illustrated portraits of Toad, Mole, Rat, and Badger set against a woodland scene

The Wind in the Willows

by Kenneth Grahame

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The Wind in the Willows Characters

The main characters in The Wind in the Willows are Mole, Rat, Badger, and Toad.

  • Mole is an introverted creature who decides to venture out one day and see some of the world. He befriends Rat, Badger, and Toad on his adventures.
  • Rat is Mole's best friend, who invites him to stay at his house as a guest.
  • Badger is a reclusive creature who loves people but hates society. He confronts Toad about his reckless behavior.
  • Toad is wealthy and reckless, and he is arrested and sentenced to twenty years in prison after stealing a car and being a menace to society.

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Characters Discussed

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Mole

Mole, an introvert. He is introduced to the world about him by Water Rat, who takes him on various excursions and becomes his friend. Mole learns to swim, to row, and to find the meaning of the wind in the willows. He even learns to see Him who brings Life and Death to all creatures.

Water Rat

Water Rat, an extrovert. He becomes Mole’s friend and shows him the world of stream and forest.

Toad

Toad, a wealthy playboy. He lives at Toad Hall, the most magnificent residence in animal land. He becomes addicted to every fad. He takes Mole and Water Rat on a short-lived trip in a gypsy caravan and then becomes an automobile owner, driving the fastest and gaudiest of cars. He gets into and out of all sorts of scrapes.

Badger

Badger, a recluse who lives in the Wild Wood. No one dares bother him. He likes People but hates Society. Even so, he helps other animals, including Toad. When Toad Hall is taken over by the stoats and weasels, he helps the other animals drive out the intruders.

Otter

Otter, who joins Mole and Water Rat on their first picnic.

Sea-Farer

Sea-Farer, a seagoing rat who visits Water Rat and tries to tempt him into traveling about the Wide World.

Themes and Characters

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Although the main characters in The Wind in the Willows are animals, readers quickly forget that Mole, Toad, Ratty, and Badger are animals and become engrossed in their adventures and mishaps as if they were human characters. While a few humans briefly appear in the story, they remain nameless and primarily serve to advance the plot, such as the gypsy who feeds Toad breakfast and buys his stolen horse.

Mole is the central character of the story, connecting all the others. Overcome by a strong bout of spring fever, Mole leaves his cozy home and, after meeting Ratty, moves into his riverbank burrow. Mole, initially unaware of the vast world around him, gradually learns about life above ground, boating, and having adventures with new friends. Although he is typically reserved, Mole stands by his friends when they need help, such as when the weasels, ferrets, and stoats take over Toad Hall.

Ratty is in tune with his environment, knows how to stay out of trouble, and is knowledgeable about the river, the fields, and the Wild Wood. Generally content with his life, he enjoys simple pleasures—good food, his rowboat, and the company of friends. He always lends a hand when someone is in trouble, whether it’s helping Otter find his lost pup, Portly, assisting Mole when he gets lost in the Wild Wood, or aiding Toad when he encounters issues with his automobile. However, Ratty is also a dreamer; when he hears birds preparing for migration, he yearns for a more adventurous life. When the Sea Rat wanders by and shares tales of the open sea, Ratty starts to see his life by the River as dull. Fortunately, Mole brings him inside and, by encouraging him to write more poetry, prevents him from running away to seek adventure at sea.

Toad, unlike the other animals, is a creature of whims, flitting from one excitement to the next as his mood dictates. We first see his impulsive nature when Rat introduces Mole to the boathouse, filled with fancy boats that Toad once adored but quickly discarded. The initial indication of Toad's recklessness is when he insists on taking his friends on a journey in his latest "find," a gypsy caravan wagon. His ultimate downfall arrives with the automobile that crashes Toad's wagon into a...

(This entire section contains 797 words.)

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ditch. From that point, keeping Toad out of trouble becomes a constant struggle, as the motorcar becomes his newest obsession. He continually buys and wrecks cars, filling his garage with destroyed vehicles. His foolishness eventually leads to a twenty-year prison sentence for car theft and insulting the police. Toad struggles to learn from his mistakes, and it is only through Badger and Ratty's insistence that he begins to act more wisely.

