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Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary work.
Home As a Source of Strength
The novel begins with the main characters, the Mole and the Toad, leaving home, and the stories end with their discovery of home’s sweetness, which brings them strength and maturity. The Mole’s growth and development depend upon his understanding of both the wide world above him and the solid foundation he has built for himself underground. Only by leaving home can he understand nature’s vastness or the joys of companionship. But only by returning home can he appreciate his own ability to contribute to the world above ground. After Chapter V, “Dulce Domum,” the Mole becomes a more solid, trustworthy companion whose bravery and intelligence serves him and his friends well in battle. These are lessons that the Toad takes longer to learn, subjecting him to hardship in his adventures. He brings such hardships on himself by treating his homestead with callous disregard, believing that real adventure can only be found on the road.
Two static characters, the Water Rat and the Badger, are deeply rooted in their dwelling places, with which they share many characteristics. The Water’s Rat hole in the riverbank seems susceptible to flooding, but he is equally at home along the river’s entire stretch. When water enters his home, it is simply part of his life’s ebb and flow. Like the water, he is perpetually in motion, following the pattern of the tide. Both he and the river also hungrily swallow whatever they come across. Finally, both the river and the Water Rat can be calm and poetic, counterbalancing their own quick currents. The Badger’s vast underground dwelling suits his large frame and slow, lumbering movements. From there, he draws strength in the winter when he hibernates, and in all seasons he seeks the comfort of home when he needs to retire from society and be alone with his thoughts. It’s sufficiently spacious and stocked with food for him to host his friends and neighbors. As the ruins of a human civilization, it is a testament to the longevity of nature and the Badger himself.
The Power of Nature
Nature is a force in The Wind in the Willows rather than a character. As such, it is neither benevolent nor malevolent. This neutrality means that the characters must pay constant attention to its actions and influence, or risk being imperiled. Most often, natural forces create a backdrop that guides the characters’ actions and emotions. The Mole and Water Rat, in particular, pay careful attention to the music that nature adds to their world through the wind in the willows or the babbling river. Their deep awareness of nature’s powers allows them to hear the music of the Piper while they search for Portly the otter. They get a glimpse of the power of nature, personified, which suggests that nature recognizes and rewards animals who have strong connections to the natural world. Despite losing their memory of the demi-god, their ability to hear his song after he disappears is a way for nature to acknowledge their appreciation and awe.
Each character relates to nature in his own way. The Mole appreciates the pageantry of nature’s seasons, from the colors of the spring and summer to the solid bones of winter. In the beginning of the novel, the Mole is less knowledgeable about the patterns and dangers of the natural world. This makes him less prepared for the ways that nature’s forces can turn against him, so he is caught unprepared by the snow in the Wild Wood. Meanwhile, the more experienced Water Rat and Badger take precautions against nature’s more dangerous powers, wisely remaining at home during the winter months. But even the Water Rat is not immune to the magical pull nature’s seasons exert over migratory creatures. His longing for warmer seasons lures him south, and he attempts to make his own voyage for reasons he cannot articulate or understand. Only the Toad seems unmoved by nature’s splendor, choosing instead to live in a manor house and focus his attention on machines and vehicles, speeding through the countryside without even glancing at the scenery. His refusal to slow down and observe the power of nature is part of what leads to his downfall.
The Importance of Animal Etiquette
In The Wind in the Willows, Graham uses animal etiquette as a way to delineate relationships between characters and to comment on British society. Etiquette is a fluid social construct that changes depending upon contextual factors such as historical time, geographic location, and socioeconomic class. Grahame capitalizes on this as he applies it to animals rather than people. Some other children’s books detailing animals’ lives confront some of nature’s harsh realities. But Grahame uses the idea of animal etiquette to avoid topics like habitat encroachment and the food chain. For example, when the Mole and Water Rat stay with the Badger to wait out the storm, there is no danger that he will eat them. According to the rules of animal etiquette, the Badger welcomes them inside and it is clear that they are social equals. Humans and animals interact as equals in world’s that are similar with only slight overlap, so Grahame avoids the tension of topics such as habitat loss and pest control.
The second reason why animal etiquette is important is that it allows Graham to satirize the manners of British society. The Toad is a member of the landed gentry, which is supposed to act benevolently toward a village’s subjects. Instead, he causes them trouble, forcing them to attempt to invert the social hierarchy by restraining him. The Badger in general shuns polite society but enforces social order by first confining the Toad, and then by leading the attack to retake Toad Hall. As an established member of society, the Badger’s actions and decisions carry weight. Meanwhile, the Mole is a relative newcomer and he is rather naïve about social norms. Much of his character development centers on his growing understanding of animal etiquette. And as his manners and social graces improve, so does his social standing. By the end of the novel, the Mole is cheered as a valuable member of society. Meanwhile, the Toad, who has been forced to act with the proper etiquette, is not taken seriously, despite being the lord of the manor.
