In The Wind in the Willows, author Keneth Grahame portrays each character as having a particular role within an anthropomorphized nuclear family.

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The Wind in the Willows

In The Wind in the Willows, author Keneth Grahame portrays each character as having a particular role within an anthropomorphized nuclear family. The two main characters, namely Mole and Toad, are child-like figures insofar as they both possess characteristics such as naiveity, impulsivness, selfishness, imaturity and self-indulgence. Both characters, however, will come to recognize their childish shortcomings only as they are led away from their respective homes and comfort zones into a foreign reality that demands their growth and maturity. The naivety and self-motivated impulses that originally drive Mole and Toad’s behaviour in the beginning chapters of the text, will become less evedent as the two characters become more self aware through a series of unfortunate events.

 Mole’s child-like nature is first revealed when he disregards his spring cleaning and opts for an above ground excursion in the meadow. Not only does this act of  impulsiveness speak to Mole’s irresponsibility and his inability to follow through with important tasks, it also shows his indifference towards structure, discipline, and anything else that stands in his way of freedom and pleasure. As Mole is underground cleaning his home, Grahame writes that something up above was calling him imperiously” (p.2). This imperious voice is the voice of spring-- a voice that, for Mole, is strong enough to persuade him away from work towards a more inviting outside world. Mole is at once given to his childlike impulses when he obeys the voice of spring and disregards his chores altogether. When Mole reaches the hedge on the far side of the meadow, there is an elderly rabbit standing at the gap waiting to collect a toll payment. Grahame writes that the rabbit “was bowled over in an instant by the impatient and contemtuous Mole, who trotted along the side of the hedge chaffing the other rabbits as they peeped hurriedly from their holes to see what the row was about. ‘Onion-sauce! Onion-sauce! Mole remarked jeeringly, and was gone befor they could think of a thoroughly satisfactory reply”(3). Mole is so overwhelmed by the newness of the outside world that he reacts, as most children would, with a giddy impulsivness and audacity.

Mole continues to act like a child when he decides to seek out Badger in the Wild Wood against the instrunction of the more experienced Rat (38). Knowing full well that Rat has advised him never to the travel to the Wild Wood, Mole, like a disobeidient child, ignores Ratty’ instructions and ventures into foreign territory in the harsh of winter. Earlier in the novel, when Mole observes Ratty’s boat near the river bank, his “heart went out to it at once, even though he did not yet fully understand its uses”(5). Like a child who has just found a new toy to play with, “Mole waggled his toes from sheer happiness, spread his chest with a sigh of contentment, and leaned back blissfully into the soft cushions” (6). This speaks to Mole’s naivety as he is unaware of the impending dangers of his actions. For example, when he decides to enter alone into the Wild Wood. Mole penetrates deep into the forest until he finds himself surrounded by Ferrets, Weasels, and “that thing Rat had vainly tried to shield him from—the Terror of the Wild Wood” (44). Faced with a fight-or-flight decision, Mole, like a child, is paralized by fear and elects to hide in a hollow tree until Rat arrives to his rescue.

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Further evidence to suggest Mole is child-like is seen when he and Rat stumble upon a door scraper in the Wild Wood. As both characters are walking through the dark wood, Mole trips and opens his leg on a sharp object in the snow. The different ways in which Rat and Mole react to this situation testify to their levels of maturity. Mole is so obsorbed with the pain of the cut that he says, “never mind what done it” (50). Rat, however, looks deeper into the situation and remarks, “it’s a very clean cut…that was never done by a ...

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