The Readers Review: Literature from 1714 to 1910 discussion
This topic is about
The Wind in the Willows
All Other Previous Group Reads
>
The Wind in the Willows - Ch 1-3
Mod
I think that kids today would like it - it's really about exploring, and adventures, and getting out from your safety zone.The Mole is thrilled to try anything new, and I love how Grahame has the Mole joyously striking off from his little hole. My favorite line was: "Jumping off all his four legs at once, in the joy of living and the delight of spring without its cleaning, he pursued his way across the meadow till he reached the hedge on the further side."
Plus, the Mole meets all sorts of characters: obviously, the Rat, Toad, and Otter.
And, because in children's lit there are always life lessons, the Mole is reckless and tries to sail before he knows how, and there are consequences. He takes off into the Wild Wood by himself, and the Rat has to save him. And if they hadn't found the Badger's home, they would have really been in trouble.
Lastly, I liked the lesson of the Toad's story. Always trying new things, but quickly getting bored, and moving on to the next "fad."
With all that said, I can't help but be creeped out a bit. I don't like rats, and no matter how hard I try to see the Rat dressed up as a person to take out the "yuck" factor, I still can picture a real rat. Kids don't have that complete disgust yet, but having lived in NYC, it's all too real for me. :-)
Mod
I adore Mole's curiosity and the fact that Rat basically took Mole under his wing teaching him new skills and acquainting him to new friends. I'm not sure about Toad... he seems a bit eccentric, and a stomp my foot until I get my way/what I want kind of character. I'm looking forward to seeing how this plays out.
This book definitely touches my inner child, I wanted to keep reading last night but was falling asleep.
Mod
Mole is like a child. After living in his hole by himself, he is now having adventures and making friends. He looks at everything with child-like wonder. Rat is his guide to this exciting world.
I agree with Lynnm. His choice of animals is unusual by today;s standards. Moles, badgers and rats are not often anthropomorphized in children's books, as they're far from cute or cuddly, and most people are repulsed by real rats (sometimes even the pet ones) and really ugly moles. Badgers look like striped weasels, just passable.https://davisla.files.wordpress.com/2...
I'm thinking about children's books I know, and they're mostly about puppies, kittens, raccoons, chicks, bunnies, sometimes cute mice.
Mod
We river-bankers, we hardly ever come here by ourselves. If we have to come, we come in couples at least; then we're generally all right. Besides, there are a hundred things one has to know, which we understand all about and you don't, as yet. I mean, passwords, and signs, and sayings which have power and effect, and plants you carry in your pocket, and verses you repeat, and tricks you practice; all simple enough when you know them, but they've got to be known if your small, or you'll find yourself in trouble.
This reminded me of all those little things one does and says as a child to be safe from all the unknown dangers we imagine around us-under the bed or in the closet, on the way to school or when walking through the creepy part of the forest.
Grahame also uses short sentences three times in ch 3 to heighten the tension in the Wild Wood. He normally uses such gloriously long, descriptive, almost poetical sentences, but as mole is getting deeper into the woods and it is getting darker around him suddenly
Then the faces began.
A couple of paragraphs more until
Then the whistling began.
Another long paragraph and again
Then the pattering began.
What a lovely, chilling build-up of tension as poor mole becomes increasingly frightened.
I adored the bit in chapter 1 when Mole first encounters the river--the whole passage beginning "Never in his life had he seen a river before--this sleek, sinuous, full-bodied animal, chasing and chuckling, gripping things with a gurgle and leaving them with a laugh . . ." I like how the whole world is a living being to him, each element with a consciousness of its own. The whole first chapter is just packed with the life force.
Abigail wrote: "I adored the bit in chapter 1 when Mole first encounters the river--the whole passage beginning "Never in his life had he seen a river before--this sleek, sinuous, full-bodied animal, chasing and c..."I don't know if I can add much to that, Abigail. I feel the same way about Mole and I love his perception of the world around him; the river is a "full-bodied animal" that is alive. It doesn't seem that strange to me because I grew up in the country on a farm and I was brought up to be mindful of the animals and the world around me. In my mind, Mr. Grahame must have spent some time near a river to have this much insight to the wildlife that lives there.
