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Time
As the book’s title suggests, time is a motif that runs through the novel’s entirety, as the main characters examine their own relationships with time and understand new conceptions of dimension and chronology. A tesseract, the concept around which the central plot revolves, is itself a dimension of time (and space), and it’s the “wrinkle” in the book’s namesake. When the characters tesser, or travel, from one planet to another, it is made clear that conventional understandings of time’s passage are insufficient. However, there is also an impending sense of urgency from the rescue mission at hand. This tension, alongside the warp of time’s passage while the children are gone from earth, and other mentions of time, like Mrs. Whatsit’s age (“2,379,152,497 years, 8 months, and 3 days”), are clear illustrations of the importance of time in the arc of the story.
Darkness & Light
The contrast between darkness and light is a pervasive element in the setting and plot of the story, utilized often in descriptions of the characters and their adventures. In the novel’s opening, the darkness of the night and its terrifying storm is juxtaposed with the warm light of the kitchen, setting up the tension between these forces in Meg’s world from the very first chapter of the book. The darkness of The Black Thing and the prison cell on Camazotz are clear examples of evil’s linkage to shadows and blindness, while the colorful light on Uriel and the brilliance of the stars are indicators of goodness. Ultimately, the contrast between darkness and light mirrors the central conflict between evil and good. All the forces of good, such as Aunt Beast or Mrs. Whatsit, are described with a sense of illumination and warmth while anything evil is stark, cold, and gloomy.
Communication
The exploration of communication is evident in the novel’s plot and character developments. At the very beginning of the story, it is made clear that Charles Wallace communicates in ways that are quite distinct from other children his age, as he skips over those typical juvenile fragments in favor of sophisticated diction. However, even beyond his word choice, Charles Wallace converses with many of the celestial beings he encounters through communication that somehow doesn’t require words. Similarly, Aunt Beast communicates with Meg by reading her thoughts and is unimpressed by the words Meg offers to describe things from an earthly perspective. Mrs. Who speaks almost exclusively in quotations, in a myriad of languages from texts modern and ancient, emphasizing the idea that communicating with words spoken by another is often more resonant than one’s own. Calvin’s gift of communication is his special power, articulated by Mrs. Whatsit. The motif of communication is clearly threaded through many of the main characters and their relationships with diction, verbalization, and understanding.
