The Door in the Wall, written by Marguerite De Angeli and published by Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers (Copyright 1949), is the story of a crippled young boy. Robin lived in England during the Medieval times when boys of his age were expected to go to court and serve as pages for wealthy families. After a plague devours his town and leaves him a cripple, however, Robin must rely on the love of others for his daily care. He has seemingly no purpose in life; after all, he cannot even walk, let alone carry a lance into battle for his king! He eagerly desired to be able to run and play, like other boys his age. Robin wanted to serve a noble family and become an honored knight like his father. And yet he was a helpless cripple, or so he thought. In this historical fiction book, Robin learns his self-worth after saving his godfather’s castle from the marauding Welsh warriors.
Though there are many caring people who teach Robin, Brother Luke was his main instructor on the ways of life and various trades. After brother Luke takes Robin to his monastery, he dutifully teaches the lad the art of whittling and the value of perseverance by requiring Robin to swim in the river near the monastery every day. Even though the water was usually bitterly cold, Robin was always ‘glad he had made the effort’ (Angeli 54). Nonetheless, while Robin was a relatively obedient and well-behaved boy, he still became easily frustrated and vexed when things did not go his way or people teased him for being a cripple (Angeli 24). Yet Robin was a boy who liked to learn from his mistakes and was eager to please Brother Luke. The Luke, on the other hand, was a peaceful man who loved the Lord and sang praises to Him daily, and so served as an excellent example to Robin.
One day, however, Robin, Luke, and a traveling minstrel named John-go-in-the-Wynd must leave the monastery and journey to Robin’s godfather, Sir Peter. Even though Sir Peter is peaceful to the surrounding peoples of his castle, the Welsh soon plan an attack. All the women and children, along with Robin, flee to the keep where they will be safe from harm. Yet another problem arises: the supply of water from the castle’s well was becoming smaller and smaller. It was decided that some brave soul must go and warn Sir Peter’s brother that the Welsh were about to storm the castle. Boldly, Robin volunteered for the dangerous job. Later that night, with the help of Brother Luke, Robin dresses as a simple shepherd and begins the long walk, with the help of his wooden crutches, to go warn John-go-in-the-Wynd about the terrible circumstance of the castle and its people. John would then hurry to tell the Sir Peter’s brother the news and ask for his aid. First, however, to exit the fortress without the surrounding Welsh guards noticing him, Robin had to swim in the icy cold river. Fortunately, Brother Luke had taught Robin the perseverance necessary to jump into a freezing river by having Robin swim in the river near the monastery.
Thus, with the help of his previous physical training, Robin successfully swam the width of the river and warned John of the dire circumstance of the castle of Lindsay. Hobbling along in the night under the noses of the Welsh was a dangerous mission, yet Robin found the courage to serve Sir Peter by warning John of the castle’s dilemma. During this time of his independent adventure, Robin learns his importance to his generous godfather by confidently stepping forward to assist the castle in the time of need.
However, because of the unclear and almost drama-less conflict, the resolution to Angeli’s The Door in the Wall seems nearly undefined and unstated. Yet young Robin does, in the end, realize his self-worth as a person. Though it took a large sum of perseverance, Robin’s training was rewarded through his brave deed in protecting the castle of Lindsay. No longer was he a bedridden lad; Robin now knew that he could serve his king and country just like any other boy. While this book’s setting and time period may incite curiosity in various types of readers, it does not provide the fast-paced, action-packed or entertaining story line that many modern-day readers value. Thus, this book is a slower-paced character study and is a well-written and solid children’s book that stresses the pricelessness of diligence, patience, and determination.
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