A Wind In The Door

Another of the novel’s themes is the idea of what’s normal. Despite Charles Wallace’s intelligence and kindness, he is still an outcast from his peers at school and adults outside his family. His differences are exacerbated, as Calvin points out, because they live in a small village where everyone is very similar, as opposed to a city, where differences among people don’t stand out because they are more common. Regardless, the villagers treat Charles Wallace differently because he doesn’t fit the norm of what his village and subculture expect. He questions why this is, asking, “Why do people always mistrust people who are different? Am I really that different?” (21). Charles Wallace’s question taps into why Blajeny assigns him to learn to adapt. Without the ability to adapt between his home's safety and his school's hostile environment, Charles Wallace will continue to be bullied. Many readers likely empathize with Charles Wallace and the internal struggle he faces. People often distrust what they don’t know or what is not familiar to them.

The theme of what’s normal is developed further with Proginoskes’s and Sporos’s judgments about the human characters being inferior to them. When Proginoskes introduces himself to Meg, Calvin, and Charles Wallace, he says, “I don’t know what I’ve done to be assigned to a class with such immature earthlings” (61), as if being sent to Earth is a punishment. Proginoskes then talks to the humans with slight impatience and exasperation, though he overcomes this negative attitude quickly. Before Blajeny walks Meg, Calvin, and Charles Wallace back to their house for the night, Proginoskes says, “I didn’t mean what I said about immature earthlings. If we have been sent to the same Teacher, then we have things to learn from each other. A cherubim is not a higher order than earthlings, you know, just different” (69). Thus, Proginoskes sees the value in their differences and understands that their differences will strengthen them. Sporos, on the other hand, is more outspoken about his disdain for humans and his assignment to work with them. He openly refuses to kythe with Calvin to defeat the Echthroi; yet, when he sees Mr. Jenkins’s sacrifice to save Meg, he begins to understand that humans have admirable attributes, though they are different from himself. Thus, Proginoskes and Sporos overcome their dislike for humans because they see past their differences and appreciate how they strengthen the group.

One of L’Engle’s most valuable lessons about what’s normal is that being unique ultimately saves Charles Wallace. To pass her first test, Meg must Name the real Mr. Jenkins against two Echthroi imposters. To do this, she must accept Mr. Jenkins’s differences and shortcomings. She must also appreciate that Mr. Jenkins is unique and turn that into genuine love. When she does this, she Names Mr. Jenkins and drives the imposters away. Likewise, the group must Name Sporos, even though he was insulting. They must see his unique nature and appreciate it instead of disliking him for his differences. Again, Meg and her friends see past Sporos’s differences and Name him, openly telling him he is unique and needed. By Naming Sporos, they drive the Echthroi back, leading to their ultimate victory. This message tells the readers that there is great power in being unique and that not everyone has to be normal or the same. The differences among people make them strong and capable of accomplishing great things.