Name ______Date ______
The Wind in the Willows
Kenneth Grahame
Chapter 1: The River Bank
Wow! Check out that second sentence! It’s a really long one describing all the cleaning Mole is doing. Notice how the author, Kenneth Grahame, uses semi-colons to separate the phrases.
The author uses personification to describe spring at the bottom of the first page. Write what you think he means when he writes that spring was, “penetrating even [Mole’s] dark and lowly little house with its spirit of divine discontent and longing.”
sixpence row (rhymes with ow)
rambled meandered
bewitched insatiable
sculled composedly
excursions trifle
allude sup
impromptu prostrate
bedraggled
In the first paragaph Grahame writes, “So he scraped and scratched and scrabbled and scrooged…” What type of figurative language is that?
I laughed out loud when I read that Mole thought the best part of vacation was watching other animals work!
After he leaves his hole, Mole discovers a river--something he’s never seen before. Grahame describes it if it’s an old man telling stories to Mole. What type of figurative language is this?
Write what you think this sentence means: “The Water, like the good little fellow he was, sculled steadily on and forbore to disturb him.”
How does Rat feel about The Wide World? This is an instance in which an author uses one of his characters to express his own opinion. It’s helpful to know that Kenneth Grahame loved the country.
In this chapter Rat calls Mole a “ silly ass.” When this book was first published in 1908, “ass” was not considered a swear word. Roald Dahl also uses this phrase in James and the Giant Peach. Grahame and Dahl were both British writers. I wonder if that has something to do with it. You may notice some British word spellings are different from American English spellings. For example “parlour” is British and “parlor” is American.
Chapter 2: The Open Road
What are the five characters that have been mentioned in the story so far? List the characters and one character trait for each of them.
candid fad
disembarked squandered
trivialities amiable
descended doggedly
schemes habitations
rapturous
What does Mole mean when he says he wants to make Toad’s acquaintance?
Again, this book was first published in 1908. So Toad’s fascination with the “motor-car” could have also been Kenneth Grahame’s fascination. There were very few cars (about 4 in 1904) in New Richmond around that same time. I laughed when I read how Grahame describes Toad sitting in the middle of the road with his legs straight out, staring after the car, and murmuring, “poop-poop.” Besides being funny, what type of figurative language is this?
What is Toad’s new plan?
Chapter 3: The Wild Wood
evasively galoshes
cudgel ardour (ardor in Am. Eng.)
incredulous penitence
This chapter is a little scary for Mole. Why?
Who do you think the faces are in the woods? How do they treat Mole differently from Rat?
What prevented Rat and Mole’s journey back home out of The Wild Wood?
I think it’s funny how Rat and Mole get exasperated with each other when they’re cold and tired. People do that too. How did Rat save them from spending the night in the cold?
Chapter 4: Mr. Badger
paternally ample
repast assented
injunctions somnolence
monotonous divert
assented domestic
Write a short sentence in simple English that summarizes this sentence, “A couple of high-backed settles, facing each other on either side of the fire, gave further sitting accommodation for the sociably disposed.”
Why are Rat and Mole so concerned about Toad?
When Otter said he “cuffed” the rabbit he met in the snowy woods, what did he mean?
Badger’s home, full of tunnels and food, reminds me of Bilbo Baggins’s home in The Hobbit. Badger is getting a lot of company this morning, just like Bilbo did in the first chapter. Why does Badger have such a nice place to live?
How do Mole, Rat, and Otter get out of the Wild Wood?
Which point of view does the author use: 1st person, 3rd person, omniscient, or limited omniscient?
Chapter 5: Dulce Domum
hastened dubiously
pulsated captivating
forlornly astonished
recollection intermittent
ere forage
dolorously expatiate
rancour
Grahame describes what Mole and Rat see through a window in this way, “…even the delicate tips of his plumped out plumage penciled plainly on the illuminated screen.” What type of figurative language is this and to what is the author referring?
Study this sentence from page 83 and write what it means, “Still snuffling, pleading, and reluctant, Mole suffered himself to be dragged back along the road by his imperious companion, who by a flow of cheerful talk and anecdote endeavoured to beguile his spirits back and make the weary way seem shorter.”
Rat proved he was a very good friend to Mole in several different ways in this chapter. What was one of them?
Have you ever seen a mole? Ew. They are ugly creatures and considered pests by people who hves them digging tunnels in their yards. They have tiny eyes and very large paws. Find a picture of a real one and you’ll see what I mean.
Chapter 6: Mr. Toad
Mr. Toad is such a great character! He is so funny and reckless and vivacious. Do you know anyone like that?
habiliments countenances
panopoly discourse
Toad cries, “Shan’t!” when Badger commands him to, “…take those ridiculous things off!” This is a contraction for what two words and what is he refusing to do?
Mr. Toad is hilarious when he puts chairs together, pretends to drive, then somersaults to the floor. Apparently his favorite part is crashing. I will never look at a toad the same way again.
When Toad asked Rat to get him a doctor and a lawyer, what did it lead Rat to believe?
Poor Toad got caught. What happens to him now?
Chapter 7: The Piper at the Gates of Dawn
weir
Wow…this was a very interesting and very strange chapter. It reminds a little of The Lightning Thief. You’ll figure out why as you read it. Write a short summary of what happened in this chapter. Be sure to include what led them to the island and what they saw there.
Chapter 8: Toad’s Adventures
YOU choose three vocabulary words for this chapter. There are MANY from which to choose!
How did Toad escape prison?
Chapter 9: Wayfarers All
According to the first two paragraphs, what time of year is it?
What did Rat ask the swallows to do?
Boy! That seafaring rat must have had some interesting stories to tell. Why do you think Rat was so interested in hearing them?
Meanwhile…I wonder what’s happening to Toad? Do you think he’ll get caught?
Chapter 10: The Further Adventures of Toad
Toad is a little crazy. Does he really think he can get away with escaping from jail?? He can’t just go home again. They’ll easily find him there.
Why did Toad crumple down in the middle of the road?
What does “prudent” mean?
Who did Toad see at the end of the chapter?
I laughed out loud several times reading this chapter! Toad is hilarious!
Chapter 11
I think it’s silly that Toad can’t swim very well, because real toads are great swimmers. I suppose it makes sense with Toad’s character, though. He’s been spoiled all his life.
subterfuge bedraggled
disreputable thorough
contemplating
What is Toad’s big problem in this chapter?
How will he and his friends try to solve it?
Chapter 12
I laughed hard at the beginning of this chapter. It’s hilarious!
pacified procession
placidly cudgel
When Toad finds some food to eat he finds a tongue. It is the tongue of a cow. Some people eat that stuff!
Which character do you think changed the most in this book? Explain how.
Who does each of the animals (Rat, Mole, Badger and Toad) remind you of?
Which character is most like you?
Rate the book from 1 to 5 (1 is lowest, 5 is highest).
Would you recommend it to a friend?
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The Wind in the Willows