Danielle De Matteo
October 18, 2014
Children's Literature
Paper #1
Wayfarers All is a wonderfully written chapter in the novel, Wind in the Willows. This chapter consistently talks mainly two themes that tie together the entire novel, home and adventure. In this chapter, the seasons are changing and Rat is completely aware of the change in the environment. Rat does not want the animals to move South for the winter. He asks the swallowing birds to stay. One of the birds tells Rat how he has tried before to stay. The birds become too cold and since they eat insects, they run out of food quickly. They continue to explain to Rat why they enjoy the warm weather so much and Rat is confused as to why they would even come back when the winter season…show more content… but to-day all that seems pale and thin and very far away. Just now our blood dances to other music." Rat is confused by why some animals choose to stray at certain times of the year. He begins to feel anxious and he himself starts to wander around. He climbs the slop of the north bank of the river and looks out to the great ring of Downs. He slowly starts to compare himself to the other animals and this leaves him in an odd mood. Rat's dear friend, Mole arrives at the house and notices that Rat is in such a bizarre mood and witnesses his packing. Mole was concerned about Rat. He tries his best to stop Rat from leaving and Rat begins to become desolate. Mole reminds Rat about how beautiful it is where they live to try to get him to stay. "Mole turned his talk to the harvest that was being gathered in, the towering wagons and their straining teams, the growing ricks and the large moon rising over bare acres dotted with sheaves. He talked of the reddening apples around, of the browning nuts, of jams and preserves and the distilling of cordials; till by easy stages such as these he reached midwinter, its hearty joys and its snug home life, and then he became simply lyrical." Rat finally able to come to his