Witches in Britches

Episode 2.2 A Wrinkle in Time

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Happy full moon, warriors! And happy Ostara, Passover, and Easter to those who celebrate. It’s the last blue moon of 2018, so we hope you’re doing something magical tonight!

In this episode we discuss Madeleine L’Engle’s beloved children’s classic A Wrinkle in Time as well as the recent (2018) film adaptation directed by Ava DuVernay.

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Our theme song is “Moon and Spruce” by Sarah Littledrum.

Here’s a listening guide for the episode. (For a description of our segments, go here.)

Introduction (0:00 – 4:11)

Which Craft? (4:16 – 30:50)

  • L’Engle’s publication journey and inspiration for the book
  • Setting for the story: New England vs. L.A.
  • “It was a dark and stormy night”
  • Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which as witches (+ references to Shakespeare)
  • A Wrinkle in Time as a contemporary dream vision
  • Process of adaptation and changes made for the film:
    • Focus on Meg’s journey: learning to love herself
    • Sequence on Camazotz
    • Final showdown with the IT
    • Meg’s relationship with her father
    • Mrs. Who’s quotes
    • Changes to Mrs. Whatsit’s character
    • Changes to the Happy Medium
    • Visuals/ CGI and music

      • “Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?” + “Bald Heads and Queer Noses” (30:55 – 55:37)

      • Casting Storm Reid and centering women of color
      • Meg’s journey to embrace her body and natural hair
      • The witches’ appearance and bodies
      • Importance of representation in film and how movies like Black Panther and A Wrinkle in Time are changing the industry
      • Calvin as sidekick/ love interest/ supporting character
      • Meg’s parents, biracial couple
      • Dr. Kate Murry: beauty, scientist, mother
      • Mae Jemison
      • Charles Wallace

        • Related Links

        Vulture: Ava DuVernay on Meg’s Natural Hair

        Code Switch: In Search of Black-on-Black Love

        “‘Round About the Cauldron Go” (55:43 – 1:06:02)

        Gather ’round while Jenny drops some of her boundless wisdom about gardens and flowers and the portrayal of the natural world in the film!

        • Meg’s backyard garden
        • Mrs. Who’s house
        • “Tessering is almost nearly perfectly natural”: finding your frequency
        • Magic of wild nights
        • Uriel: natural beauty, color-speaking flowers, Mrs. Whatsit’s transformation
        • Orion: finding balance
        • Camazotz: looking inwards

          • “Treguna, Mekoides, Trecorum, Satis, Dee!” (1:06:05 – 1:16:44)

          • Spiritual truths beyond Christianity
          • Nature of evil (book version vs. film version)
          • Tesseracts powered by love
          • Fantasy as a vehicle for conveying complex ideas to children

            • Final Spells (1:16:48 – 1:19:46)

            • Math and making learning fun
            • Flatland (Correction: the main character is a square, not a triangle)
            • Meg holding Calvin’s hand in the book vs. in the film

              • Blooper Reel (1:20:42 – 1:23:52)

              Claire’s Recommendations

              • The Mortified Guide
              • Stuff Mom Never Told You
              • Still Processing
              • Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me!
                • ...more
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                Witches in BritchesBy Katie Robison
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