Document Type
Article
Publication Date
Fall 2025
Abstract
Education is a cornerstone theme in Johanna Spyri’s treasured novel Heidi, which tells the story of a young girl living in the Swiss Alps with her grandfather. Heidi has many triumphs throughout her youth, but these are not without hardship with regard to educational attainment. This paper examines how the educational experiences described in Heidi fits into its historical context, having been set in the 1870s-80s in Switzerland and Germany. Legal precedents, labor relations, and a mountainous environment set the stage for educational access and success for both Heidi and her friend Peter. Heidi depicts how the emotional experiences of children can stem from structural dynamics and affect educational attainment. By understanding the historical context in which Spyri wrote Heidi, it becomes clear that the novel has been embraced in Swiss culture because it resonates with the experiences of Swiss children historically and in some cases contemporarily.
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Recommended Citation
Handy, Hazel, "A Holistic Look at Swiss Primary Education in the 1870s-80s, as Reflected in Johanna Spyri’s Heidi" (2025). Mountains and Modernity. 1.
https://scarab.bates.edu/mountains_modernity/1