Student Question
Can Rat and Badger be considered as parents in The Wind in the Willows?
Quick answer:
In "The Wind in the Willows," Rat and Badger can be seen as parental figures. Badger embodies the patriarchal father role with his authoritative, distant demeanor, and disciplinary actions, particularly towards Toad. Rat, in contrast, is more nurturing and attentive, resembling a maternal figure. He takes care of Mole, teaching and worrying about him, and even scolds Toad for his behavior. Together, they form a family dynamic with Mole and Toad as the children.
In The Wind in the Willows, Badger would occupy the role of the traditional patriarchal father. First, he maintains a distance from the other, as a traditional father might in a family unit, and only gets involved in their issues when it is necessary. He is the classic hands-off father.
Second, he is greatly feared and respected, much like the stereotypical stern father. In this role, he acts as a disciplinarian: he is the one who locks Toad in his room when he gets too reckless and is the one to whom Toad apologizes. As Rat says of Badger,
Nobody interferes with him. They’d better not.
Finally, Badger's words hold a great deal of authority, for like the traditional father, he is considered the wisest one. He knows the history of the area, and both Rat and Mole tend to accept what he says as truth.
In contrast,...
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Rat has the closer relationship with Mole and others. He is a day-to-day caretaker, a traditional mother's role. In a symbolic sense, Rat helps give "birth" to Mole as he emerges from the underground world. Rat is the first person Mole meets, just as a mother usually is to a baby, and Rat feeds and provides a home for Mole.
Second, like many mothers of that time period, Rat dreams of a less constricted existence. For example, he is filled with longing when he listens to the birds preparing to fly away for winter. Like many mothers, too, his desire for escape is channeled into writing, a more socially acceptable role for a mother figure than wandering the globe.
Finally, like many traditional mothers, Rat is concerned with appearances. For instance, he scolds Toad when he pulls him out of the water and says:
Go off upstairs at once ... and put on some of my clothes and try and come down looking like a gentleman.
How can Rat and Badger be seen as parental figures in The Wind in the Willows?
We could certainly consider the four main characters of The Wind in the Willows to be a family of sorts. Let's explore this idea and brainstorm a thesis statement for your essay.
If Mole, Toad, Rat, and Badger are a family, then Mole and Toad are definitely the children. Mole has many things to learn, and Toad is always in trouble and needs to be rescued and corrected. Rat and Badger, then, take on the role of the parents in many ways. Rat is nurturing and caring, like a mother to Mole in some ways. Rat tells Mole stories and worries about his safety and makes meals for him and teaches him all kinds of things. Indeed, Rat is quite maternal, even scolding Toad about his careless ways. Badger, on the other hand, is somewhat more distant and does not like to be disturbed when he is in the midst of his philosophical considerations, yet he does lead the other animals in some of their most important exploits. He also works to get Toad out of trouble and teach him some responsibility.
Now let's think about a possible thesis statement for your essay. If you agree with the above discussion, then you will want to argue that Mole, Toad, Rat, and Badger form a family of sorts, with Mole and Toad as the children, Rat as the mother, and Badger as the father. Arguments for your essay might run along the lines of Mole and Toad's need for guidance, Rat's nurturing nature, and Badger's leadership skills.