The Wind In The Willows Summary: Tips for Writing Effective Essays

The Wind In The Willows is a novel written by Kenneth Grahame and was first published in 1908. It is a children’s novel, and Grahame was inspired to write it based on the bedtime stories he told his son Alastair. Many consider this book children’s fiction, but there are adults who can enjoy it as well. To date, it is considered evergreen and many readers still view it as a good read despite it being a century old. If you need a more thorough The Wind In The Willows summary, check out the next sections which explain more about the themes and other literary devices used.

Overview

The story revolves around Mole’s travels along the river next to his home, where he meets Ratty, Badger, and Toad. However, Toad becomes obsessed with motor cars and ends up in trouble, which his friends work to help him overcome. 

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The Wind In The Willows Characters

Below is a list of characters in The Wind In The Willows:

1. Mole

Mole or Moley is the main character who is described as thoughtful, self-reliant, timid, friendly, and a homebody. He seeks adventure and adapts to the hectic world on the riverbank.

2. Rat

Rat/ratty is a water vole who loves hanging out near the river. He is a poetic dreamer, who is charming, friendly, enjoy leisure, loves routine, and is loyal to his friends.

3. Toad

Toad/Toady is the wealthy owner of Toad Hall. He inherited his property from his father and is known for boasting obsessive behavior, and immature outbursts. His obsession with motorcars lands him in trouble, which his friends have to help him with.

4. Badger

Badger is a wise resident of the area and a rich friend of Toad’s late father. He lives underground, is a good fighter, and is often strict with Toad. 

5. Otter

Otter is a friend to the other characters. While he is not as wealthy as the others, he is confident and supportive. Otter has a young son-Portly, and always knows what is going on behind the scenes. He also protects smaller animals like rats and moles.

6. The Weasel, Ferrets, and Stoats

Led by Weasel, these are the antagonists who want to take over Toad Hall.

7. Pan

A gentle god who lives in the wild and cares for Portly when he is lost

8. The Gaoler’s daughter

The Gaoler’s daughter is the only human character and helps Toad escape from prison

9. Squirrels and rabbits

The squirrels and rabbits are noted to be usually pleasant characters, but the rabbits are often called a mixed lot.

10. The wayfarer

The wayfarer is a sea-traveling vagabond rat who tries to convince Rat to travel with him. 

11. The Barge woman

The Barge woman is the owner of the barge and horse which Toad steals. At first, Toad seeks her help, but she throws him out of the barge when she realizes he is a toad.

12. Inhabitants of the wildwood

These are untrustworthy members of the wood.

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If you need help with other books, our The Wind In The Willows summary experts have also written a Fahrenheit 451 summary guide.

The Wind In The Willows Setting

The setting of The Wind In The Willows is a rural area, during the Edwardian era when Edward V111 reigned right after Queen Victoria’s reign. The characters are not familiar with motor cars and prefer caravans and simpler methods of transportation hence proving that they are in a rural area. Some also state that the river could be the Thames.

The plot of The Wind In The Willows

Below is a comprehensive The Wind In The Willows plot summary:

The Wind In The Willows plot begins with Mole getting bored with his spring cleaning now that the weather has improved. He travels to the river and meets Rat, who invites him for a ride in his boat and later on moves in with him. One day, they visit Toad Hall, where they find the friendly but obsessive Toad, who is now obsessed with motorcars after his horse-drawn caravan falls into a ditch when a motorcar scares the horse.

Time passes, and winter comes. Mole goes to the Wild Wood to seek out Badger but gets lost. Rat finds him hiding near some tree roots, and they try to go home. Mole scrapes his foot on Badger’s door, and they find the elusive Badger. Badger welcomes them with food, clean clothes, and conversation. The visitors tell him of Toad’s problems, such as crashing seven cars, being hospitalized thrice, and paying several fines. They decide to help Toad adopt more self-control as a result of this.

When spring arrives, they put Toad on house arrest. However, Toad tricks them and escapes. He goes to The Red Lion Inn and sees a motorcar which he steals and drives recklessly. Toad is arrested and receives a 20-year prison sentence. In jail, he meets the Gaoler’s daughter, who helps him escape. He goes to Rat’s home and finds that Toad Hall was stolen by the stoats, weasels, and ferrets who chased his friends out. 

The four friends: Rat, Mole, Badger, and Toad arm themselves and attack the wild wooders at Toad Hall. Once they are out of his house, Toad hosts a party for his friends and neighbors. At the party, Toad apologizes for his misdeeds and makes up for them to everyone he offended. The story ends at this point, and the four friends live happily ever after.