Mod
I like this quote about animal etiquette from chapter 1:
and the Mole recollected that animal- etiquette forbade any sort of comment on the sudden disappearance of one's friends at any moment, for any reason whatever.
I wish I had read this out to my children when they were growing up. I can almost hear their little voices calling out, "Onion sauce" "Onion sauce" whenever they were of a mind to heckle each other, followed by their contagious laughter.
Rosemarie: I adore their personalities! Good catch on the animal etiquette!
First time reading this one, it is really pretty and the author transmits me his love for nature. It is particularly great cause I have found people with those personalities: the naive, the sociable and kind, the vain. Also, I must confess the drawings helps :) I will join for this book discussion, my english is far from perfect, but I´ll try.Someone can tell me, what animals were lurking Mole in the forest?
Mod
Mod
Mod
Lynnm wrote: "With all that said, I can't help but be creeped out a bit. I don't like rats, and no matter how hard I try to see the Rat dressed up as a person..."Well, to be fair, field or countryside rats are a lot prettier than city rats. They are smaller, brownish, with bigger ears and kind of cute.
In my spanish copy Rat is called the equivalent of River Mouse or little mouse, I guess to avoid creeping little children ;)
I kind of see the river as a character. It's like the Mississippi in Huckleberry Finn in that it's the lifeblood of the community. But this is a children's story, so maybe I'm reading too much into it. It made me laugh that Toad's horse complained that no one was paying attention to him.
Karel wrote: "Well, to be fair, field or countryside rats are a lot prettier than city rats. They are smaller, brownish, with bigger ears and kind of cute.In my spanish copy Rat is called the equivalent of River Mouse or little mouse, I guess to avoid creeping little children ;)
More like our pet rats, who resemble mice.
Mod
Rosemarie wrote: "It could indeed be a man. There is a similar feeling in the novel Bambi."It took me a while to connect this to Amy's post. When you're replying to a specific person, use the "Reply" button in their post. :-)
Mod
Rosemarie wrote: "In other words,--- but animal etiquette forbids me to say what would have happened to mole if he had met one of these creatures!"I just understand this, haha, I see what you did there (wink wink).
Mod
https://vimeo.com/73475764
I absolutely enjoyed the opening chapters this week. This is my second time reading Wind in the Willows, but the first was at least five years ago and I don't remember all the details.Before I began, I wondered if I should read it aloud to my children, but then decided against it at this time since I might not be able to stick to the schedule. I know my son would love it, he's ten. But I wonder if my daughter might not be ready for it yet, she just turned five. I read aloud one of my favorite passages to my family (the part where Mole, Rat, and Toad awake on the first morning of their trip - Mole and Rat are exhausted from all the work they did that morning, while Toad is nice and refreshed from the vacation from doing housework), and while my husband and son laughed, my daughter didn't "get it".
Anyway, I loved Mole's enthusiasm as he started his adventure and met Ratty and was just so full of life and discoveries to come. I also love Rat's willingness to teach Mole how to row a boat and swim and introduce him to all that there is to love about the river. And of course there is Toad, who I shake my head at but love at the same time.
One thing that stuck out at me this time reading was that Mole apparently now lives with Rat? From the way I read it, unless I'm mistaken, it doesn't sound like Mole ever went back to his own home after his first introduction with Rat. It sounds like he lives there now, instead of visiting.
OK, I'm off to read everyone's comments.
Rosemarie wrote: "I like the rules of animal etiquette. There are some subjects that are taboo- relating to eating or being eaten."I liked the animal etiquette too. There is also the rule where you don't talk about an animal who has just disappeared from the gathering or conversation, as when otter disappeared. :)
Rochelle wrote: "I agree with Lynnm. His choice of animals is unusual by today;s standards. Moles, badgers and rats ... they're far from cute or cuddly, and most people are repulsed by real rats (sometimes even the pet ones) and really ugly moles. Badgers look like striped weasels, just passable."I might be in the minority, but I love all these animals. Even the rats. But I think moles and especially badgers are pretty cute. :)
Mod
Urban apartment rats are not like pet rats :-( They're dirty and disgusting and carry diseases. And huge.Anyway, Grahame does a great job of anthropomorphizing everyone. This is my first experience with a badger.
