I keep having good intentions about posting here...but days keep slipping by! At one point, a couple of weeks ago I had mentally composed at least the beginning of a couple of posts, but those seem to have slipped out of my tired brain. So I'll fore-go profundity and just share some of my favorite moments from WiT.
There are many favorite moments in this book, from the opening when Madeleine trots out that old warhorse of a first line "It was a dark and stormy night..." and then really does something creative with it. I still feel thrilled whenever Mrs Whatsit shows up, caught in a downdraft and blown off course. I think she's definitely my favorite of the Mrs W's, though they're all wonderful in their own ways. I especially enjoy their interaction -- one of the best lighthearted moments for me comes when Mrs Which accidentally tries to tesser them onto a two-dimensional planet, sending the "younger" two into gales of giggles.
But the deeper moments in this book are worth pondering too. The one that struck me deepest as a kid, and still resonates with me, is the moment when Meg realizes she has to be the one to go back to Camazotz to rescue Charles Wallace. I love how she moves from despair and frustration and near-hysteria to real peace about that. There's a quality of Frodo's "I will take the ring" there...acceptance and courage from a very small, limited creature facing impossible odds. I also always loved how Mrs Whatsit so patiently and creatively explained things to Calvin, via the sonnet metaphor. Our lives are like a "strict form, but freedom within it" -- I still love that line.
Many, many more moments I could write about...but I need to finish making dinner. What are some of your favorites?
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I keep meaning to post too, and haven't been; I'll do better in May!
I love when Meg goes downstairs, frightened of the storm and disgruntled that Charles Wallace didn't come up to the attic, only to find him sitting in the kitchen, waiting her and whipping up a midnight snack. Mrs. Whatsit's revelation that she once was a star and gave up that form in the fight against evil is really poignant, and the way Meg rescues Charles Wallace is classic.
Those three come to mind right away...
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