You can’t have living without dying.” (64) Cut off from the rest of the world most of the time, Angus takes Winnie into his heart. She poses youth and life, qualities that he envies: “If I knowed how to climb back on the wheel, I’d do it in a minute. When he meets Winnie, his melancholy lifts. Unlike the other Tuck Everlasting characters, Angus suffers the pain of his immortality every day. She did what she could to provide for Winnie’s comfort in her own home, and when the stranger in the yellow suit threatened to steal Winnie away against her will, Mae does what is necessary to protect Winnie. Even though it was her idea to kidnap Winnie, Mae always intended to return the child. So when Winnie stumbles upon her son in the wood, Mae understands the only way to protect the order in life is to protect the spring and make sure no one speaks of it. She meets up with her sons every ten years, she understands Winnie’s place is with her own family, and she respects the order in life: “Life’s got to be lived, no matter how long or short…” (54). Mae TuckĮven though she is immortal and no longer a part of the circle of life, Mae Tuck struggles to maintain order. By the end of the novel, Winnie is willing to accept consequences and sacrifice herself for the Tuck family she has grown to love. Winnie learns that while it might be fun to break the rules, these actions come with consequences. She could understand how the order in life must be protected because it was the same sort of order she had at home. She is suddenly protective of life around her, like the fish she captured with Miles and the Tuck family when they are threatened by the constable and the man in the yellow suit. Winnie is also skeptic who doesn’t believe in fairy tales, but Angus Tuck’s explanation of why the secret of the spring must remain protected jars Winnie into reality. Winnie joins Jesse’s singing and runs about reveling in her newfound freedom. But when she is confronted by the fact she was being kidnapped, Winnie became a helpless ten year-old once more until she is caught in the moment once more, as when the Tuck’s continue on their journey back to the cabin. Curious and fascinated by his good looks, she is swept away by his suggestion to leave with Mae and Miles. Once in the wood, Winnie stumbles upon Jesse Tuck. She’s tired of being checked on by her mother and grandmother, she’s tired of their reminders to stay clean and be good and behave like a lady. However, Winnie is also tired of being looked after at home. She’s uncertain whether she should venture out to the world beyond the gate because she is afraid: “…she knew there was another sort of reason for staying at home: she was afraid to go away alone” (22). When the story opens, Winnie is a bored and lonely girl of ten. This review, however, will not take the place of reading the actual novel. Whether you’re preparing for a big test or getting ready to write an essay, reviewing important material and characters from Tuck Everlasting will help you organize your thoughts about Natalie Babbit’s novel.
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