A Wrinkle in Time Quintet Quotes

“For want of a nail the shoe was lost; for want of a shoe the horse was lost; for want of a horse the rider was lost; for want of a rider the message was lost; for want of the message the battle was lost; for want of the battle the war was lost; for want of the war the kingdom was lost; and all for the want of a horseshoe nail.”
― Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time Quintet

“imagination; it’s their own world, the world of their daily life, and it’s our loss that so many of us grow out of it. Probably this group here tonight is the least grown-out-of-it group that could be gathered together in one place, simply by the nature of our work. We, too, can understand how Alice could walk through the mirror into the country on the other side; how often have our children almost done this themselves? And we all understand princesses, of course. Haven’t we all been badly bruised by peas? And what about the princess who spat forth toads and snakes whenever she opened her mouth to speak, and the other whose lips issued forth pieces of pure gold? We all have had days when everything we’ve said has seemed to turn to toads. The days of gold, alas, don’t come nearly as often. What a child doesn’t realize until he is grown is that in responding to fantasy, fairy tale, and myth he is responding to what Erich Fromm calls the one universal language, the one and only language in the world that cuts across all barriers of time, place, race, and culture. Many Newbery books are from this realm, beginning with Dr. Dolittle; books on Hindu myth, Chinese folklore, the life of Buddha, tales of American Indians, books that lead our children beyond all boundaries and into the one language of all mankind.”
― Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time Quintet

“Perhaps one of the most compelling and moving descriptions of that internal battle comes near the end of the book, when Mrs Whatsit tells the children that life, with its rules, its obligations, and its freedoms, is like a sonnet: “You’re given the form, but you have to write the sonnet yourself. What you say is completely up to you.”
― Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time Quintet

“Ananda: that joy without which the universe will fall apart and collapse.”
― Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time Quintet

“And as long as there are even a few who belong to the Old Music, you are still our brothers and sisters.”
― Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time Quintet

“If there is to be any peace or reason, we have to create it in our own hearts and homes.”
― Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time Quintet

“Remember, he hasn’t much imagination. Or, rather, it’s been frozen for a long while and hasn’t had time to thaw.”
― Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time Quintet

“In my tadpole stage I was delivered to Metron Ariston and transmogrified, and here am I. My name is Sporos, by the way, and I do not like your thinking names like mouse-creature and shrimp-thing at me.”
― Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time Quintet

“Again Mrs Which’s voice reverberated through the cave. “Therre willl nno llonggerr bee sso manyy pplleasanntt thinggss too llookk att iff rressponssible ppeoplle ddo nnott ddoo ssomethingg abboutt thee unnppleassanntt oness.”
― Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time Quintet

“Charles Wallace understands more than the rest of us, doesn’t he?”
― Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time Quintet

“Why do lawyers never get bitten by snakes?” “I give up. Why do lawyers never get bitten by snakes?” “Professional courtesy.”
― Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time Quintet

“we would, all of us, be less than we are if it weren’t for those we love and who’ve loved us who have died.”
― Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time Quintet

“she stopped herself from being hurt long, long ago by not letting herself love anybody or anything.”
― Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time Quintet

“Let's not worry about next year till we get through this one," Mrs. Murry said. "More French toast, boys?”
― Madeleine L'Engle, The Wrinkle in Time Quintet - Boxed Set

“We want nothing from you that you do without grace,” Mrs Whatsit said, “or that you do without understanding.”
― Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time Quintet

“It isn’t just in distant galaxies that strange, unreasonable things are happening. Unreason has crept up on us so insidiously that we’ve hardly been aware of it. But think of the things going on in our own country which you wouldn’t have believed possible only a few years ago.”
― Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time Quintet

“But human beings need Deepening Places, too. And far too many never have any.”
― Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time Quintet

“the climax of their journey is a showdown with IT, the cold and calculating disembodied intelligence that has cast a black shadow over the universe in its quest to make everyone behave and believe the same.”
― Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time Quintet

“What you think is not the point. What you do is what’s going to count.”
― Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time Quintet

“Her father said, “You know, my dears, the world has been abnormal for so long that we’ve forgotten what it’s like to live in a peaceful and reasonable climate. If there is to be any peace or reason, we have to create it in our own hearts and homes.” “Even at a time like this?” Meg asked. The call from Calvin, the sound of her husband’s voice, had nearly broken her control. “Especially at a time like this,” her mother said gently.”
― Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time Quintet

“If someone knows who he is, really knows, then he doesn’t need to hate.”
― Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time Quintet

“He’s nothing but a deformed emanation of energy.”
― Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time Quintet

“Que la terre est petite à qui la voit des cieux! Delille. How small is the earth to him who looks from heaven,”
― Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time Quintet

“Your father needs help, he needs courage, and for his children he may be able to do what he cannot do for himself.”
― Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time Quintet

“We’ll never leave the solar system as long as we keep on thinking of time as a river flowing from one direction into the sea.”
― Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time Quintet

“those who sought power were greedy, wanting gifts, and bribes, and willing to steal from the poor.”
― Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time Quintet

“I have learned that I love. Love. That is a good word.”
― Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time Quintet

“Whatever we give, we have to give out of love. That, I believe, is the nature of God.”
― Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time Quintet

“An icon is not meant to be an idol. Just a reminder that love is greater than hate.”
― Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time Quintet

“I’m only a simple Episcopalian,” Dr. Louise said. “This is too much for me.”
― Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time Quintet