Dawn

by Eleanor H. Porter

Though starkly different from Pollyanna, the book that propelled author Eleanor H. Porter to worldwide acclaim, the engrossing novel Dawn plumbs some of the same themes as its predecessor, including the importance of always maintaining an optimistic outlook on life, no matter how dire the circumstances you are facing. Set against the backdrop of World War I, the novel's protagonist is a young man whose vision is gradually degrading. Will he continue to wallow in his despair, or will he find a way to accept his encroaching blindness?

Genres: Fiction, Classics, Historical Fiction, Novels, Historical

278 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1919

About the author

Eleanor Emily Hodgman Porter (December 19, 1868 – May 21, 1920) was an American novelist. She was born as Eleanor Emily Hodgman in Littleton, New Hampshire on December 19, 1868, the daughter of Llewella French (née Woolson) and Francis Fletcher Hodgman. She was trained as a singer, attending New England Conservatory for several years. In 1892, she married John Lyman Porter and relocated to Massachusetts, after which she began writing and publishing her short stories and later novels. She died in Cambridge, Massachusetts on May 21, 1920 and was buried at Mount Auburn Cemetery.

Reviews

[Rachel McMillan · Rating 3 out of 5]

the Dad in this unbearably unsupportive “no. it hurts too much to see him blind—— so I am just going to stop talking to him or seeing him”. Meanwhile, poor Keith is living to see how he is super failing at living up to his father’s insanely high expectations. Poor Keith. This book did two things very well: for one it presented the temptation of suicide ( something that, in a book published in 1919
just after the war must have been a prescient topic). Secondly, it painted a picture of the ramifications of war and young men returning, like Keith, blind and very lost.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

More complex than Just David or Pollyanna, Dawn is the story of Keith Burton, his father Daniel, their employee Susan (who is one of the great unlikely heroines of literature) and the power of perseverance—no matter how faulty the attempts.

My teenage son read this first and then I picked it up while he was in the middle of it. We traded it back and forth until we both finished it today, thoroughly satisfied.

My son appreciated how the story was unfolded through all the characters, sharing their hurts and worries, their joys and interpretations of situations. I agree. My favorite interactions were any with Susan. Glory! That woman and her malaprops and poetry! Hahaha! It was so much fun to read her and giggle as she spoke so earnestly.

Nothing in this book is easily gained and while the ending is satisfying it is so because of the work it takes the characters to get there. Get where? Ah, that is where I hand you a copy and invite you to find out.

We read the version published by Jenny Phillips in 2018.

[Karyn Tripp · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Another great one by Eleanor H. Porter! This one is about a boy who loses his sight and has to learn how to cope with this huge trial! My favorite character in the book is Susan, the maid who lives him dearly & makes so many sacrifices for him. She is the one who helps him realize hope is not lost. Such a sweet story.

[Anita · Rating 3 out of 5]

A tad disappointing. Saccharine triumph-over-blindness tale.

[Kathryn Bundy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable World War I morality tale.

[Hailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really cute book. I loved Pollyanna and this one did not disappoint.

[Daniel Gomes]

I am fascinated by Porter's works, of course mainly because of Pollyanna and Pollyanna Grows up. After reading these books I became so fascinated and curious to know other works by the author. The problem is that I live in Brazil, and here in Brazil only Pollyanna and Pollyanna Grows have been translated into Portuguese, and as I am not fluent in English, this would make it difficult to access the other works.But I found a website, Online Literature, which has almost all the works available in English. Using a translation tool, I am able to read Dawn, and the short story book The Tangled Threads.Dawn was released in 1919 and was the penultimate novel written by Porter before his death in 1920. Dawn is a sentimental tale of a boy named Keith Burton who lives with his widowed father, Daniel Burton a failed painter, and the family's maid Susan Betts, who loves to write poetry.Keith dreams of being a famous painter one day like his father and falls in love with Dorothy, a girl from the village.Keith discovers he is gradually losing his vision when he tries to read Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island and his vision becomes blurry. Keith begins to lose his sight after falling from a tree, the first world war breaks out and Keith has to learn to live with this misfortune.Keith is sent to undergo surgery with a doctor at the sanatorium to restore his sight, Keith also begins helping blind soldiers from the War.Despite being a Porter story, the novel does not have the optimistic tone of Pollyanna, Porter's novels always have a protagonist who has to face some adversity, such as blindness, loneliness, ambition, and overcome it. I'm enjoying it a bit although it's not as cool as Pollyanna.

