Who Is Wanda Petronski? Character Analysis and Story Impact
Class 10 English has a beautiful chapter about a young girl and her miseries. The prose piece is written by Eleanor Estes, one of the eminent authors of English literature. This story is based on the experiences of the author herself. Her family was poor. Her parents did not have many resources to spend on the kids. The story ‘The Hundred Dresses’ is an eye-opener for all the students of Class 10. A girl was taunted for her dresses in school. She was bullied by many but did not react. She gave a befitting reply to all her bullies and everyone recognized her talent. The story is very fascinating and heartwarming for the readers.
To understand the context of the story, you should refer to The Hundred Dresses Class 10 summary prepared by the experts at Vedantu. This will help you out to discover the emotions the author wanted to express in her lines. You will be able to answer the questions in the exercise well and can score more in the exams. Use the summary as a part of your study material to revise and make your preparation better.
This article includes the summary of The Hundred Dresses Part One. The Hundred Dresses Part One is a chapter of English literature that is taught in class 10 and is prescribed by the Central Board of Secondary Education. This summary will help you understand the chapter in a much better way.
The Hundred Dresses is written by Eleanor Estes. Eleanor Estes was an American children’s author. She was a writer, illustrator, and librarian. Her notable works include Ginger Pye, the hundred dresses, The Moffats Series, Pinky Eye. Eleanor Estes was born in West Haven, Connecticut.
A Brief Synopsis of the Topic - The Hundred Dresses
The Hundred Dresses was a Newbury honour book in 1945. This book mainly deals with the kind of racism that children had to face when they studied in American schools. It talks about the bullies who were ruthless to immigrants. The Hundred Dresses is based on the writers’ personal experiences. The protagonist of the story is Wanda Petronski. She is a young Polish girl who has immigrated to America and is admitted to an American school, where most of the students are native Americans.
Wanda is bullied by her classmates, as they do not approve of her unusual name and the way she dresses. She wears a blue dress every day and claims to have a hundred dresses at home and sixty pairs of shoes, therefore, it is hard for her classmates to believe her and they bully her because of that. At the end of part one of The Hundred Dresses, a school contest takes place where she submits 100 drawings of her dresses and by then, she is pulled out of the school by her father. Her classmates are filled with guilt and regret when they realise how talented Wanda is when they find out the truth about the hundred dresses. The hundred dresses drawn by Wanda were of excellent designs, hence proving her talent of sketching. Estes atones for staying silent for the times when she was bullied by her peers by writing a book about bullies and racism in America.
A Detailed Summary
Wanda is depicted as a timid and reserved Polish girl who has immigrated to America. Her arrogant classmates, especially Peggy and Madeline, make her school life extremely difficult by always teasing her for the way she dresses. Peggy and Maddie, along with other classmates, made fun of her and called her weird because she had another unusual name.
Wanda was not very well off and therefore, she always wore a faded blue dress and always remained reserved in the class as she was always teased by her classmates. Her feet were usually covered up in mud as she came from a long walk from Boggins Heights, therefore she sat in a corner so that no one would notice her muddy feet. Peggy and Maddie continued bullying her. One day, she got extremely tired of their mean remarks and claimed that she had 100 dresses and 60 pairs of shoes at her home. Peggy and Maddie began to grow more curious about her claims and often wondered if she had 100 dresses at home then why she wore the same dress to school every day.
Peggy and Maddie never missed an opportunity to throw rude remarks at Wanda and waited before school for Wanda, so that they could tease her. Maddie showed some sort of sympathy towards Wanda as she herself was poor, however, she never stopped Peggy as she was her only best friend and Maddie didn’t want to lose her.
At the end of part one of The Hundred Dresses, a drawing competition takes place in the school. After the competition, Wanda‘s father pulled her out of the school and no one noticed her absence in the school as she was always reserved. Soon the results of the competition were declared and Wanda won the competition. She has submitted beautifully drawn sketches of 100 dresses that she always claimed to have at her home. Peggy and Maddie and all other bullies were extremely surprised to see how talented Wanda was. In the end, Peggy and Maddie were filled with regret and remorse as it took them so long to realize how talented Wanda was and they couldn’t even apologize to her as she was already gone.
Conclusion
If you follow the Class 10 English The Hundred Dresses Part 1 summary, you will find out that Wanda was silent to her bullies. She did not want to cause any trouble. Even though she was disturbed from the inside, she managed to answer them in the best way possible. She proved that she did not lie about her dresses. It was her dream that she presented in front of everyone in the class.
