Daddy Long Legs is a novel written by American author Jean Webster in 1912. It is very difficult to guess the actual plot of the book by the title. The novel follows the life of a young woman, Jerusha “Judy” Abbott. The novel starts with the John Grier Home, an old fashioned orphanage, where Judy Abbott has come of age and needs to leave. A kind gentleman offers to send her to college to become a writer. Judy catches only a fleeting glimpse of him from the back – a tall thin man with very long legs.The gentleman has only one condition, that Judy writes monthly letters to him informing him of her progress. She is to address him as Mr. John Smith. In return, Mr. John Smith would never write back but send her money and take care of her requirements and he remains true to his word.
The book is the collection of letters written by Judy to Mr. John Smith. Judy does not like the idea of writing into a stranger, even though that is exactly what she is doing, as John Smith is the only real thing to a family she has. So she decides to call him Daddy Long Legs (owing to the long legs she had noticed).
Through the letters, Jean Webster, takes us through a fairy-tale adventure following the ups and downs in young Judy’s life. It shows us the dynamics of the relations of the orphan girl with other girls from middle-class to affluent families. We can clearly see, with passage of time and letters that Judy Abbott is blossoming into a fine writer and most importantly a fine lady.
While reading the book it is difficult to attach a single genre to it. It never talks about romance and longing for major part of the book. But by the time the secret identity of the tall, benevolent and heartless benefactor, Daddy Long Legs, is known, the book borders on ‘Romance’.
It is a mix of surprises and emotions that makes this book so good. Jean Webster is created magic with the language she uses. It is simple to read and easy to identify with. It is definitely worth a read. It is one of my favourite books.