Badger's character is one of a wise observer who intervenes only when absolutely necessary. He possesses extensive knowledge of the Wild Wood and its surroundings and maintains good relations with its inhabitants. Most creatures avoid the area due to the presence of dangerous animals like weasels. It is Badger who orchestrates the plan to reclaim Toad Hall from the Wild Wood animals. Knowing the secret of the underground passage, Badger uses this knowledge effectively in the battle to recover Toad's ancestral home.

The events in The Wind in the Willows clearly reflect Grahame's belief in the virtues of country living, loyalty to friends, and avoiding foolish whims. Every creature has its place in the world of the River, even the weasels, who, after the battle for Toad Hall, show remorse and strive to coexist peacefully with the other animals.

Characters encounter trouble when they try to be someone they are not, as exemplified by Toad and his obsession with automobiles. He is further criticized for his selfishness, endangering others with his reckless driving and self-centered actions, such as stealing the barge woman's horse or dragging Rat and Mole on his gypsy wagon escapade. However, people can learn and change, and in the book's final chapter, Toad finally ceases his bragging and self-important behavior.

Grahame seems to hold a low opinion of what we call civilization, evidenced by the fact that it is a product of this civilized world—the automobile—that lands Toad in jail. It's important to note that when Grahame wrote The Wind in the Willows, cars were rare and often considered nuisances by most people. Additional signs of Grahame's skeptical view of "civilization" appear throughout the story. The Wild Wood itself has grown over the site of an ancient city that crumbled and was reclaimed by nature. Despite this, the main characters—Mole, Ratty, Badger, and Toad—do not lack creature comforts. Their homes are well-appointed, with Toad's residence being furnished to the level of wealthy country gentry. All the characters clearly value the comforts their homes provide.

Characters

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Badger

Badger, often called Mr. Badger, commands both respect and fear among the animals. Rat is the first to bring him up: “Dear old Badger! Nobody interferes with him. They’d better not.” By the story's conclusion, the Weasels particularly fear him, quieting their children with warnings that “if they didn’t hush them and not fret them, the terrible gray Badger would up and get them.” Toad is able to humble himself and apologize for his reckless driving when alone with Badger. However, once he is back with Rat and Mole, he boldly declares, “No! . . . I’m not sorry!”

Badger is also regarded as very wise. Rat and Mole rarely question him, and even the boastful Toad only challenges him occasionally. Badger's judgment is fair and astute. For instance, when Toad exclaims, “I’ll learn ‘em to steal my house!” referring to the Stoats and Weasels, Rat corrects him, changing "learn" to "teach." But Badger supports Toad’s original wording. Later, when Mole describes how he visited the Stoat guards in disguise and exaggerated their impending attack, Rat and Toad scold him for losing the element of surprise. In contrast, Badger praises Mole for his cleverness in unsettling the guards.

Despite his wisdom, respect, and fearsome reputation, Badger is also compassionate and forgiving. He is always ready to help those in need, especially friends. When Mole and Rat are lost in the Wild Wood, he takes them in without hesitation, providing dry clothes, food, and shelter for the night. He makes significant efforts to get Toad to act responsibly during his obsession with motorcars and remains selfless even when his attempts fail. Badger looks after Toad Hall while Toad is imprisoned and assists in reclaiming it from the Weasels and Stoats.

Bargewoman

Toad encounters the bargewoman shortly after escaping jail and finding himself lost in the woods. She is a stout, rustic woman who is initially willing to help Toad, believing he is a washerwoman who can assist with her laundry. However, she quickly throws him overboard when she realizes he has no laundry skills.

Engine Driver

The engine driver appears willing to help anyone in dire straits. Disguised as a washerwoman, Toad receives a ride on his train after claiming she can't get home to her children because she lost her money. When the police start chasing them, Toad admits to his crimes and deception. Despite this, the engine driver remains sympathetic, saying, “. . . you are evidently in sore trouble and distress, so I will not desert you.”

