Madeleine L'Engle - A Wrinkle in Time: Literature Guide

I'm reverting back to my childhood during my week off of school by reading many of Madeleine L'Engle's novels. Fortunately, I am enjoying them just as much, or more, as an adult as I did as a child. The logical place to start with these books is the most famous, the 1963 award winner A Wrinkle in Time. This book, like most of L'Engle's, is geared toward older children and can be found in the juvenile or young adult section of most libraries. The story is a mixture of fantasy and science-fiction with a good chunk of religious symbolism thrown in for good measure. A Wrinkle in Time is a thrilling read and I think you will enjoy it.

Plot Information
This is the first of several L'Engle books focusing on the adventures of the Murray family. The Murray parents work as very important scientists, and Mr. Murray has seemingly disappeared while completing an important mission. This leaves the Murray children alone with their mother to hold down the fort. The children are Sandy and Dennys, the athletic twins, Meg, the misfit high-schooler, and Charles Wallace, the ridiculously intelligent and unusual five-year-old who has skipped baby talk altogether and moved into full sentences and scientific terminology. The action starts on a dark and stormy night, of course, with the family huddled in the kitchen. Mrs. Whatsit, an eccentric stranger, drops by the house in dramatic fashion. She is not really a stranger, as Charles Wallace has met her before. In fact, she and her cohorts Mrs. Who and Mrs. Which are critically important to the Murry family and the goal of finding and rescuing Mr. Murray. The rest of the book follows Meg, Charles Wallace, and their friend Calvin on a dramatic adventure through time and space in an attempt to save Mr. Murray.

My Thoughts
A Wrinkle in Time is a unique novel with a highly entertaining plot. As a kid (and even as an adult) the book kept me at the edge of my seat. There are many exotic fantasy characters, including unicorns, friendly eyeless blobs, and the very creepy "It." Some of the book's chapters are just plain chilling, particularly one where the children find themselves on a creepy planet where all the inhabitants move in perfect order and unison. The book's plot unwinds slowly and deliberately, yet all the elements come together in the very end, just when I found myself wondering how L'Engle could possibly tie her loose ends up in time to close the book in twenty or so pages. Many of the characters are lovable, and the book emphasizes caring about the heart of a person rather than his or her physical appearance. This point is driven home by the fact that some of the most wonderful characters the children encounter are sightless and quite fearsome to look at.

L'Engle throws a lot of stuff in this book, making it great for later readings and analysis. There are verses from the Bible, poems, diagrams of scientific concepts, and mathematical equations. The reader can struggle to wrap his mind around "a wrinkle in time" or "the fifth dimension." Quite honestly, even after multiple readings I'm not sure exactly what all the book's references mean, but its fun to try to figure them out.

I love that A Wrinkle in Time remains consistent with L'Engle's later books. A chronology at the front of each of L'Engle's novels shows a large family tree demonstrating how her characters intertwine and what books each of them makes an appearance in. It is good to finish a beloved book and know you can see the characters again soon in another exciting adventure. At the same time, each book is perfectly legitimate as a stand-alone read and reading A Wrinkle in Time without glancing at the rest of the series is still rewarding.

Depending on how much you want to reflect on the book's deeper concepts, A Wrinkle in Time is a relatively speedy read. I finished it and the follow up A Wind in the Door both yesterday. In my edition, the book has just over 200 pages with relatively large print. It's a good thing the book can be finished within a few hours, because I guarantee you won't want to put it down until you reach the conclusion.

Child Appropriateness
I know this book has been banned in various times and places, but quite honestly I think that is a little silly. There isn't anything inappropriate here, in terms of language, sex, or anything like that. Additionally, the book is pretty short and most of the words are simple. The book is certainly no darker or more "adult" than the Harry Potter Series, or perhaps even the Chronicles of Narnia.

I will say, though, that while I loved this book as a kid, some of the darker themes scared the bejeebers out of me when I read about them alone in my room. I was honestly convinced that It was coming for me. Additionally, some of the scientific jargon was a bit above my comprehension when I read this in the fourth or fifth grade. If you have young kids who are interested in this book, this would be a great pick for parent and child to enjoy together. If you read it out loud you can stop to puzzle together through difficult concepts like "what is a tesseract?" and have a lot of fun doing so. Adolescents should certainly be able to handle the material on their own.

Overall…
I just love Madeleine L'Engle's work. She shows a huge amount of imagination and a real skill for breaking difficult concepts down into an exciting story accessible by a wide variety of readers. If you missed this book as a kid and enjoy a good fantasy read, don't hesitate to give A Wrinkle in Time a try as an adult.