“什么是经典”是一个永恒的话题。The Secret Garden 既然被封为经典儿童文学，那么是谁给予了它这一封号？它又为何能历经百年而不衰？有人说，所谓经典经久不衰既是文化建构的产物也是读者的个人体验： "that enduring appeal may be as much of a cultural construction as a matter of individual engagement" (p.32). Is this barometer an accurate one, and who is measuring? It is without a doubt that classic literature holds value, as they are a window into our culture's scholarly history, but it is at the same time the individual reader's reception to the literature that produces its value.