 years ago

I completely agree. I remember watching this movie when I was younger. It was my favorite movie then, and is to this day (I'm 17).

I could always relate to Harriet as far as being ostracized. I think there are SO many lessons to learn from this movie.

I loved Harrison Withers and all his cats, and Harriet's ability to ruthlessly point out what was so true in her notebook. I think that there are many little things that mean so much in this movie. Watching the movie now, I can see how much this movie influenced my life and how I think now. I truly feel that it made such a positive impact on me. I hope my kids get to watch it someday. ^_^

I agree 100%. I watched the movie today and during the pageant scene I realized, "Wow, I forgot how essential this movie was to my childhood. I don't think I even realized it then, but Harriet was the first fictional character I really connected to. Of course now I've also added Bella Swan, the girls of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and Ponyboy Curtis to that list."

Do I dazzle you?...Frequently

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] bxrosie04 16 years ago

Quite honestly, I think the movie highlights the consequences of awful parenting. Harriet's actual parents were horrible, and showed her what the meaning of alienation was from a very young age (Golly was with her from a very young age) In reality, Harriet's real parents were Golly and the Notebook. And when Golly left, all Harriet had was the notebook and when that was taken away, she had nothing but negative emotions and vengeance to keep her going.

Harriet herself is a very bright, rational girl but if she ever grew up to become a writer, I believe she'd have a lot to vent about regarding her parents and the lack of attention and love she went through in the past. Whoo, I bet her teen years would have been a nightmare, fighting with her "parents" who think they're "doing the right thing". Harriet even revealed the true problem when her notebook was taken away: "Every night you pour yourself a big martini. Why don't you give that up? And how many nights go by before you go to some stupid party?" SHE WANTS ATTENTION FROM THE TWO PEOPLE WHO SHOULD GIVE A DAMN! And their response? "Young lady we will not take that tone from you!"

Ugh, bad parenting...just don't do it. People have no idea how much it frames who you will become.

[–] shadow484 16 years ago

I read this book when I was a teenager and found it possibly the single most offensive book I've ever read. Uncensored, free-flowing journaling is probably one of the healthiest and most constructive habits a child can cultivate. They *need* an outlet where they can confide thoughts and feelings that they can't share with parents or friends. That her peers ostracised her for it is maybe understandable, children have little patience for anyone they see as different, but when they stole her notebook and violated her privacy by reading it, I just couldn't believe that the adults sided against her and even took her notebook away, when it was the other children who should have been punished. I felt like the whole book was a good object lesson in how NOT to treat a little girl, be she your friend or your child. GRRRRRR!!! I hated the book so much that I was very reluctant to see the movie, but my godsons begged. It's a good movie, and I felt it was more Harriet-sympathetic than the book, but I still came away growling.

[–] trixie-k-88 15 years ago

I always saw this as a very overlooked movie as well. It has very strong adult themes and ideas in it. You can get a lot from the interactions of children, and people in general from this movie. There's a lot about love, friendship, betrayl, human tendency toward revenge, maturity, and what makes life worth living.

[–] ketone_of_sexiness 15 years ago

I think most kid movies (well at least the older ones) are adult movies portrayed using colors, and younger people. This movie deals with using art as a coping mechanism, and the things artistic people, especially writers, go through and feel. They don't feel like everyone else, they don't feel like everyone else, and above all, experience extreme forms of isolation. This is the perfect setting for a coming of age story as well.

[–] joebagtas1987 15 years ago

Yeah watching it today after many many years, I realize how much deeper it was.

A lot of complex characters here.

(Did anyone else see how much this related to Hey Arnold as well?)

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] trixie-k-88 13 years ago

I would say she was introverted, but had good social skills. I'm like that, and people often have difficulty making sense of me.

[–] nicotinequeen63 12 years ago

I happen to agree with the original post. Before the movie came out, my family was traveling to another state, and on the way, we stopped at a convenient store that sold books. Looking for a light read, I picked up Harriet The Spy. I cried for days. First of all, the book delved a lot deeper into Harriet being cast out by her friends, and it lasted a long time. That along with Golly leaving, was so traumatic and depressing, I almost couldn't stand it. Harriet was so alone in the world. And here it is, years later, and I still feel sad for her.

[–] KaileyLady 12 years ago

Yes. When I was in first grade, at six years old, I realized I love writing. This movie came out when I was about eight and I loved it because of the writing aspect, but also the honesty that childhood isn't as pretty as society likes us to think. I actually remember, after seeing it theaters, my father (who took me) asked if "kids are really that mean." I couldn't believe he didn't know that.

After I got home, I automatically decided I would keep journals and at twenty-five, I am still keeping them. I think it really helps kids get inspired to read and write.

Another analysis that wasn't mentioned on here was the one discussed in my Children's Lit class. My professor brought up how all of the kids punishing Harriet are actually guilty of exactly the same thing. The only difference is they don't keep notebooks. They have the same thoughts, just as everyone does about those around them, but Harriet is attacked because her thoughts are in writing and people found out -- just as Golly says.

Anyway, to comment about the parents: I think the parents are followers of society so they can make money -- which is quite true to real life -- and so they want to raise their child to follow society as they have to. So, they judge her journaling based on the belief that it's wrong to do anything someone with power (the teacher) disagrees with.