49 pages • 1 hour read
Trenton Lee Stewart, Illustr. Diana SudykaThe Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2008A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
Duskwort and Thwart-Wort
Although the children are initially unaware of this fact, the scavenger hunt was designed to pursue the elusive duskwort. The fictional plant is a translucent moss that is extremely fragile. Even a small amount can put a person to sleep for a long time. Before Mr. Benedict was born, his parents tried to find duskwort so that they could use it to cure their narcolepsy. He later attempted to carry on his parents’ work, but he finds it almost impossible to locate duskwort because the plant is so similar to another plant called thwart-wort. Thwart-wort has no soporific qualities, and it is hardier than duskwort, so it tends to outcompete it. Mr. Benedict and Number Two finally locate what they believe to be duskwort on a remote island, and this is where they plan to meet the children at the end of their scavenger hunt. Unfortunately, the thwart-wort has destroyed any duskwort that may once have been on the island.
These plants connect to the theme of The Ambiguous Role of Deception, for although they look almost identical, they have different properties. Both Mr. Benedict and Mr. Curtain are seeking the plant, but they have unique reasons for their quests: Mr. Benedict wants to cure narcolepsy, and Mr. Curtain wants to take over the world. Duskwort and thwart-wort are just like Mr. Benedict and Mr. Curtain. They are visually identical, like the identical twin brothers, but they have different effects on the world. Just as Mr. Curtain tricks the children into thinking that he is Mr. Benedict, Mr. Benedict tricks his brother into harvesting thwart-wort instead of duskwort. The fact that duskwort has been entirely taken over by thwart-wort is one of the tragedies of the book. Although it is fortunate that Mr. Curtain fails to obtain such a powerful plant, Reynie realizes that Mr. Benedict has lost his only hope for a narcolepsy cure.
The Diamonds
The businessmen on the Shortcut are transporting a case of real diamonds and a case of convincing fakes. Like the duskwort and thwart-wort, the diamonds and the fakes are part of the broader theme of The Ambiguous Role of Deception. It is extremely difficult to tell them apart visually, which causes problems when the real and fake diamonds get mixed up. Reynie recognizes the solution and points out that the plastic fakes will float while the real diamonds will sink. The motif is further advanced when Captain Noland gives Reynie a diamond but does not explain why. Reynie worries that Noland is corrupt and cannot be trusted, as he has difficulty Seeing the Best in People. When the diamond turns out to be a fake, Reynie is relieved, and he gets closer to realizing that many people are more trustworthy than they appear to be. He realizes that Noland gave him a fake diamond on purpose to make up for the unexpectedly dreadful ocean voyage. At the end of the story, it turns out that the fake diamonds and the real diamonds were part of Mr. Curtain’s plan all along.
Solving Puzzles
Like all the books in this series, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey features many puzzles that the characters must solve to achieve their goals. The puzzles tie into the theme of The Importance of Teamwork, as it is often necessary for several characters to use their respective strengths to solve the puzzles promptly. For instance, when solving the wind chime maps, Reynie points out that Constance is the best at identifying patterns. Later, Kate is the one who builds a sledge to transport Mr. Benedict, as none of the other children are physically capable of doing so. It is only by respecting these various skills and honoring each other’s talents that the children are able to support each other and ultimately succeed. Mr. Benedict originally created the scavenger hunt in the hopes that the children would be suitably challenged by the clues. Because of their skills, the children often outperform the adults around them.
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