Penguin Readers Factsheets l e v e l E T e a c h e r’s n o t e s 1 2 3 The Wind in the Willows 4 5 by Kenneth Grahame 6 ELEMENTARY S U M M A R Y he story begins with Mole taking a break from How did Grahame acquire his gift? Perhaps it came T spring-cleaning, and wandering into the new world from his own difficult childhood which saw him orphaned of messing about in boats with Ratty. On their picnic, Rat at an early age. Perhaps it came from his own tells Mole that Badger lives in the Wild Wood, but cautions experiences as a father, telling stories to his son, Alistair. Mole not to go there, because weasels and other bad The Wind in the Willows is, apparently, a reconstruction of animals live there. the actual bedtime stories he shared with his son. Rat takes Mole to meet Toad and together the three He certainly loved children, calling them ‘the only really animals go off in Toad’s latest fascination – a gipsy living people’. In other respects, too, he wrote about what caravan. But when the caravan is driven off the road by a he loved. Although he was born in Scotland, he moved to speeding car, Toad loses all interest in it and becomes Berkshire to live with his grandmother after his parents’ fascinated instead by fast cars. death, and came to love the countryside and especially Winter comes and Rat and Mole spend many days the River Thames. He retired there after leaving his full- together, dozing in Rat’s river bank hole. But one day, time job, as a secretary at the Bank of England, and Mole wakes and decides to go to see Badger, despite became increasingly reclusive after the tragic early death Rat’s earlier warning. He becomes lost and tired and of Alistair. He died in Pangbourne on the Thames in scared, but, more by luck than judgement, Rat finds him 1932. and together they stumble over the snow-covered entrance to Badger’s home. At first, the gruff animal is annoyed at being awoken, but BACKGROUND AND THEMES when he realises who it is, he takes them in and shows The Wind in the Willows has everything, especially for the them another way to leave the Wild Wood. boy reader. It is a thrilling adventure, with moments of Meanwhile, Toad has been terrorising the terror – when Mole is lost in the Wild Wood, for example. neighbourhood in a succession of sports cars. Badger But at the same time, it is reassuringly safe. Perhaps this decides to take him in hand, but the cunning animal gets is because the home seems to form a permanent away from them and steals a car, for which he is sent to backdrop to all the adventures. The story begins with prison for 20 years. Mole spring-cleaning, and proceeds through many Ever resourceful, Toad escapes from prison dressed as scenes in front of raging fires in snug burrows, and ends a washerwoman, and makes it back to the river, via a with the regaining of To a d ’s ancestral pile. A l s o train, a barge, a horse and the same sports car which got reassuring is the feeling which runs through the book that him sent to prison in the first place! friends will always be there to help you, to put you right He is finally rescued from the river by Rat and learns the and to get you out of a jam. dreadful news that weasels have taken over Toad Hall. The animal characters – all male – have clear human With the help of Badger, Rat and Mole, however, he traits. Mole is timorous and unworldly but determined to regains possession of his ancestral home and vows to be face up to his fears. Despite warnings not to venture into a different Toad from now on. the Wild Wood, Mole goes. Rat is strong and self- confident – the perfect friend for a shy, retiring Mole – or boy. Badger is even stronger but with the aloofness of the ABOUT KENNETH GRAHAME adult. All children need adults at some time. And Toad is the comic relief, by turns pompous and boastful, then Kenneth Grahame first wrote about children and then for contrite and ashamed – something very childlike here. them, becoming one of the best-loved authors in The weasels are, of course, pure evil, and, as in all the children’s literature in English and providing the world best children’s stories, good triumphs in the end. Toad is with one of the classic children’s stories of all time, The a changed animal – or is he? Wind in the Willows. © Pearson Education 2001 l e v e l Penguin Readers Factsheets 2 T e a c h e r’s n o t e s Chapters 9–11 Communicative activities At the end, it seems that Toad has changed his The following teacher-led activities cover the ways. But has he? Put students into groups to same sections of text as the exercises at the write a different ending, where Toad goes back back of the Reader and supplement those to his old ways. exercises. For supplementary exercises covering shorter sections of the book, see the ACTIVITIES AFTER READING THE BOOK photocopiable Student’s Activities pages of this Ask students to work in groups to answer these Factsheet. These are primarily for use with questions. class readers but, with the exception of the 1 Do you like stories featuring animals? discussion and pair/groupwork activities, can Why (not)? also be used by students working alone in a 2 What are the main themes of the story? self-access centre. Each group shares its ideas with the other ACTIVITIES BEFORE READING THE BOOK groups. Ask students to work in groups and discuss these questions: 1 Do you like stories about animals that can G l o s s a r y talk? Why (not)? 2 Look at the animals in this story – opposite It will be useful for your students to know the following new words. page 1. What sort of character do you They are practised in the ‘Before You Read’sections of exercises at the back of the book. (Definitions are based on those in the expect each of the animals in this book to Longman Active Study Dictionary.) have Chapters 1–4 ACTIVITIES AFTER READING A SECTION bank (n) the side of a river broken (adj) in two or more pieces because of being hit Chapters 1–4 caravan (n) a covered vehicle that is pulled by a horse and that 1 Ask students to role play a conversation some people live and travel in between Toad and Rat. Toad is tired of dust (n) very small bits of dirt or soil that you can see like a powder in the air or on furniture, etc. caravans and cars and has found a new hall (n) a big house thing which excites him. Rat sees all the hole (n) an empty space in the surface of something dangers of this new interest and points them row (v) to make a boat move through the water using oars out to Toad. surprised (adj) not expecting something to happen 2 Put students into groups to think of more stick (n) a long thin piece of wood, especially one that has fallen things that Toad might be interested in e.g. from a tree planes. Ask them to imagine what bad things tunnel (n) a long hole that has been dug under the ground might happen if he got interested in each wild (adj) in natural condition; not looked after by people willow (n) a tree with very long thin branches that grows near water thing. Elicit ideas from each group and decide which one is the best for each item. Chapters 5–8 adventure (n) an exciting experience in which dangerous or Chapters 5–8 unusual things happen Ask students to role play one or more of these: judge (n) someone who decides how criminals should be punished lock (v) to fasten something by turning a key 1 The conversation between Toad and Badger officer (n) someone who has a position of authority in the army, (page 20) when Badger took Toad into police, etc. another room and closed the door. prison (n) a building where criminals are kept as a punishment 2 The conversation between Badger and Rat washerwoman (n) a woman who washes clothes for other people in after Toad escaped (page 22) return for money 3 A conversation between Toad (dressed as a Chapters 9–11 washerwoman) and a prison guard. The brave (adj) dealing with danger, or difficult situations with courage guard thinks Toad is a washerwoman! invitation (n) when you invite someone to do something or go somewhere Published and distributed by Pearson Education Factsheet written by Terry Philips © Pearson Education 2001 Factsheet series developed by Louise James Penguin Readers Factsheets l e v e l E Student’s activities 1 The Wind in the Willows 2 3 Photocopiable 4 Students can do these exercises alone or with one or more other students. Pair/group-only exercises are marked. 5 Activities before reading the book 6 1 Look at the pictures in the book. Find these things: (ii) No, no, I don’t. (iii) Of course. Get the boat out and we’ll go now. ELEMENTARY badger bed boat car caravan dust gun horse house mole moon otter (iv) Oh, no! Boats are boring.