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

The Wind in the Willows

by Kenneth Grahame

Start Free Trial

Student Question

How do they plan to stop Mr. Toad from driving in The Wind in the Willows?

Quick answer:

To stop Mr. Toad from driving recklessly, his friends Badger, Mole, and Rat confine him to house arrest, keeping him under constant supervision in hopes he will forget his obsession with motor cars. They compare his passion to a poison that needs to be worked out of his system. However, their plan fails when Toad feigns illness, escapes, steals a car, and crashes it due to his poor driving skills.

Expert Answers

An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

One way that Toad's well-meaning friends intend to stop Toad from driving recklessly is to put him under strict house arrest.  They confine him to his room and set up shifts to monitor his behavior to ensure that he does not try to sneak away to any more motor cars.  Badger, Mole, and Rat hope that this stint of confinement will help Toad forget all about his passion for driving as they  compare his obsession to a "poison" that must be "worked out of his system.”  Ultimately, though the friends' plan fails after Mr. Toad pretends to be ill and then sneaks away to steal a car, which of course he promptly wrecks due to his horrible driving.

Get Ahead with eNotes

Start your 48-hour free trial to access everything you need to rise to the top of the class. Enjoy expert answers and study guides ad-free and take your learning to the next level.

Get 48 Hours Free Access

References

Approved by eNotes Editorial