History Awesome / ALittlePrincess

* When school bully Lavinia accuses Sara of making up "fairy stories" about Heaven, Sara primly tells her that no one knows what Heaven is really like, but unless Lavinia starts being kinder to people, she'll never find out - a fairly classy schoolgirl way of telling Lavinia to go to hell.

* Sara has told the younger children the story of King Alfred getting hit by a neatherd's wife for burning some cakes and her shock at learning that she just assaulted her monarch. While she's smiling and thinking, Miss Minchin boxes her ears, just like it happened to Alfred. After Sara explains that she wondered what Miss Minchin would do, if she learned that Sara was actually a real princess and could do whatever she wanted, she'd never dare to raise her hand against her. Miss Minchin demands that Sara apologize.

* Upon learning that not only has Sara's wealth has been restored, she's actually much, much richer than than she was before, Miss Minchin tries to convince her Sara to stay at the school as a parlor-boarder again, with all her old privileges reinstated. She even tries to convince Sara that it would be what Sara's father would have wanted. By the time she's finished, Sara's all but shaking with rage, but manages to tell Minchin calmly and firmly, "You know why I will not go home with you, Miss Minchin. You know quite well." Even in a situation where Sara has all the power over a woman who abused and mistreated her, she's still so far above Minchin that she won't humiliate her publicly by stating the reasons ''why'' she won't go back, something Miss Amelia points out most other children wouldn't do. Instead [[XanatosGambit she puts Minchin in a position where she'll have to humiliate herself, either by admitting the truth and begging forgiveness, or by denying she knows why Sara won't stay, which everyone knows is untrue.]] (Minchin chooses to deny, proving once and for all what a craven coward she is.)

* Upon learning that not only has Sara's wealth has been restored, she's actually much, much richer than than she was before, Miss Minchin tries to convince her Sara to stay at the school as a parlor-boarder again, with all her old privileges reinstated. She even tries to convince Sara that it would be what Sara's father would have wanted. By the time she's finished, Sara's all but shaking with rage, but manages to tell Minchin calmly and firmly, "You know why I will not go home with you, Miss Minchin. You know quite well." Even in a situation where Sara has all the power over a woman who abused and mistreated her, she's still so far above Minchin that she won't humiliate her publicly by stating the reasons ''why'' she won't go back. Instead [[XanatosGambit she puts Minchin in a position where she'll have to humiliate herself, either by admitting the truth and begging forgiveness, or by denying she knows why Sara won't stay, which everyone knows is untrue.]] (Minchin chooses to deny, proving once and for all what a craven coward she is.)

!!From the 1995 film adaptation:
* The scene in which Sara witnesses Miss Minchin abusing a little boy who works as her chimney sweep. In order to get back at Minchin, Sara and Becky climb up to the school roof and dump copious amounts of soot through the parlor fireplace flue while Minchin practices the harp. The result is a veritable mushroom cloud of soot and a wailing Minchin.
** In the ending, after Mr. Randolph becomes headmaster of the school, Miss Minchin has been demoted to being a subordinate to that same chimney sweep who is also heard and seen bossing her around. [[LaserGuidedKarma What goes round comes round.]]
* Midway through the film, Sara's friends engineer a plan to get back the locket Miss Minchin took from her. This involves a CacophonyCoverUp (Lottie's tantrum), sneaking into the headmistress' office, and ''going through her desk and shelves'' to find the locket. What makes the whole scene more awesome is that the girls are mere seconds from being caught, until Becky, who is outside the office, screams and tells Minchin she saw a mouse.
* After Minchin catches all the girls in the attic with Sara, the latter immediately lies and says she asked them all to come - bravely taking the blame to save her friends being treated as cruelly as her.
* Sara's speech to Minchin: "I am a princess. All girls are. Even if they live in tiny old attics. Even if they dress in rags, even if they aren't pretty, or smart, or young. They're still princesses. All of us."
* Sara's method of getting her revenge on Lavinia - a proper MindScrew by having her believe that she is cursed.
* Amelia's elopement is both this and a SugarWiki/{{Funny Moment|s}}.
* Sara's father remembering who he is, who Sara is, running out into the rain as the music swells, and just bellowing, "''SARA!''"
* With its depictions of bravery, loyalty, an intelligent young woman, love, friendship, and imagination, this film embodies all of the elements of a great chick flick.

* Midway through the film, Sara's friends engineer a plan to get back the locket Miss Minchin took from her. This involves a CacophonyCoverUp (Lottie's tantrum), sneaking into the headmistress' office, and ''going through her desk and shelves'' to find the locket. What makes the whole scene more awesome is that [[spoiler: the girls are mere seconds from being caught, until Becky, who is outside the office, screams and tells Minchin she saw a mouse.]]

* Upon learning that not only has Sara's wealth has been restored, she's actually much, much richer than than she was before, Miss Minchin tries to convince her Sara to stay at the school as a parlor-boarder again, with all her old privileges reinstated. She even tries to convince Sara that it would be what Sara's father would have wanted. By the time she's finished, Sara's all but shaking with rage, but manages to tell Minchin calmly and firmly, "You know why I will not go home with you, Miss Minchin. You know quite well." Even in a situation where Sara has all the power over a woman who abused and mistreated her, she's still so far above Minchin that she won't humiliate her publicly by stating the reasons ''why'' she won't go back. Instead [[XanatosGambit she puts Minchin in a position where she'll have to humiliate ''herself,'' either by admitting the truth and begging forgiveness, or by denying she knows why Sara won't stay, which everyone knows is untrue.]] (Minchin chooses to deny, proving once and for all what a craven person she is.)

