Created by Brooke Bernstein on Tue, 10/15/2024 - 11:15
Description:
Book Cover, Little Goody Two Shoes (1765) The commonly used phrase “little goody two shoes” was popularized by Oliver Goldsmith’s Little Goody Two Shoes in 1765. The book follows a recently orphaned young girl, Margery Meanwell, who only has one shoe. Upon receiving a second shoe, Margery’s spirits are lifted, and she quickly moves past her grief and devastation. Over the course of the book, Margery takes on various selfless tasks. She teaches children to spell, stops criminals, and becomes known for her kindness. Margery is so good that “foolish people” accuse her of witchcraft, and she is put on trial, but she proves to be innocent (Goldsmith 17). For all her selfless acts, Margery is rewarded with a marriage, and the entire town celebrates. The ultimate prize for this independent and intelligent woman is marriage. Because of her good deeds, Margery’s “life was a great blessing, and her death the greatest calamity” (Goldsmith 18). Little Goody Two Shoes is unflinching in its moral messaging, telling readers that good acts will be rewarded in a strange didactic lesson. Good behavior is the core of the story, yet the book encourages readers to act selflessly, not out of kindness, but to be loved.