“’We are not here to talk about love. This trial is not about love. This trial is about you being a mouse,” shouted the Most Very Honored Mouse from high atop the bricks, “and not acting like one!!!’” (54).
“A curse, and insult, a word totally without light. And not until he heard it from the mouth of the princess did Roscuro realize that he did not like being a rat, that he did not want to be a rat” (109).
“She was twelve years old. Her mother was dead. Her father had sold her. Her uncle, who wasn’t her uncle at all, had clouted her until she was lamost deaf. And she wanted, more than anything in the world, to be a little princess wearing a golden crown and riding a high-stepping white horse” (143).
These three quotes from The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo encompass the story’s most important theme. Most, if not all of the characters in this story were in some way unsatisfied with their existence. They longed for something more, something that was sometimes unattainable. Despereaux was not an ordinary mouse. From the time he was born, he was different. He was meant to be different. “…He showed no interest in the things a mouse should show interest in” (17). Despereaux was persecuted for his uniqueness, yet he carried on. Heroically, he kept being different, no matter how terrifying it might have been.
Roscuro, the rat, shared this trait with Despereaux. He was not like the other rats. He did not wish to bring suffering to others; he only wanted the light. Roscuro, I thought, was a very dynamic character. Being a villain, the reader is supposed to dislike him. However, I found myself feeling sorry for him. Roscuro could have had a much different fate – one similar to Despereaux’s had that terrible accident not occurred in the dining hall. The tragedy with this character is that he was not inheritably evil. In fact, he was good. The circumstances of his life caused him to be the way he turned out. I think what made Despereaux a hero and what made Roscuro a villain is the way they handled the hardships in their lives.
The last character I found this theme applied to, in the saddest way, was Miggery Sow. Poor Mig, all she ever wanted was for someone to care what she wanted. She dreamt of a better life, one where she wasn’t abused and she never really got it. She thought she wanted to be a princess, but in the end, all she really wanted was her mother – or a different life. I think Mig didn’t really want to be a princess; she wanted to be what she thought a princess represents – happiness. Of all the characters in this story, I thought Miggery’s was the most heartbreaking. This little girl never had a chance in life, she was destined for a life of misery the day her mother died (and who knows what it had been like before).
The constant theme in this story is the aspiration to be someone you are content with, without worrying about what other people may think about it. Despereaux succeeded in this mission, but sadly, the other two characters did not. It’s very easy to conform to what others expect of you. The difficult, yet most satisfying thing the world is to be yourself!
I really liked how you explained your thoughts on Roscuro. I too felt sorry for him. I liked how you compared Roscuro to Despereaux and the only difference is how they chose to handle the hardships in their lives. Very well put!
ReplyDeleteYou questioned what Mig's life was like before her mother died and I can only imagine it was the same as it was told after her death. On page 126 is her mother's last words, "Ah, child, and what does it matter what you are wanting?" Just like everyone else in her life, she was always told that what she wanted never mattered. I too felt sorry for her poor soul.
I really like your take on the theme for the story. I agree, be happy with who you are and don't fret what others might judge you by.
Really good post, I enjoyed it! :)