The Wind in the Willows | Of School and the River: The Wind in the Willows and Its Immediate Audience
In the following essay, Grahame discusses the intended readership of The Wind in the Willows, asserting that the novel’s form and structure were meant to prepare Grahame’s son for what to expect when attending school.
The Wind in the Willows is most innocently appreciated as nostalgic animal fantasy: a pastoral celebration of animal life along the riverbank, where the four primary “animal gentlemen” Mole, Rat, Badger, and Toad enjoy a series of picaresque adventures that often involve “messing about in boats” but always end with a return to their snug and comfortable homes. The novel’s episodes promote friendship, courtesy, competence, courage, and generosity in an idyllic world where sex, work, violence, and death are beyond the horizon. Experienced readers contextualize the...
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