Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Wind in the Willows, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Friendship and Mentorship
Manners, Conduct, and Consequences
Nature, Leisure, and the Modern World
Home, Identity, and Adventure
Greed, Arrogance, and Social Class
Summary
Analysis
Mole has been busy all morning, spring cleaning his home. After applying some whitewash, suddenly Mole throws up his paws and hurries out of his house, without even putting a coat on. Something up above seems to be calling to him as he scrabbles up the tunnel and finally emerges in the sunlight of a meadow. The sunshine is warm, and the birds are singing. Happily, Mole makes his way across the meadow to a hedge. There, an old rabbit asks the Mole to pay a toll to pass the hedge, but Mole insults the rabbit and hurries on. He strolls through the countryside and is thrilled to apparently be the only idle person in the world.
This introduction to Mole paints him as an animal who’s industrious and self-sufficient—but one who also yearns for something more. The thing that calls him out of his tunnel is, presumably, the sunlight and life aboveground. This frames the world aboveground as almost a living thing, capable of calling to animals and exerting power over them. Mole’s choice to insult the rabbit and refuse to pay the toll suggests that rabbits, within the world of the novel, aren’t considered worthy of respect or attention.
Themes
Literary Devices
Mole can’t imagine being any happier when suddenly, he comes to a river. He’s never seen one before, but this one seems like a “sleek, sinuous, full-bodied animal,” “gripping things with a gurgle and leaving them with a laugh.” Mole is entranced. He trots alongside the river in much the same way a child trots alongside an adult who has interesting stories to tell. Finally, Mole sits on the grass. But across the river in the bank, he notices a hole that would make a lovely home—and in that hole is a twinkling eye. It belongs to the Water Rat.
Here, nature is personified (given human, or in this case animal, characteristics) when the narrator describes the river as an “animal” that’s at once graceful, powerful, and good-humored. And for Mole, this “animal” is captivating—he’s never seen such a thing before. This passage also characterizes Mole as young and perhaps immature, as he’s likened to a young child who wants to hear stories from an older adult. Mole will indeed learn many things from the river and will mature as the novel progresses.
Themes
The animals eye and then greet each other. The Rat invites Mole to come over, and then ignoring Mole’s peevish reply, tugs on a rope. This reveals a boat that Mole loves instantly. Rat rows across the river, helps Mole into the boat, and then begins to row back across. When Mole admits he’s never been in a boat, Rat is aghast. Rat insists that there’s nothing “half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.” He’s so caught up in what he’s saying that the boat rams into the bank, throwing Rat to the bottom of the boat—but Rat keeps talking. He says that around the river and boats, fun is all that matters. It doesn’t matter if you reach your destination—or indeed, if you don’t get anywhere at all.
Rat emerges as a more mature figure, someone capable of mentoring Mole and introducing him to a new way of life on the river. He graciously ignores Mole’s “peevish” reply (which could just reflect that Mole doesn’t know what’s going on and feels a bit uncomfortable) and immediately starts telling Mole about life on the river. His saying that “messing about in boats” is the only thing worth doing is one of the most famous lines in the novel. It encapsulates the idea that the most fun and fulfilling life is one spent outside (particularly on the water).
Themes
Rat suggests they spend the day on the river, and Mole promptly agrees. So, Rat fetches a big wicker picnic basket, passes it to Mole, and gets in. Mole is ecstatic when Rat explains what’s in the basket (a variety of cold meats and pickled goodies). But Rat says this is all normal for him; this is usual picnic fare. Mole can barely hear Rat, he’s so excited. He daydreams for a while, until the Rat compliments his black velvet smoking jacket. Then, Mole apologizes for being rude and asks Rat to tell him about life on the river. Rat says the river is his family and his world. Every season brings new joys and delights. When Mole asks if life on the river isn’t lonely, Rat scoffs—the riverbank is so crowded that some animals are actually moving away.
For Mole, all of this is new. He’s never been in a boat before, nor has he ever enjoyed such a lavish picnic on the river with a friend. Mole’s awe when Rat describes the “normal” items in the basket subtly implies that Mole isn’t quite as well-off as Rat and can’t afford food like this. So, Rat is introducing Mole to a higher-class way of life than Mole is used to as he also introduces Mole to life on the river. Rat also frames the river as a source of companionship and happiness, which continues to establish the river (and nature more broadly) as awe-inspiring entities that can provide for those who appreciate them.
Themes
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Gesturing to the woodlands, Mole asks what’s out there. Rat explains that that’s the Wild Wood, where animals who live on the riverbank don’t really go—some of the animals there are alright, and Badger is an upstanding gentleman whom nobody messes with. But there are also foxes and weasels, some of whom are alright, but most of whom aren’t at all trustworthy. Then, Mole asks what’s beyond the Wild Wood, out where it’s “all blue and dim.” Rat says that’s the Wide World, and the Wide World doesn’t matter to him or to Mole. He asks Mole to never mention it again.
