Eleanor Gates
The Poor Little Rich Girl
"The Poor Little Rich Girl" by Eleanor Gates is a novel written in the early 20th century. The story revolves around Gwendolyn, a wealthy little girl who grapples with feelings of disappointment and longing as she experiences the complexities of her life surrounded by affluence yet lacking genuine happiness and freedom. The narrative explores her emotional struggles in a world filled with lavishness and the expectations that come with being a rich child. At the start of the novel, Gwendolyn, on the day of her seventh birthday, checks her height against a mark made on a mirror, only to find that she has not grown as she had hoped. This triggers a cascade of emotions leading to disappointment and grief. As she navigates the nursery, her feelings of being overlooked and undervalued surface, especially in the presence of her governess and nursemaid. The opening establishes her yearning for autonomy and emotional connection against the backdrop of her wealthy upbringing, highlighting her isolation in a world that is seemingly perfect yet emotionally unfulfilling.