Star-nose mole:http://www.peimag.com/wp-content/uplo...
Common mole:
https://ixquick-proxy.com/do/classic/...
Oh wow, I've never seen a star-nose mole before, or even knew they existed. That's pretty wild.
...and disgusting. I've personally seen only one mole, the more common one. They have tiny eyes because they hardly ever need them.
:) I do admit that it does look a bit alien-like and I had to blink a couple of times before realizing what I was looking at.
I read this when I was pregnant with my daughter, who turns 28 next week. I regret not reading it to my kids when they were young! But I look forward to reading it with my grandchildren someday. I'd pretty much forgotten the story - just remembered that I liked it. But reading it again this week, the words "charming", "enchanting", and "delightful" can't be escaped. It is all of those things. I love this world and these characters.
I'm trying, and for the most part succeeding, in making liberal allowances for poetic license, particularly with the anthropomorphizing (I love the illustrations in one of my abridged copies that has the animals wearing little jackets and shoes), but I do wonder about Mole. As Rochelle mentioned, moles have very limited eyesight. I wonder that Grahame hasn't (yet?) acknowledged that. As that's one of the more commonly known facts about this animal, it's interesting that he didn't write it in as a trait of the character or, instead, use a mouse or some other critter. Mole's descriptions in the forest were very visual.
But that minor aberration is certainly not preventing me from being thoroughly smitten by Mole and the other characters! I can't wait to see what adventures await!
I am having no problem envisioning these animals and like them all. Of course, I have been known to free moles from the cats and turn them loose near their holes, and have rescued field mice as well, so no aversion to the rodent. Not a big fan of the wharf rat, but I just mentally make rat a big mouse and I'm A-OK. lol.I thought I had read this before, but I'm convinced that I haven't.
I know exactly what Toad is like. He is my son-in-law, who cannot stick with anything he starts. He bounces off from one to another expensive hobby.
Sara wrote: "I thought I had read this before, but I'm convinced that I haven't. ."Sara--possibly you saw the TV version of about 10 years ago?
Oh, frabjous day! I decided I don't want to sit in front of my computer for 250 pages of HTML . I just got a 1966 version from the library illustrated by Tasha Tudor.
Sara - I feel the same way. I really thought I had read WITW a long time ago, but I don't remember a thing. I don't think I have ever read it.
Mod
Rochelle wrote: "Sara wrote: "I thought I had read this before, but I'm convinced that I haven't. ."Sara--possibly you saw the TV version of about 10 years ago?
Oh, frabjous day! I decided I don't want to sit in..."
No, never saw any film version. I think I just read things about it to the extent that I came to believe I had read it. Either that, or I read it when I was so young that the actual story is gone from my head entirely. Enjoying it this time, though.
I agree that having the illustrations with this kind of book is priceless. I might try my library and see what they have as well. Meanwhile, I will just let my imagination supply the pictures.
Just googled illustrations for Wind in the Willows and got some stupendous ones. I am so in awe of Inga Moore!https://www.google.com/search?q=illus...
Sara wrote: "Just googled illustrations for Wind in the Willows and got some stupendous ones. I am so in awe of Inga Moore!https://www.google.com/search?q=illus......"
beautiful
Sara wrote: "Just googled illustrations for Wind in the Willows and got some stupendous ones. I am so in awe of Inga Moore!"Oh, those are lovely!!
Mary Lou wrote: "but I do wonder about Mole. As Rochelle mentioned, moles have very limited eyesight. I wonder that Grahame hasn't (yet?) acknowledged that. As that's one of the more commonly known facts about this animal, it's interesting that he didn't write it in as a trait of the character or, instead, use a mouse or some other critter. Mole's descriptions in the forest were very visual. "That's a good point, Mary Lou, and I've been wondering about Mole's eyesight a bit and why Grahame depicted him this way since you've posted. It seems to me that Grahame would have known that moles have poor eyesight and that it was not an oversight (lol, sorry!) on his part. So at first I was wondering if he could have tried having Mole wear glasses to compensate for his poor eyes? But that would have just made Mole seem wise, I think, and that is not what Grahame was going for. We know Mole is quite innocent and new to the ways of the world after having lived so much of his life underground and close to home. So, I started wondering if that is exactly why Grahame chose a mole for Mole's character? His limited eyesight sort of displays the fact that Mole is innocent and has not "seen" much of the world yet.
