The Extract from “The Wind In The Willows” uses satirical characters to explore different individuals views on the Physical Journey.
A journey is not perceived the same way by different individuals. This is portrayed in the first paragraph with the individuals different reactions to the caravan portrayed here. The underlying assumption of physical journeys is that everyone who is given the opportunity to travel will take it. The Character of Toad seems to re-affirm this assumption with his endless enthusiasm. This is seen through the use of exclamation marks in his speech “Travel, change, interest, excitement!” and “the rolling downs!”. The character of Rat, however, challenges this assumption. Rat does not feel compelled to leave his “dull, fusty old river” and will not even try to make it sound better than it is.
Many good things can come out of the physical journey. Toad realises that the Journey into the “whole world” would be personally beneficial, this is summarised when he tells Rat that he’ll “make an animal out of you”. The anthropomorphism in this phrase is used to make a pun out of the common phrase “I’ll make a man out of you” to add to the gentle humour of the extract.
The extract also shows that to journey is to step out of the known into the unknown. For rat the journey out of the familiar into the unfamiliar presents huge possibilities for disaster. Toad, however finds this aspect of journeying exciting.
Journeys often need to be planned in detail so that the imminent disaster that rat sees can be avoided. Toad shows that he has taken on the initiative to have “Planned ‘em all my self, I did!”. The lockers have also been stocked so that “nothing whatever has been forgotten”. Ironically all that Toad has planned is only aimed at keeping himself in comfort as he travels, which partially defeats the purpose of going at all.
