The fabulous nature announces a suspect narrator. The
constant revision screams repression and avoidance. Let us make use of our
understanding of children and history.
Servant was an honorable and necessary profession. It was
impossible to run a household without servants, there was too much to do. The
wealthy understood this and were raised in these relationships, the middle
class not so much. Working in a middle class household, in this case the Banks,
subject to even greater pettiness and viciousness could be horrific.
The Banks children, observing the dynamic of the household,
knew they could be abusive to servants. They took their sense of neglect and
entitlement out on their nannies. “Came with the wind” meant that Mary Poppins
came without reference, which was unheard of. The Banks obviously had no
concern for their children. Confronted with an impossible situation, Mary
Poppins resorted to drugging the children with laudanum, an opiate solution
that was commonly available. Laudanum is bitter, thus the “spoonful of sugar
helps the medicine go down”. Laudanum was the Ibuprofen of its day, used for
every ailment. It is not until the last few modern decades that drugging
children for behavior is appropriate.
Managing children’s dosage is difficult. The children
hallucinated. At least Mary Poppins took the children outside for recreation.
There she had sport with her friends and acquaintances. There is interest in her view of empire and
hierarchy and how she informed and imprinted the children. The great scandal
was her friendship with Bert the match man. Women did not have informal
relationships with men. Mary Poppins had several such friendships and she
entertained Bert.
The United States class structure is a three by three grid,
upper middle and lower both ways. England is four by four, with a government
column and a proper lumpen underclass row. Mary Poppins is an upper lumpen.
Did Mary Poppins turn the children loose at Mr. Banks place
of employment costing him his job? It isn’t clear what he had done to upset
her. Her depiction is powerful, but this is suspect. Her insecurity may have
led to her terse and stolid demeanor, a common behavior of servants and
subordinates. Mary Poppins then leaves
as she came “with the wind” and without a reference. Lack of a reference meant
little prospect for employment. The children are happy that their father has
time for them and they fly a kite.