Linda wrote: "why Grahame chose a mole for Mole's character? His limited eyesight sort of displays the fact that Mole is innocent and has not "seen" much of the world yet. "You're exactly right, Linda. I tend to be a literal person, and sometimes I miss symbolism, but it seems obvious now that you've expressed it. That's one of the reasons I love book groups. :-)
Thanks, Mary Lou! I'm quite literal as well and these book groups have definitely gotten me to expand my thinking while reading and when questions arise. :)
What an excellent point, Linda! It is easy to think of a rat as a worldly and tough critter, so depicting Ratty with the pistols and going out to save mole in the woods makes sense as well. Grahame does a superb job of giving each of these animals a distinct personality. Makes me think of Pooh and his cronies.
I've gotten different collections for each major illustrator, because their styles vary so much. However there is some overlap due to the imperfections of any search engine and human mislabeling of images on the web. If we could just get the human factor out, the web would be so...Bransom 1913
All his animals are naked except in one pic. They're the most realistic, very different from Tudor's sweetness.
https://www.google.com/search?q=wind+...
Moore 1995
http://contentinacottage.blogspot.com...
Moore has the abridged edition, but I think her illustrations are brilliant.
Rackham 1940
https://www.google.com/search?q=wind+...
Rackham uses water colors, and is more sketchy than Moore.
Shepard 1933
https://www.google.com/search?q=wind+...
http://bibliodyssey.blogspot.com/2009...
Tudor 1966
https://www.google.com/search?q=wind+...
I have the Tasha Tudor version from the library. She has numerous pencil drawings throughout the book, with a smaller number of watercolors. It was certainly cheaper in 1966 than in 1913 to produce an abundance of illustrations. I love her outfits, her polo shirt, vest and jacket combinations. And her animals have a benign quality.
She was an unusual woman. I though she had lived in the 19th Century, but in reality she died only 8 years ago.
http://www.yankeemagazine.com/article...
I'm in love with the Inga Moore illustrations. I would love to have small prints of those hanging in my house.
Linda wrote: "I'm in love with the Inga Moore illustrations. I would love to have small prints of those hanging in my house."Much easier than in the past. Do you have a good printer and photo paper? Better yet, if you know anyone who has a wide format printer, usually a serious photographer, but not necessarily a pro.
I just revised the Moore citation.
Rochelle wrote: "Much easier than in the past. Do you have a good printer and photo paper?"Yes, I really should do that. I remember I was admiring my sister-in-law's prints of Don Quixote hanging in her house and I asked her where she had bought them. She laughed and said she just printed them out. I had never thought of doing that before.
The Moore's are the ones that grab me as well. I have several very old children's books that I keep primarily because of the illustrations. Interesting to see how differently each artist approaches the task.
The Readers Review: Literature from 1714 to 1910
Books mentioned in this topic
The Mill on the Floss (other topics)Our Mutual Friend (other topics)
The Wind Among the Reeds (other topics)
The Little White Horse: Collector's Edition (other topics)
The Wind in the Willows (other topics)
Our first section takes us from Mole's flight from his spring cleaning out into the Wide World, where he is befriended by Rat and learns to embrace all the wonders of life above ground through spring, summer and autumn. We end this section with the first snowfall of winter.
What did you think of Grahame's style, and how did it add to or detract from your enjoyment of the read?
Do you think that the characters are meant to represent any particular person, a type of person, or is this strictly a fantasy in which they are simply an anthropomorphized version of the animals themselves?
Do you think that children today would enjoy The Wind in the Willows, and if so at what age?
Feel free either to answer these questions, or to comment on other aspects of this first section.
Remember, things that occur in Chapters 1-3 can be discussed openly, if you refer to later passages in the book please be sure to hide any spoilers. (You can find formatting tips by clicking on (some html is ok) just above the top right of the comments box.)