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The Dark Thing/The Black Thing
The Dark Thing is a cold and sinister force that is only visible once the children have traveled from Earth to other planets. The Dark Thing is one of a few symbols in the novel that collectively represent evil, the true antagonist of the story which the main characters battle against. When Meg travels, or tessers, through the Dark Thing, she experiences its vile frigidity, which nearly kills her on her second journey through when escaping Camazotz. Alongside IT, The Man with the Red Eyes, and other elements on the planet of Camazotz, the Dark Thing represents evil’s pervasive yet mysterious presence in the novel’s world.
Fortinbras
Fortinbras, the Murry family’s beloved big black dog, symbolizes home, strength, and stability, anchoring the beginning and ending of the story with his presence. The dog, a setter-greyhound mix, has been an important part of the Murry family since Mr. Murry found him on their doorstep and took him in. Now a strong yet slender embodiment of security, Fortinbras only barks when necessary, and in the novel’s opening he alerts Meg and Charles of Mrs. Whatsit’s arrival. Fort travels with them in the very beginning of the journey to save Mr. Murry, and he does not appear again until the very end when Meg and Charles Wallace arrive safely in the garden next to their house after battling IT on Camazotz. Fortinbras’s gleeful celebration of the family’s reunion signals warmth, rest, and the truth that everyone has finally made it home.
Mrs. Who’s Spectacles
Mrs. Who’s spectacles symbolize understanding and clarity, and they are Meg’s key to rescuing her father from the mysterious prison cell on Camazotz. Meg’s struggle to understand herself and the world around her evolves through the story, and when Mrs. Who gives her the spectacles, she instructs Meg only to use them as a last resort. Ultimately, when Meg cannot break through the strange transparent column that holds her father, she slips on the spectacles and finds herself inside the column. Throughout the novel, Meg realizes that things she considered her faults, like her stubbornness and lack of conformity, are gifts that uniquely equip her to rescue her family from the forces of evil. This understanding is mirrored in the spectacles, which would commonly be seen as an indication of weakness, but are instead a source of great power in a time of need.
