Wednesday 30 July 2008

In A Wrinkle in Time, what warning does Mrs. Which give the children as she leaves them alone on Camazotz?

When the
three strange ladies, Mrs. Who, Mrs. Which, and Mrs. Whatsit, leave the children alone on
Camazotz, they each give them words of advice and warning. Mrs. Which tells them explicitly to
go down into the town, and to go together. She reiterates the warning that they not let anyone
separate them, and tells them to be strong.

The other two ladies give the
children warnings and advice similar to that given by Mrs. Which, but their directives are more
detailed, and directed to each of the children individually, in turn. Mrs. Whatsit warns the
children that although the three ladies will be nearby and watching, the children will not be
able to see them or ask for help, and they will not be able to come to them. She leaves each of
the children a "little talisman," to help them through the hard times. To Calvin, she
points out his gift of being able to communicate with all kinds of people, and strengthens this
trait within him. To Meg, she ironically emphasizes her faults, which she says will "come
in very handy on Camazotz." To Charles Wallace, she gives "the resilience of (his)
childhood," and the specific warning to stay with the others at all costs, as his pride and
arrogance may betray him.

Mrs. Who is the last to give the children warnings,
and advice. She tells Charles Wallace to "remember that (he does) not know
everything," admonishing him, like Mrs. Whatsit, to be on guard against letting his pride
lead to his downfall. To Calvin, she leaves a hint in the form of a quote from Shakespeare's
play The Tempest; the quote speaks of "a spirit too delicate,"
and warns that it might lead to capture and confinement by those set on evil. And finally, to
Meg, she leaves her glasses, warning her "not (to) use them except as a last resort,"
and to "save them for the final moment of peril" (Chapter 6).

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