Rat’s assessment of the Wide World also suggests that it’s inappropriate to adventure too far from home—or even to discuss the world outside of one’s nearby community. Whereas the river has been described as exciting, abundant, and beautiful, the “blue and dim” Wide World sounds dull and lifeless.
Themes
Then, Rat steers the boat into a lake of sorts and then onto the shore. He helps the awed Mole ashore and then lets Mole unpack their picnic basket. Mole finds each food item exciting and happily digs in. When they’ve been eating for a few minutes, Rat asks what Mole is staring at. Mole says he sees a streak of bubbles on the water. At this, Rat chirrups—and Otter hauls himself out of the river. Otter good-naturedly reprimands Rat for not inviting him on the picnic, and he greets Mole. He explains that he actually came here to get some privacy. Just then, Badger emerges from a hedge—but he ignores Rat’s invitation to join them, returning to the hedge. Disappointed, Rat says this is normal. Badger “hates society.”
Again, Mole’s excitement as he unpacks the picnic basket’s delights suggests that this caliber of picnic is new for him; he seems to be used to simpler fare, which points to him being not as well-off as Rat. If Otter is here for privacy, this reinforces Rat’s earlier observation that the riverbank community is getting crowded. This implies that there may be a class divide between the animals who live in the Wild Wood and the animals who live on the riverbank—the river seems to be where the prime real estate is located.
Themes
Literary Devices
Otter tells Rat that he’s seen Toad out in a brand-new boat. Rat explains to Mole that Toad loves picking up expensive hobbies, like sailing or punting; last year, he kept a houseboat. He always makes his friends join in and then moves onto something new. Just then, the picnic party sees a brand-new boat in the distance—the rower is clearly Toad, and he’s doing a terrible job of rowing. Otter chuckles, snatches a mayfly out of the air, and disappears into the river. Mole is surprised, but animal etiquette means it’d be rude to ask about Otter’s disappearance.
As Rat describes Toad and his hobbies, his annoyance is clear. In order to afford hobbies like this, Toad must be quite wealthy—perhaps even wealthier than his friends. Toad’s terrible rowing, however, suggests that he’s doing a poor job of looking the part of a wealthy gentleman. The note about “animal etiquette” suggests that manners are a huge concern on the riverbank. This reflects the context that the novel was written in (Edwardian-era England), where propriety and gentlemanly behavior were extremely important. For the animals, it’s important to use goods manners so that social situations can proceed smoothly, which is why Mole doesn’t say anything about Otter’s disappearance.
Themes
Literary Devices
Rat suggests they head back, so Mole takes on the daunting task of packing up the picnic basket. Then, Rat rows them home while muttering “poetry-things.” Mole, though, is restless and asks if he might row. Rat says Mole needs a few lessons first. But Mole grows suddenly jealous—he leaps up, grabs the oars, and tries one stroke. This capsizes the boat; the water is extremely cold. Mole can feel Rat laughing as Rat drags Mole out of the water by his collar. On the shore, Rat tells Mole to run a bit to dry himself while he dives for the basket.
Now that Mole has been on the river for a few hours, he’s feeling pretty full of himself—rowing doesn’t look so hard now. But as soon as Mole oversteps and tries to take the oars, he learns that he should listen to Rat’s advice, such as that Mole isn’t ready to row yet. Falling into the cold river is a shock for Mole, and it serves as immediate feedback that for his rude, impulsive behavior.
Themes
Mole is very ashamed, so when Rat has gotten everything ready to go again, Mole asks for forgiveness. Rat cheerily says it’s all right, and he invites Mole to stay with him for a while. That way, Rat can teach Mole to row and swim. Mole is so overcome that he can barely speak. Rat looks away as Mole brushes tears off his face. Finally, they reach Rat’s home, and Rat lights a fire. Then, Rat tells Mole exciting stories about the river all evening. They have supper, and then Rat shows Mole to a guest room.
Mole realizes that by trying to take the oars from Rat, he seriously overstepped and may have offended Rat. In order to preserve the relationship, then, he knows he must apologize. For his part, Rat shows that he’s generous and good-natured when he not only accepts Mole’s apology but offers to take Mole in and teach him how to live on the river. In this moment, Rat becomes Mole’s formal mentor, who will induct Mole into the riverside way of life.
Themes
This day is the first of many similar days for the newly “emancipated” Mole. Throughout the summer, he learns to swim and adores the rushing river. Occasionally, he hears the wind whispering into the reeds.
Referring to Mole as “emancipated” suggests that Mole’s former underground life held him back from experiencing something greater—that is, the natural world and all of the beauty and joy it has to offer. Now, he’s growing up and becoming more worldly—and he’s also becoming more in tune with nature.
Themes
