When Marnie Was There is a novel by British author Joan G. Robinson, first published in 1967 by Collins. The story follows Anna, a young girl who temporarily moves to Norfolk to heal after becoming ill. There she meets a mysterious and headstrong girl named Marnie who lives in a house overlooking the marshes. They develop a secretive relationship they come to cherish. The novel explores themes of alienation, loneliness, and forgiveness in childhood. It received highly positive reviews, praised for its intensity of natural imagery, balance of humour with difficult themes, and emotional weight. The story was adapted to television in 1971 and radio in 2006. In 2014, it was adapted by Studio Ghibli as an animated film of the same name.
Background
Robinson only had experience at writing books for very young children, and was well known for her Teddy Robinson series that followed the make-believe interactions between a girl and a teddy bear, and later her Mary-Mary series that followed the mischievous family life of a young girl, which Peter Vansittart described as "slightly more sophisticated". Robinson saw writing books for older children as a "welcome escape from the strict discipline of vocabulary and subject matter" of stories for younger children.
The creation of When Marnie Was There began during a family summer holiday in the coastal village of Burnham Overy Staithe, according to Robinson's daughter. Robinson had a life-long connection to Norfolk, and a specific connection to Burnham Overy as early as 1950. Major natural features of the location include a creek and tidal marsh, with an isolated beach surrounded by sandhills. During low tide, Robinson walked from the beach along the marsh path, watchful of a house with distinctive blue doors and window frames, named "The Granary". At a distance, she noticed the house seemed to disappear into the surroundings—until low sunlight dramatically illuminated its brickwork. She came near the house and looked through an upper window, where she saw a young girl sitting and having her hair brushed. This experience prompted Robinson to write a story.
Throughout the remainder of her stay in the village, she spent time in the sandhills and wrote notes, creating the characters of Anna and Marnie. The location of Burnham Overy Staithe directly defined the settings of the story. Characteristics of The Granary influenced the fictional "Marsh House" in the story. The beach, sandhills, meadows, and routes across the marsh became major settings of the story. Robinson continued to write more notes after that summer, which were collated and developed into a manuscript over the course of about 18 months.
Summary
The novel follows a girl named Anna. Her foster mother, Mrs. Preston, anxiously bids farewell as Anna boards a train to Norfolk; she’d been invited by an old couple, the Peggs, to stay at their home after learning she’s ill. Anna apathetically reflects on her loneliness and Mrs Preston's overwhelming concern for her. On arrival she walks to the nearby staithe and sees an old house across the water—the Marsh House. Over the following days she spends time outdoors, finding quiet company with a local fisherman, Wuntermenny. Anna becomes upset when she quarrels with a local girl, Sandra, who views Anna as socially inept. Anna finds a boat one night and rows towards the Marsh House where outside she encounters a blonde-haired girl named Marnie.
Anna explains she’s a visitor to the area, and Marnie explains she lives in the Marsh House. The next night Marnie finds Anna and disguises her as a beggar girl, bringing her indoors to a lavish party, enchanting Anna. Thereafter, they meet regularly: Marnie explains her parents are typically absent and she’s instead supervised by two maids and a nanny. Anna explains she’s adopted, tearfully confiding that her foster parents are paid a care allowance, doubting she's sincerely loved. Marnie promises she will love her forever. Marnie admits a maid abuses her, and threatens to shut her in a nearby dilapidated windmill, and that she has an older cousin, Edward, who she alternately spends time with.