Through each character, one understands the true meaning of a home. ‘Home’ is a theme that runs through this book. “Home! That was what they meant, those caressing appeals, those soft touches wafted through the air, those invisible little hands pulling and tugging, all one way!” Badger, Ratty, and Mole are friends who want to give Toad a reality check. The kindness offered to him is reciprocated with a condescending tone. He is too pompous and self-centered, even during hard times. His fads put him in trouble but he is let bothered. Toad has no care for the world he lives his dream, ‘fads’ as they call in the book. The character that walks away with a major slice of the cake is ‘Toad’.

Though with his wisdom and bravery of surviving amid ‘Wild Wood’, he has earned this place. Their friendship is sweet and real, and I craved to read more of it.īadger has the superior tone, the bossy one in the gang. On the other hand, Ratty is the contented being and a supportive friend who has Mole’s back. He is a poor outsider in the circle of rich friends.

His adventures are never completely thought through, his decisions are made in haste that land him in trouble many-a-time. Mole comes across as a simple character who dreams of seeing the outside world, impatient to taste a bit of extravagant living, and is overjoyed to meet new people (or anthropomorphized animals). This book is not a fairytale-ish rendition rather plods on the themes of friendship, home, greed, and consumerism.

This book is more of a social commentary on the Edwardian way of life, with philosophical ramblings on life’s necessities and dreams. Later on, when I looked at the title and the cover, I expected the story to be either in line with ‘ Alice in Wonderland’ or ‘ Peter Rabbit’. I didn’t read ‘ The Wind in the Willows’ as a child. With this narrative, you journey from the little underground hole, where Mole lived, to the ‘Wild World’ and then to the ‘Wide World’. The plot then shifts to Toad and his new set of misadventures with stealing a motor car and later escaping the prison. The story moves ahead as Badger enters the scenario, who after hearing about Toad’s latest fad, wants to intervene and get some sense into Toad. Meanwhile, Ratty and Mole find Badger’s house and are rescued from being cold and deserted. This adventure ends up badly as they have an accident but Toad discovers his latest fad, which is the desire to own a ‘poop-poop’ motor car. Toad ropes in Ratty and Mole on his horse-caravan driven camping trip. On their way, they meet Toad who leads a pompous and rich way of life. Ratty, as Mole calls the Water Rat, takes Mole under his wings and takes him for a boat ride. However, being impatient, Mole comes out of his underground home and is mesmerized by the riverside sight. The story begins with the Mole, busy with ritualistic spring-cleaning.

Wind in the willows book cover