Gentlemen in the Motorcar

The gentlemen with the motorcar primarily function to advance the plot. Their initial appearance in the story is to provide Toad with a car to steal. Later, they encounter Toad stranded by the roadside and allow him to drive their automobile, amused by the notion of a washerwoman behind the wheel. Toad, ecstatic to be driving again after his time in jail, reveals his true identity and ends up crashing the car. One of the gentlemen then finds a policeman and chases Toad across a field until Toad falls into the river, which eventually carries him back to the River Bank community.

Gypsy

Toad meets the gypsy after riding several miles on a horse he had stolen from the bargewoman. Feeling extremely hungry, he approaches a caravan with a pot over a fire emitting delicious aromas. Hoping to get some food, he speaks with the gypsy who immediately asks to buy Toad’s horse. They negotiate, and Toad sells the horse for six shillings and six pence, plus all the stew he can eat.

Jailer’s Daughter

The jailer, aware of his daughter’s love for caring for animals, permits her to look after Toad at her request. She brings him meals, likely better than what the other prisoners receive, and keeps him company. Their bond grows stronger, to the point where the jailer’s daughter can no longer bear seeing Toad imprisoned. She formulates a successful escape plan for him, in which Toad is disguised in her aunt’s clothes, who happens to be the jail’s washerwoman.

Mole

Mole is arguably the most passionate character in The Wind in the Willows. He is always eager to help another animal in need. Even when Rat, who is quite compassionate himself, hesitates to search for the Otter family’s missing child, Portly, Mole insists they must act, saying, “I simply can’t go and turn in, and go to sleep, and do nothing, even though there doesn’t seem to be anything to be done.” Mole is generally very enthusiastic about people, whether meeting them for the first time or reuniting after a long absence. When Toad returns from his “adventures,” Badger greets him sympathetically but too reserved for Toad’s liking. In contrast, Mole is overjoyed to see him and gives Toad the enthusiastic welcome he desires, calling him a “clever, ingenious, intelligent Toad!” Mole’s emotions are also deeply stirred by his surroundings. Upon seeing Rat’s boat for the first time, his “whole heart went out to it at once. . . .”

Mole is a newcomer to the River Bank community and the above-ground world. At the start of the novel, he is much like a child, experiencing everything for the first time. This is evident when he says to Rat, “all this is so new to me. So—this— is—a—River!” He is eager to try new things, such as when he grabs the oars from Rat to attempt rowing. Mole is also quick to learn, picking up skills and intuitions swiftly, as shown in the following lines:

He learnt to swim and to row, and entered into the joy of running water; and with his ear to the reed stems he caught, at intervals, something of what the wind went whispering so constantly among them.

Despite being new to the area, Mole is quite independent, which leads to trouble early in the novel. He is very keen to meet Mr. Badger, whom he has heard a lot about from Rat. Rat prefers to wait for Badger to visit them, but Mole finds this too passive. Determined, Mole ventures into the Wild Wood alone to meet Badger, resulting in him getting lost and trapped in a snowstorm. However, he eventually meets Badger. Later in the novel, Mole disguises himself and convinces the Stoats that a large attack on Toad Hall is imminent, making their small ambush more effective and showing how much he has learned about the above-ground world.

Otter

Otter is a close friend of the novel’s main characters—Rat, Mole, Badger, and Toad. He appears several times in the story, both in person and by name, often serving as a link to the broader River Bank community. When he first appears, he says, “All the world seems out on the river today. I came up this backwater to try to get a moment’s peace, and then stumble upon you fellows!” Otter frequently brings information from the larger community into the story, such as when he arrives at Badger’s house to report that the community is worried about Rat and Mole's disappearance.

Otter is unique because he represents the closest thing to a family in the book. While the four main characters are bachelors, Otter has a son named Portly and seems to have a family referred to as “the Otters.” Though they are never explicitly called a family, it is implied by how they host Rat at their house as a unit and inquire about Portly as a unit.

