The Wind in the Willows | Social Sensitivity

The Wind in the Willows Social Sensitivity

There is very little in The Wind in the Willows that could cause even the youngest reader difficulties. What little violence there is is handled in a humorous way; in fact, no one suffers more than a few bruises, as in the banquet hall scene in the book's final chapter.

The dangers that do threaten the characters, such as Mole's near drowning— are handled so that the character comes to no real harm, but learns a valuable lesson about prudent behavior. The characters are honest, simple folks who eventually learn from their mistakes, even Toad. And they certainly provide examples of what it means to be a loyal friend and a trusting companion.

Grahame is not a didactic writer; in fact, he prefers to let his characters learn from experience, clearly believing that it is impossible to tell someone how to behave correctly if that person...
(read more)