The actual plot is much more complicated. The book opens with the fears and disappointments of young Meg Murray. While Meg's whole family is smart and talented, Meg feels average and is quite hostile about it. To make matters worse, Meg's father has been gone for quite some time on some top secret government business related to his physics background. Meg's baby brother, Charles Wallace, is wise beyond his years and seems to have the ability to know what Meg is feeling. During a dark and stormy night, a strange old woman appears at the Murrays' door. The woman turns out to be Mrs. Whatsit, a friend of Charles Wallace. The next day, Charles Wallace and Meg set out to visit Mrs. Whatsit and meet a new friend, Calvin O'Keefe. Calvin becomes a source of comfort and companionship for Meg. By the end of the day, Charles Wallace, Meg and Calvin are travelling through spacetime to rescue their father from the darkness of the universe with the help of Mrs. Whatsit and her companions Mrs. Who and Mrs. Which.
This is only the beginning. Although I found this book somewhat confusing and would worry about its accessibility for young readers, it is a wonderful book. As a lead character, Meg is excellent. Almost any reader can find common ground in her sorrow, her fear or her need for affirmation. Although I found the ending abrupt, it left me feeling empowered by love and affirmation for believing in myself and my own power to do good. (My what a cheesy ending, right?)
The edition that I read (published by Square Fish in 2007) included a short interview with the author and then the author's Newberry Medal speech. In her speech, L'Engle calls authors to action, to plead with them to continue writing fantasy for children because fantasy is part of a "universal language" that children need to become a part of.
While looking for more information, I was excited to find teaching materials for the book from The Glencoe Literature Library. I accessed it as a pdf (http://www.glencoe.com/sec/literature/litlibrary/pdf/wrinkle_in_time.pdf) and the document includes guides for mapping the characters and the main events, as well as background information on the author, the concepts, new vocabulary and more. If you are interested in using this book in your classroom, check this information out.
As a preteen, I remember reading this book and "A Wind in the Door" again and again. Meg, in particular, appealed to me. Thanks for the Glencoe site, Kim. I especially liked the activity that focused on connections to "other worlds" literature! All of these rich internet resources are such a boon to readers - and to future teachers :)
ReplyDeleteI have heard many references to this book but never actually read it. The relationship between Charles Wallace and Mrs. Whatsit sounds particularly intriguing.
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