'''Sara:''' You are not kind. You are ''not'' kind, and it is ''not'' a home.

--> Keep in mind that at the time this took place, children simply ''did not speak this way''. The idea of a child speaking up (whether or not she was correct) against an adult was not just rude, but unnatural. As Mrs Reid says in ''Literature/JaneEyre'', it was as if an animal were to speak and call you out for beating it. It fits with the view of Sara being regarded as a bit uncanny.

** In the ending, after Mr. Randolph becomes headmaster of the school, Miss Minchin has been demoted to being a subordinate to that same chiminey sweep who is also heard and seen bossing her around. [[LaserGuidedKarma What goes round comes round.]]

* Upon learning that not only has Sara's wealth has been restored, she's actually much, much richer than than she was before, Miss Minchin tries to convince her Sara to stay at the school as a parlor-boarder again, with all her old privileges reinstated. She even tries to convince Sara that it would be what Sara's father would have wanted. By the time she's finished, Sara's all but shaking with rage, but manages to tell Minchin calmly and firmly, "You know why I will not go home with you, Miss Minchin. You know quite well." Even in a situation where Sara has all the power over a woman who abused and mistreated her, she's still so far above Minchin that she won't humiliate her publicly by stating the reasons ''why'' she won't go back. Instead [[XanatosGambit she puts Minchin in a position where she'll have to humiliate ''herself,'' either by admitting the truth and begging forgiveness, or by denying everything, which everyone knows is untrue.]] (Minchin chooses to deny, proving once and for all what a craven person she is.)

* Miss Minchin learns that Sara's wealth has been restored, and has increased manyfold, and she tries to appeal to Sara to come back to the school. She says she'll be a parlor-boarder again and to do a duty to her dear father, who left her in Miss Minchin's care, after all. Sara takes a step forward, like she will return, but then remembers how she was treated when she was penniless.
--> "You know why I will not go home with you, Miss Minchin. You know quite well."
* Ermengarde's announcement: "There '''WERE''' diamond mines. '''THERE ''WERE!'''''"

** In the ending, after Mr. Randolph becomes headmaster of the school, Miss Minchin has been demoted to being a subordinate to that same chiminey sweep who is also heard and seen bossing her around. What goes round comes round.

** In the ending, after Mr. Randolph becomes headmaster of the school, Miss Minchin has been demoted to being a subordinate to that same chiminey sweep who is also heard and seen bossing her around. What goes round, comes round.

* Sara's father remembering who he is, who Sara is, running out into the rain as the music swells, and just bellowing, "''SARA!''"

* Amelia's elopement is both this and a CrowningMomentOfFunny.

* Miss Amelia [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech ripping into her sister]], to the point of hysterics. And Miss Minchin is actually impressed by her meek sister's courage.

* In the 1995 movie, Sara's speech to Minchin- " I am a princess. All girls are. Even if they live in tiny old attics. Even if they dress in rags, even if they aren't pretty, or smart, or young. They're still princesses. All of us."
* Also in the 1995, how Sara get back at Lavinia- a proper mind screw by having her believe that she is cursed.
* Sara's father remembering who he is, who Sara is, running out into the rain as the music swells, and just bellowing, " ''SARA!'' "
* The 1995 film also has a scene where Sara witnesses Miss Minchin abusing a little boy who works as her chimney sweep. In order to get back at Minchin, Sara and Becky climb up to the school roof and dump copious amounts of soot through the parlor fireplace flue while Minchin practices the harp. The result is a veritable mushroom cloud of soot and a wailing Minchin.
* And Ermengarde's announcement from the book: "There '''WERE''' diamond mines. '''THERE ''WERE!'''''"
* From the novel: when school bully Lavinia accuses Sara of making up "fairy stories" about Heaven, Sara primly tells her that no one knows what Heaven is really like, but unless Lavinia starts being kinder to people, she'll never find out--a fairly classy schoolgirl way of telling Lavinia to go to hell.
* Amelia's elopement in the 1995 adaptation is both this and a CrowningMomentOfFunny.
* Midway through the 1995 film, Sara's friends engineer a plan to get back the locket Miss Minchin took from her. This involves a CacophonyCoverUp (Lottie's tantrum), sneaking into the headmistress' office, and ''going through her desk and shelves'' to find the locket. What makes the whole scene more awesome is that [[spoiler: the girls are mere seconds from being caught, until Becky, who is outside the office, screams and tells Minchin she saw a mouse.]]

* From the novel: when school bully Lavinia accuses Sara of making up "fairy stories" about Heaven, Sara primly tells her that no one knows what Heaven is really like, but unless Lavinia starts being kinder to people, she'll never find out--a fairly classy schoolgirl way of telling Lavinia to go to hell.

* And Ermengarde's announcement from the book: "There '''WERE''' diamond mines. '''THERE ''WERE!'''''"

* The 1995 film also has a scene where Sara witnesses Miss Minchin abusing a little boy who works as her chimney sweep. In order to get back at Minchin, Sara and Becky climb up to the school roof and dump copious amounts of soot through the parlor fireplace flue while Minchin practices the harp. The result is a veritable mushroom cloud of soot and a wailing Minchin.

* Sara's father remembering who he is, who Sara is, running out into the rain as the music swells, and just bellowing, " ''SARA!'' "

* in the 1995 movie, Sara's speech to Minchin- " I am a princess. All girls are. Even if they live in tiny old attics. Even if they dress in rags, even if they aren't pretty, or smart, or young. They're still princesses. All of us."