Portly

Though Portly doesn't influence the main events of The Wind in the Willows, he plays a pivotal role in Chapter 7, “The Piper at the Gates of Dawn.” Portly, Otter’s son, is so young that he is once described as a baby. He often wanders off alone, which usually isn't alarming because everyone in the River Bank community watches over him. However, in this chapter, he goes missing for several days, causing significant anxiety for the Otters. Rat and Mole eventually find him at the feet of a mythological creature, likely the “piper” referenced in the chapter title, by following the sound of his music. Portly isn't mentioned elsewhere in the book, aligning with this unique chapter that introduces a one-off magical element and delves deeply into the Otters' family dynamic.

Rat

Rat, also known as River Rat, is one of the four main characters in the novel. A prominent trait of Rat is his generosity. He is the first character Mole meets above ground, and Rat welcomes him to the River Bank with a boat ride and a picnic, which includes an array of foods such as “coldtonguecoldhamcoldbeefpickledgherkinssaladfrenchrollscresssandwichespottedmeatginger beerlemonadesodawater —.” After their picnic, Rat invites Mole to stay at his house for the night. The story spans about a year, during which Mole resides at Rat’s home for most of the time. One exception is when they spend a night at Mole’s house, and even then, Rat shows his generosity by giving a field mouse money to buy groceries for a nice supper, helping Mole be a gracious host.

Rat is also compassionate, although he tends to assist others when it involves proper conduct or appearance. When he finds Mole after he has wandered into the Wild Wood alone, the first thing Rat says is, “You shouldn’t really have gone and done it. . . . We riverbankers, we hardly ever come here by ourselves.” Similarly, when he rescues Toad from the river after his escape from the police, he immediately instructs him to “go off upstairs at once . . . and put on some of my clothes and try and come down looking like a gentleman.” This might explain why Rat is initially hesitant to act when young Portly goes missing; he may feel powerless as the situation doesn't relate to proper behavior.

Sea Rat

The Sea Rat is a pivotal character in the chapter titled “Wayfarers All,” but he does not appear elsewhere in the story. One day, Rat meets the Sea Rat while feeling inexplicably restless. The Sea Rat shares tales of his adventures abroad, captivating Rat with his stories. Rat plans to accompany the Sea Rat on his next journey, but Mole intervenes. This encounter highlights a key theme of the novel—the tension between the comfort of home and the allure of new experiences.

Stoats and Weasels

The Stoats and Weasels seize Toad Hall while Toad is imprisoned, much to the astonishment of Badger and Mole, who are caretaking the property. Rat recounts how “they took and beat them severely with sticks . . . and turned them out into the cold. . . .” They serve as the antagonists in the final two chapters of The Wind in the Willows, “‘Like Summer Tempests Came His Tears,’” and “The Return of Ulysses.” However, their characters are more nuanced, as Rat explains: “They’re all right in a way—I’m very good friends with them . . . but they break out sometimes . . . and then—well, you can’t really trust them. . . .” Consistent with Rat’s description, one of the Weasels, shortly after being expelled, returns to Toad Hall to offer his assistance.

Toad

Toad is the catalyst for many of the book's plot twists. His obsession with automobiles leads him to steal a car and receive a twenty-year prison sentence. He escapes and makes his way back home, frequently pursued by the police. Along his journey, he encounters several fascinating individuals, including an engine driver, a bargewoman, and a gypsy. Eventually, he arrives at Rat’s house, where he learns that the Stoats and Weasels have taken over Toad Hall. Consequently, the four main characters must unite to reclaim Toad Hall.

Rat provides a fairly accurate, if somewhat generous, description of Toad’s personality:

So simple, so good-natured, and so affectionate. Perhaps he’s not very clever—we can’t all be geniuses; and it may be that he is both boastful and conceited. But he has got some great qualities, has Toady.

Toad relishes a simple life. Having come into a large inheritance, he doesn't need to work for his livelihood. Instead, he constantly seeks out new hobbies that capture his interest. He also loves entertaining and often combines hosting his friends with his latest pursuits, which explains the cart trip with Mole and Rat. Toad is undeniably arrogant and enjoys being the center of attention. He frequently fantasizes about giving speeches and singing songs about his adventures to an enthralled audience, as he imagines doing before the party celebrating the recapture of Toad Hall. In the end, Toad appears to have changed his ways, no longer behaving arrogantly and self-centeredly. As the text notes, “He was indeed an altered Toad!”

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