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Badger
Otter is one of Rat, Badger, Mole, and Toad’s friends. He’s not a wealthy landowning gentleman like his friends, though; rather, his character is based off of Cockney street vendors. He’s confident and headstrong, but he is always willing to support and protect his friends (as a bigger animal, he can protect his smaller friends like Rat and Mole in the Wild Wood). Otter is also the first to know about any gossip circulating on the riverbank. He has a young son named Portly.
Otter Quotes in The Wind in the Willows
The The Wind in the Willows quotes below are all either spoken by Otter or refer to Otter. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter Twelve Quotes
Otter […] threw his arm round Toad’s neck, and tried to take him round the room in triumphal progress; but Toad, in a mild way, was rather snubby to him, remarking gently, as he disengaged himself, “Badger’s was the mastermind; the Mole and the Water Rat bore the brunt of the fighting; I merely served in the ranks and did little or nothing.”
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire The Wind in the Willows LitChart as a printable PDF.
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Otter Character Timeline in The Wind in the Willows
The timeline below shows where the character Otter appears in The Wind in the Willows. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter One
...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...
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Otter tells Rat that he’s seen Toad out in a brand-new boat. Rat explains to Mole...
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Chapter Three
...to know about the passwords and signs and such that keep a small animal safe. Otter and Badger, of course, are safe in the Wild Wood, but even brave Toad won’t...
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Chapter Four
...Rat is busy eating buttered toast, he sends Billy to get it. Billy returns with Otter, who throws himself on Rat—everyone on the riverbank has been worried about Rat, but Otter...
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Badger comes into the kitchen a bit later, greets everyone kindly, and invites Otter to stay for lunch. Then he sends the young hedgehogs home with pocket money. Over...
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...being underground is emotionally difficult for him. Rat is dressed and ready to go, and Otter explains that they’ll be safe since he’s going to walk them home. Badger notes that...
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Chapter Five
...and Rat and Mole are running past a sheep pen after a day’s outing with Otter. They follow a nearby track that leads them to a village. Mole is concerned; animals,...
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Chapter Seven
...the bank, trying to cool off. Minutes later, Rat returns from a day spent with Otter. He’s clearly preoccupied. Rat explains that the otters tried to serve him a pleasant dinner,...
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Rat and Mole sit in silence, thinking of poor Otter. Then, Mole says he can’t possibly go to bed—they should go out and look for...
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...seems less rich than it did a while ago. Rat steers for where he knows Otter is waiting, and when they’re in sight of their friend, Mole lifts Portly onto dry...
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Chapter Eleven
...moment, and then acknowledges that he has “the gift of conversation.” Badger then explains that Otter disguised himself as a sweep and went to Toad Hall. He learned that the Chief...
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Chapter Twelve
...They congratulate him on his courage and his cleverness, but Toad only murmurs demurely. When Otter tries to take Toad on a triumphant lap around the room, Toad quietly says that...
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