[Sharon A. Romine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful

I didn't understand the title until the end of the book. Porter is an awesome writer. I wish i had read her works when I was younger so I could have had my kids read them.

[Inspiration Station · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really hard to get into for me, but after closing the pages on the last two chapters, getting to the touching and teary ending was all worth it.
(Just a heads up, there is a scene involving a revolver and suicidal thoughts, which caught me off guard, so I would recommend for older teens/adults.)

My favorite lines:
p. 249 "Keith, do you remember?" Susan was still earnest and preoccupied. "I told you once that it didn't make no difference if God had closed the door of your eyes. He'd open up another room to you sometime and give you the key to unlock the door. And he has. And now you've got it--that key."

"I've got it--the key!"

"Yes. It's that work down there, helping them blind men and boys to get hold of their souls again. Oh, Keith, don't you see? And it's such a big, wide room that God has given you, and it's all yours. There ain't no one that can help them poor blind soldiers like you can. And you couldn't 'a' done it if the door of your eyes hadn't been shut first. That was what give you the key to this big, beautiful room of helping our boys what's come back to us blinded and half-crazed with despair and discouragement..."

p. 267 "All right, but even that doesn't matter to me now. For now, in spite of my blind eyes, the way looks all rosy ahead. Why, dear, it's like the dawn--the dawn of a new day. And I used to so love the dawn! You don't know, but years ago, with Dad, I'd go camping in the woods, and sometimes we'd stay all night on the mountain. I loved that, for in the morning we'd watch the sun come up and flood the world with light. And it seemed so wonderful, after the dark! And it's like that with me today, dear. It's my dawn--the dawn of a new day. And it's so wonderful--after the dark!"

"Oh, Keith, I'm so glad! And, listen, dear. It's not only dawn for you, but it's dawn for all those blind boys down there that you are helping. You have opened their eyes to the dawn of THEIR new day..."

[Margaret Elisabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the story of a 14-year old boy who finds out he has a rare eye disease and is going blind. It chronicles the internal struggle of himself and the people around him as they come to a place of contentment with his situation. He ends up learning that he still has a purpose, and that God does everything for a reason. I've heard a lot of complaints from people about older books being unrealistic and acting like healing is the only solution to problems. Books like What Katy Did, or even Pollyanna. This book does not fall prey to that trope. At points it feels kind of depressing. It's like failed surgery after failed surgery after failed surgery, but it ends with truth, hope, and brilliance.

It's definitely a heavier book, so be prepared for that, but I would highly recommend it. It's so good.

[Scarlette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book because it had so many things going on but balanced everything amazingly. I never hated a character in a classic book (unless we're talking about the Scarlet Letter's Dimmesdale) as much as I hated the main character's father, who, like Dimmesdale, is too wrapped up in himself to notice someone else's (like his son's) hardships. Other than that man, I really enjoyed all the other characters.

[Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dawn...A journey from darkness into light

Beautiful story of a boy with great promise who suddenly finds his future hopes and dreams shattered when blindness overtakes him. The story unfolds from there which includes a sweet friendship that slowly blossoms and the dawning realization that when God closes one door it is so that a new one may be opened.

[M.L. Milligan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book started out so sweetly sad but progressed into a tale about hope and determination. I do have to give a slight content warning for a slight scene that deals with suicide. It was all very well done, with no direct mentions to it, but it was still implied. Definitely one of my favorite classics!

[L. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Housekeeper and prolific poetess Susan Betts has her hands full with the Burton family when young Master Keith goes blind. Also, World War 1 breaks out. Not as saccharine-soaked as her Pollyanna books and thank God for that.

[Aleena Grosjean · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am loving Porter's books. I started with Pollyanna and then found a 14 book collection for Kindle. These stories remind me of LM Montgomery's stories - clean, fun, humorous, and sometimes a lesson or two to learn. LOVE them.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kind of dark, but I am glad I 'read' it. I have been listening to these books at loyalbooks.com

[christine ✩ · Rating 4 out of 5]

saccharine as all H E C K like could you even get more romantic but I mean it made 2am christine v happy so ehhh

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a precious, sweet story by the same author as Pollyanna. It has all the same virtues and tenderness. If you need a feel-good story, read this one.