A Wrinkle In Time

Aunt Beast and the other beings of Ixchel have no sight. Meg, her father, and Calvin try and fail to explain sight. Do you think sight can be explained? Why, or why not? If so, how would you explain it? If not, why do you think sight cannot be explained?

Under IT’s control, Charles Wallace says the people of Camazotz are happy because they are all equal and alike, which is not the case at all. What do you think L’Engle’s message about equality is in A Wrinkle in Time? Do you agree with the message? Why, or why not?

In Chapter 2, Charles Wallace tells Meg he purposefully hides his intelligence because life will be easier for him if people don’t realize how advanced he is. Do you judge people based on their abilities? If so, how? Do you have outstanding abilities others judge you for? How does their judgment make you feel? How do you respond? What has thinking about this taught you about making judgments?

There is an implied difference between those who entered IT’s control of their own volition and those who were forced into IT’s mold. Compare and contrast Charles Wallace/the red-eyed man to the waiting man and fearful mother whose son lost his ball. What do their differences tell you about Camazotz and IT? Based on your deductions, how might Earth’s people be divided if our planet is engulfed by IT/the darkness?

Throughout A Wrinkle in Time, the Mrs. Ws represent light and goodness. Yet, they are powerless on Camazotz, a planet overtaken by darkness. This contrasts with the popular idea that light is stronger than darkness. Why do you think L’Engle chose to make the Mrs. Ws powerless on Camazotz? What is L’Engle’s message about light and darkness, goodness and evil?

A Wrinkle in Time ends with the Mrs. Ws disappearing before they reveal why they must go so suddenly. Why do you think L’Engle ended the book this way? Why was there no closure for the Mrs. Ws? What do you think the ladies were suddenly up to? Support your thoughts with evidence from the text.

It is never made clear which comes first: strife or the darkness. Earth is a troubled planet and partially shrouded by darkness. Do you think the Earth’s trouble attracted the darkness or that the darkness caused trouble on Earth? Support your answer.

The novel includes references to religion and spiritualism. Beings from planets other than Earth seem to subscribe to Earth religions. Discuss the role of religion in L’Engle’s universe. How do you think religion influences beings across the universe? Is there one religion or multiple religions? What roles do darkness and light play in religion? How might Earth and the universe have influenced each other in terms of religion?