A Wind in the Door | Themes

A Wind in the Door Themes

Good versus Evil

In the novel, the Echthroi represent all evil. The word "echthroi" stems from a Greek word that translates as "the enemy," and author L'Engle proposes in her novel that there is only one enemy, one source of evil, collectively known as the Echthroi. As the cherubim Proginoskes explains, Echthroi are the cause behind all warfare, destruction, distrust and miscommunication. Through Proginoskes' character, L'Engle defines and characterizes the nature of evil. Proginoskes calls earth a shadowed planet, and he finds it a frightening place to be. When protagonist Meg Murry defends her home planet, telling Progo that the earth is beautiful, Proginoskes reminds her that there are wars, discord and disharmony on earth. This is an interesting perspective on good and evil. The author is taking a very hard line against evil. Through Progo's character, L'Engle makes the black and white statement that both good and evil are absolute. If there...
(read more)