For my favorite literary "couple" I choose the Father Mouse and the toy Elephant from The Mouse and his Child. Theirs is certainly not a romance in the traditional sense, and its presence in the book is almost parenthetical to the rest of the action, but it serves as the unifying link to a larger motif about what it means to be a family. It is the Mouse Child who wants a family and a home, and it is through the pairing of the child’s father and the Elephant that this dream can be realized, not only for the child but for a host of other characters as well. This is the book that originally made me want to write literature for children, and the pairing of the Mouse Father and the Elephant is only one of the many profound connections in this timeless work.
4 comments:
Mark,
You've made your point so eloquently that I immediately want to go out and find this book! Thank you!
I'm not familiar with this, but it looks charming. Interesting how varied the love pairings are that we've noted. Each holds the same power.
My college English professor told us this was his favorite children's book. It's a great addition to our "love" list, Mark.
I read this book when it first came out Mark. The scenes in it come to life before one's very eyes-- I love learning that it is the book that made you want to start writing chapter books! A great choice!
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