Week 7: Spiritual Education

Fantasy of this type is pointed at young adults to help instruct them in the complexities of navigating the world. In what way were complex moral issues and spiritual challenges presented in the work you read for this week?

This week I read A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle. This novel was definitely a Young Adult, coming-of-age novel, as the plot revolves around finding and accepting yourself for who you are, learning the uniqueness of being an individual rather than conforming as well as just the hardships of growing up. Meg, a tween navigating her way through school, feels like an outcast because everyone thinks she's dumb and weird. She's not beautiful like her mother, not "normal" like her twin siblings and she's not ridiculously intelligent and eccentric like Charles Wallace, her five year old brother. Meg believes that she can't have any friends because she's weird. One of the biggest challenges she (and the rest of her family) faces is that their father, has gone missing for two years and Meg struggles to come to terms with it, but also refuses to cry or show that she's upset about it. However, when Calvin finally comes along, he tells her that she's allowed to cry and show emotion. He also tells her she's beautiful and has "dreamboat eyes" without her glasses, reassuring her insecurities. This allows young readers to accept the fact that grief is different for everyone, and that it is okay to show weakness. Calvin also becomes a close friend to Meg, showing that there is someone for everyone, and being who you are, as weird as you might believe yourself to be, is still better than conforming. Meg also learns that she does not need to know everything, and learns to be patient. In the beginning, Meg expresses her frustration with not understanding how "wrinkles" in time works, and is impatient with the three old ladies and demands repeatedly to see her father. However, near the end of the novel, she learns that not everything can be explained, especially when she saves Charles Wallace with the "power of love" and defeats IT by loving Charles. Some things cannot be explained intellectually or physically. Another issue and challenge the children face is pride. This is especially obvious with Charles Wallace, who is intelligent and wise beyond his years. However, he becomes prideful and believes that he can outsmart/beat the Man with the Red Eyes, even though one of the celestial beings/old ladies warned him not to be prideful. Ultimately, he fails and is hypnotized and needs to be saved by Meg. This teaches young adults that although they might be intelligent or talented, staying humble is just as important.