Robby Hill

Prof. Thomas Burke

English 3071
25 March 2015
A Wrinkle in Time Response and Analysis
Madeleine LEngles A Wrinkle in Time is a classic work of childrens
fantasy fiction that continues to capture the imagination of children and
adults alike fifty years after its original publication. Its staying power is a
testament both to LEngles vibrant and imaginative storytelling, and her
ability to deftly translate abstract concepts into a world that children can
access and understand.
The Stood-Hill text defines high fantasy as a complex, philosophical
form of literature that focuses on themes such as the conflict between good
and evil. (116) LEngle uses high fantasy to explore themes such as the
mightiness of the human heart, (the main character emancipates her brother
from a planet through a transmission of true love) the redemptive power of
courage, (she travels to said planet in spite of the fact that it nearly killed
her) the individual as divine expression, (said planet is ruled by conformity)
and the treachery of the human ego. This last theme is particularly well
rendered.

Through the lens of a little girl searching across time and space for her
father, we are taken on an odyssey across the galaxy to two alien planets
which can be viewed as metaphors for the egoic and spiritual states of
human consciousness. The egoic planet is governed by a pulsing brain, the
egos residence according to all mystical traditions. On this planet, everyone
is controlled by the dictations of the brain, and everyone appears deadened
and joyless. The other planet, where the little girl is nurtured back to life, is
populated by creatures that cannot see. This alludes to a state of being that
is not concerned with form. The inhabitants are gentle and animal-like,
seeming to abide in a space of feeling and intuition. The childrens
experience there is peaceful and positive.
Through the creation of these distinct planets, LEngle shows the
contrast between the ego and the spirit in a vivid and concrete way. It is one
of many profound concepts she explores in A Wrinkle in Time, providing
readers old and young the opportunity to learn, or reacquaint themselves
with them.

Works Cited
Stood-Hill, Barbara D., and Linda B. Amspaugh-Corson. Childrens Literature:
Discovery for a

Lifetime. Boston: Pearson, 2009. Print.