“You actually meant The Savage Girl, didn’t you?” No, just accept the eye-catching inversion. I believe it’s a meaningful choice for a title (“And here we have the girl who sometimes goes by the name of Savage.”), undeniably one of the reasons I picked up the book in the first place. Don’t misinterpret the word “savage”. This may easily translate as a pure desire to hold onto a wild freedom. Gather round now, you don’t easily discover a tomboy whose statements come off as a stumbling, yet adorable mixture of English and Shona (finished off with a comforting “Ja?”), do you?
Will Silver is the African Pippi Longstockings who has lived all her life in Zimbabwe with her father, William Silver, his employer, Captain Browne, and her best friend, Simon. The first few pages deliver a light-hearted introduction, meant to offer an insight into Will’s colorful and carefree life. The radiant wilderness is soon replaced by the heart-breaking death of Will’s father and the arrival of a wealthy stepmother figure, Cynthia Vincy. You can only wonder how a kind person such as Captain Browne could fall in love with the ruthless Cynthia. Without considering Will’s perspective too much, the woman decides to sell the Silver farm and send the girl to a boarding school in London. These impactful actions completely shatter Will’s playful spirit, since her entire African life seems to be cruelly stripped away. At this point, some thoughtful parting advice is needed and Captain Browne does pop in with one last glimmer of hope, some words that I should definitely live by more: “Don’t you get out of the habit of bravery. Even if you think nobody’s seeing, hey? It’s still so important, Will, my girl.”
The second part of the story includes an entire accommodation process in a new cultural context. Even though the world is seen through the eyes of a terrified child, I suppose readers of all ages can relate to Will’s emotions by creating a connection with a challenging experience of their own. We’ve been in the girl’s shoes, whether we moved to a different school or embraced a drastic departure to another country. Will goes through the stereotypical maladjustment in the boarding school for girls. At times it was quite painful to watch the sweet little tomboy being either picked on or entirely ignored. Nothing in particular is done to ease Will’s sudden transition to a distinct life. No one takes notice of her distress with the surrounding environment. Towards the end of the story, there are some elements and people which help Will change her initial viewpoint, but if you ask me, the girl has done the most work all by herself. And I couldn’t be prouder.
As a matter of fact, the story itself reminds me of this following belief of mine: we can do a whole lot more for our personal growth if we’re alone. Surely, I agree that we should allow outside support once in a while, a gentle occasional reminder that there are better times coming our way. However, once we receive this head start, we are in full control on how we choose to live our lives. Going back to Will’s journey, the reader encounters the crystal clear changeover from the sunny and vibrant Zimbabwe to the rainy and discouraging England (as a quick side note, if we could stop classifying England as a place covered in a constant grey drizzle, it would be much appreciated). It is difficult to unleash the free spirit you possess when you meet heartless people at every step. It’s often the case when we expect a change from those around us when truth be told, change should come from ourselves. After a desperate escape from the boarding school, Will wanders the streets of London, in search of answers. We are inclined to believe that the city is not an ideal territory for a wildcat like Will. Huh, but why on Earth wouldn’t it be? A change of perspective, a set of What ifs and a bit of cartwheeling in thunderstorms might do the trick. Because yes, as soon as the girl puts aside her negative thoughts and fears, London is suddenly another type of perfection in her eyes.
If you were to take any valuable lesson from the book, keep in mind that perseverance is worthwhile. It doesn’t necessarily get easier, but you do build up a stronger version of yourself. It is also required that you treasure your traits on a daily basis, since they might grant the decisive solution whenever you’re feeling lost. Without a doubt, the plot is somewhat standard, but I find nothing wrong in that since it fully depends on how you tell the story. Will, with her strong voice like water running over pebbles in sunshine, is here to prove you that life instantly becomes merrier with bravery, hope and the wild childish spirit that lives within us. Our stories should begin with something similar to the following quote: “Her knees smelled the same as the air, of woodsmoke and earth. Had anyone ever been as happy as her?” And a possible ending to such a beginning? No one else has lived your happiness.
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