ABSTRACT
LIMINAL FIGURES AND THE THRESHOLD The Mary Poppins books, and especially their main character, can be inserted into a broader thematic context that extends beyond the confines of literature. If we reject a purely scientific stance seeking “mathematical” demonstrations in favor of one that is more interested in hints and examines the circumstantial evidence available, we find that the Mary Poppins books and the character herself embody a certain thematic continuity that transcends literature in a narrow sense (even though it is the latter that most frequently gives expression to these themes) as it has clearly to do with the way in which human beings have, from the beginning, perceived themselves and have seen, or lived in, the world. In fact, it is to studies of anthropology, mythology, psychology, and philosophy that we shall now turn in order to try to understand the meaning of this character.
