What a Wrinkle in Time Means to Me

This post has been bouncing around in my brain for a really long time. I saw Disney’s A Wrinkle in Time when it cam out in theaters. Guys, I cannot explain to you how excited I was for this movie. I’m not even sure I can put into words what a Wrinkle in Time meant to me growing up. It was, for a very long time, the measure by which I judged all fantasy and sci-fi books. To this day, all of L’Engle’s books, but especially the Time Quintet, are some of my favorite, most reread books on my shelf. I don’t think I have been this disappointed in a film adaptation since Harry Potter. 

I was so excited for the film release. They cast an incredibly talented group of actors and actresses. On top of that the source material is not too complicated. I thought for sure they could not screw it up. Plus the concept of good versus evil is a universal plot. I also expected Ms. DuVernay to really expound on Meg and her STEM skills, as well as, the theme of individualism versus conformity. Instead, I saw none of that. I saw a 20 foot Oprah with sequins on her eyes playing a charachter, who is supposed to be noncorporeal. Reese Witherspoon turned into a gigantic flying leaf, and we completely miss the strength that is Meg’s love for her little brother. 

Sandy and Dennys did not exist. The beautiful scene with the Beasts which teaches Meg that love, individualism, and compassion are the kind of strengths that save worlds. They also teach her that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The Beasts teach Meg to forgive her father for his weaknesses, because everything that he did was for his love of his children.

They wedged in Meg’s love for science and mathematics as an afterthought. This team had a chance to really show young woman, especially minorities, the importance of STEM. In the book, Meg learns that she should embrace her love of mathematics because it can help make real changes in this world. She stops caring that kids make fun of her for her nerdiness. Calvin respects her because she is brilliant. Instead, she alludes to understanding thermodynamics, but it feels like she merely paid attention in science class. It barely shows that she is probably closer to a mathematical savant. 

I did enjoy that they changed Meg’s insecurity to her hair as opposed to glasses. The hair is more timely and a lot more relatable at this time. I thought it was really important to show her struggling with something that many young women fight every day. I also loved that they updated some of Mrs. Who’s quotations, however, I do think they should have used some of the classics, because they are beautiful words to describe her feelings. 

When I was younger, science and math were not the subjects it was “cool” to be good at, at least not for girls. My school failed to push STEM. I studied hard and got good grades, but I didn’t let a lot of people know how much I loved science. In fact, I can distinctly remember my senior year of high school pretending that I needed help from some guys in our college level Chemistry class. I did not. I completely understood Chemistry and it was honestly one of my favorite classes. All of the rest of my friends hated it. They didn’t make fun of me for loving it, but they certainly didn’t admire me or encourage my enjoyment. 

So I spent a lot of time turning to L’Engle’s books. Books about young women who loved science and mathematics. Girls who used their skills at these things to change the world, go on adventures across the universe and save their loved ones. I loved that Meg’s mother was a scientist, probably more brilliant than Meg’s father. I couldn’t believe that she could be that smart and accomplished by still raise and care for four young children. To this day, I believe Meg’s mother is the untold hero in the Time Quintet. 

I also loved Charles Wallace growing up. Even as a young child, I understood that Charles was a young man on the autism spectrum. I think it is safe to assume that that was L’Engle’s intention. This young man was a child genius with a heart of gold, but more than that, his differences made him a special piece in the fight between good and evil. Charles Wallace was special, he had ties to cosmic forces that most people cannot ever dream of. I think it was and is so important for kids to learn that just because someone may be different from them does not mean they are better or worse. They are just different and those differences make each and every person on this earth special. 

The Time Quintet, specifically A Wrinkle in Time, meant so much as me as a kid. It taught me that it was ok to be good at science, even if your friends think it’s weird. I also learned the importance of intelligence, love, and compassion because those three things are what help Meg save the world, but most importantly save Charles Wallace. I’m disappointed that the movie did not do justice the beautifully written tale. All of the pieces were there, but they just didn’t fit together to form the puzzle that was on the box.