I Capture the Castle

by Dodie Smith

Original copyright 1948

This copy printed 1998 

 

“I write this sitting in the kitchen sink.”

So begins one of my favorite books of all time.  

Cassandra writes on to “capture” her unusual family and living situation on paper.  Besides 17-year old Cassandra, the cast of characters includes her older sister Rose who is desperately waiting for a wealthy man to sweep her off her feet; her father Mortmain who, after one brilliantly successful novel is now struggling with endless writers block; a step mother, Topaz who is a former model who likes to “commune with nature”; Simon, a hired boy who stays on even though the family can’t pay him because he is hopelessly in love with Cassandra; and Thomas, her younger brother, who never gets enough to eat.

Enter the Cotton brothers from America, Simon and Neil, the wealthy landlords who have arrived from the states and are curious about the castle’s inhabitants.  The story takes us through the many encounters these two families have with each other.  Many are humorous.  I laughed aloud during a part of the novel involving Cassandra and Rose, a train ride, the Cotton brothers, and a case of mistaken identity involving an old bear fur. 

This is the first novel of Dodie Smith, written prior to her more popular children’s story, 101 Dalmations.  In short, it is a coming of age story of a girl growing up in England in 1930 in a poor, but eccentric family.  Look deeper and it’s an insight into the mind of a bright, sensitive, witty young woman growing up in an unusual environment, learning about love, disappointments, and the imperfections of herself and those around her.  

As Cassandra’s story shows, life is not about “happily ever after”.  Life is about looking at people, situations, and events with an open mind and a sense of humor.  Learning from our embarrassments as well as our triumphs – fully embracing both pain and pleasure that is thrown our way.  That is how we “capture” our lives.