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Themes In The Wind In The Willows

1. Friendship

Friendship is the main theme among the main The Wind In The Willows themes. It describes the adventures of the four friends. They go exploring along the river, tell stories, help each other, and venture into the woods through the seasons. 

2. Adventure

The four friends get into difficult and sometimes fun situations. For example, Rat and Mole go to seek Badger’s home, and in another instance, Toad seeks excitement which leads to his arrest once he’s caught driving carelessly. As noted in The Wind In The Willows plot summary, this is a major and noticeable theme.

3. Etiquette and conduct

For the animals that reside along the river, there is a code of conduct, which they call “animal etiquette” which guides their interactions. Conduct is also an observable and major theme as per our The Wind In The Willows summary, such as when the friend group tries to help Toad overcome his obsession with motorcars as well as his arrogance. Their society also has consequences for those who do not abide by their rules. At their first meeting, Mole avoids asking Rat about Otter’s whereabouts since he realizes it is not polite, and this helps him form a connection with Rat that leads them to live together.

4. Greed and arrogance

Toad is wealthy and has an inflated sense of self. This leads him to several issues, which his friends have to help him out of. While his friends are just as wealthy, Toad lacks restraint. 

5. Social class

It is also worth noting that the friends can afford to go on adventures since they are wealthy, while the lower-class neighbors are working. This social class distinction was common in the Edwardian era and shows how the rich have more privilege than other classes. As such, social class is a visible theme you can observe.

6. Nature versus the modern world

For the four friends, enjoying the natural world is a source of leisure. They also view it as a wonderful experience. Rat and Mole even remark that the wind is singing to them. When Portly gets lost in the woods, they find Pan (the Greek god of nature) watching over him. However, the modern world and its technology (motor cars) threaten the peace and purity of their society.

7. Home, identity, and adventure

The homes of the main characters reflect their behavior. For example, Toad’s house is lavish, while Mole lives in a neat home. These differences show what each value is, such as how Rat is poetic and keeps a neat house that is close to the river but is not practical due to flooding. A home is simply a place where the animals feel comfortable enough to be themselves, but they often seek out adventures outside these safe spaces.

The Wind In The Willows Symbolism

The river is symbolic of freedom and independence. Mole goes there to explore as he comes of age leading to adventures. Another symbol is cars, which represent the modern and industrialized world that threatens peace and safety in the countryside where the creatures reside. These contribute to the theme of nature versus the modern world as well as identity and adventure.

The Wind In The Willows Historical / Cultural Context

The Wind In The Willows was written in the 1900s, during the Edwardian era in Britain. This era was marked by social and technological advancement and is known as the “The Gilded Age”. The arts industry thrived, largely because there was a prosperity that allowed the British to invest in entertainment. It is, therefore, no wonder that the main characters are all wealthy individuals who enjoy the pleasures of life. Despite this, there were many poor people, just like some characters like the weasels who co-existed with and worked for the rich. Just like in the book, the different social classes exist in rigid roles, and there is not much class mixing.

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The Wind In The Willows Genre

The Wind In The Willows falls within the genre of general children’s fiction. It is a made-up story and does not contain any elements of magic or something that would place it in another genre. This is because it occurs in a fictitious world with talking animals. 

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the moral lesson learned in The Wind In The Willows?

The story teaches readers the value of good friends and how they can help one overcome challenges. It also shows the value of community, as Toad could not have gotten help if his friends did not put in the effort.

2. What are the literary elements in The Wind In The Willows?

Literary elements in the book include:

1. The personification of the animal characters. They speak, have functional societies, and use technology like humans.
2. Fantasy since there are many unrealistic parts of the story
3. Symbolism, such as how the river flows and guides the friends to other adventures. It signifies the flow of life that guides individuals from one point to another.

3. What does Toad’s character in the book represent?

Toad represents the struggle and shift between tradition and modernity. He is always chasing trends, shifting from the horse-drawn caravan to the motorcar due to its speed, without thinking if he needs it.

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Conclusion

In short, The Wind In The Willows is a general fiction children’s book. It revolves around four main characters: Toad, Mole, Rat, and Badger, and their adventures over several seasons. The friends reside close to a river along with other animals and enjoy having picnics and conversations. One day, Toad develops an obsession with motorcars, and this lands him 20 years in jail. He escapes but finds Toad Hall taken over, which his friends help him take back. The story ends with Toad apologizing for his past arrogant behavior and reconciling with his neighbors.

Themes include friendship, social class, nature versus the modern world, etiquette, and adventure. The setting is a rural Edwardian-era region, and the story falls under the genre of general children’s fiction. If you would like help with analyzing this story further, consider placing an order today with our The Wind In The Willows summary experts.