FAQs on The Hundred Dresses Part 1 Summary: Key Themes and Lessons
1. What is the main theme of "The Hundred Dresses – Part 1"?
The central theme of "The Hundred Dresses – Part 1" is the damaging effect of prejudice and social exclusion. The story explores how thoughtless words and actions can cause deep emotional pain. It also highlights the theme of silent complicity, where individuals who know something is wrong choose not to speak up, as seen through the character of Maddie.
2. Who were the main characters in the story, and what roles did they play?
The story revolves around three main characters:
- Wanda Petronski: A quiet and poor Polish girl who is an immigrant in an American town. She is the target of teasing because of her unusual name and the fact she wears the same faded blue dress every day.
- Peggy: The most popular girl in school. She is pretty and confident but starts the “game” of teasing Wanda about her dresses, not out of true cruelty, but from a sense of thoughtless superiority.
- Maddie: Peggy’s best friend. She is also from a poor family and feels uncomfortable with the teasing but remains a silent spectator out of fear of becoming the next target.
3. Why exactly did the other children, led by Peggy, tease Wanda?
The children teased Wanda for several reasons they perceived as making her different. Firstly, she had a long, unfamiliar Polish name, Wanda Petronski. Secondly, she lived in a poor neighbourhood called Boggins Heights. The main trigger for the daily teasing, however, was her quiet claim that she owned one hundred dresses, all lined up in her closet, which seemed like an obvious lie since she only ever wore one dress to school.
4. What is the deeper importance of the 'hundred dresses' in the story?
The hundred dresses are a powerful symbol in the story. They represent Wanda's unseen talent, inner richness, and creativity, which her classmates are unable to see. While the other girls use her claim as a source of mockery, for Wanda, these imagined dresses are a form of escape and a way to assert her dignity against the harsh reality of her social isolation and poverty. They are her silent, artistic answer to their verbal taunts.
5. How does Maddie’s perspective on the bullying differ from Peggy’s?
Peggy and Maddie view the bullying very differently. Peggy, being popular and wealthy, sees teasing Wanda as a harmless game and doesn't believe Wanda is smart enough to be truly hurt. In contrast, Maddie is deeply troubled by it. Since she is also poor and sometimes wears Peggy’s hand-me-down clothes, she lives in constant fear that she could become the next target. Her silence comes not from malice but from fear and a lack of courage to stand up to her best friend.
6. What does the setting of Boggins Heights represent in the story?
Boggins Heights is more than just a physical location; it represents the social and economic divide within the community. It is described as a poor area, and the fact that Wanda comes from there, with mud-caked shoes, is used by the other children to reinforce their prejudice and brand her as an outsider. It symbolises the social status that leads to her marginalisation.
7. What was Wanda’s typical response when asked about her dresses?
Wanda’s response to the teasing was always quiet and seemingly emotionless. When asked how many dresses she had, she would calmly state, "A hundred," and describe them in detail—for example, "one of silk, I guess" or "one of velvet, too." This unwavering, imaginative response was her passive form of resistance, a way to maintain her dignity without engaging in conflict.
8. What is the major turning point at the end of "The Hundred Dresses – Part 1"?
The climax of Part 1 occurs with the announcement of the drawing competition results. While everyone, including Peggy and Maddie, expects Peggy to win, the teacher, Miss Mason, announces that Wanda Petronski is the winner. She has submitted one hundred exquisite drawings of different dresses, stunning everyone with her incredible talent. This revelation happens just after the children learn that Wanda and her family have moved away, leaving them with no chance to apologise.
9. How did the author Eleanor Estes's own life experiences influence this story?
The story is deeply influenced by the author's childhood. Eleanor Estes based the character of Wanda on a real girl in her class in Connecticut who was a poor Polish immigrant and was teased by other children. Estes, much like the character Maddie, was a silent bystander. She later wrote "The Hundred Dresses" out of a sense of regret and guilt for not having spoken up, using the story to explore themes of empathy and the courage to do what is right.
10. Is "The Hundred Dresses" included in the CBSE Class 10 English syllabus for the 2025-26 session?
Yes, according to the official CBSE curriculum for the 2025-26 academic year, "The Hundred Dresses – Part 1" is a prescribed chapter in the 'First Flight' textbook for CBSE Class 10 English (Language and Literature). It is an important chapter for understanding themes of empathy, prejudice, and social responsibility.
