A literary work is considered successful and effective when it distributes a meaningful message and the audience understands it. This statement is the case for The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo because the author managed to make the novel teach the readers an important lesson. The book tells a story of a tiny mouse that is different from other mice and falls in love with the Princess. Through this plot, DiCamillo relies on two characters, Despereaux and Mig, to demonstrate that people should not despair even though they are born into sadness.
Firstly, DiCamillo relies on the character of Despereaux to reveal her message. The protagonist experiences many pivotal events after the mouse hears music from the Princess’s room. He reached the room, even though he was not allowed to do it, saw Princess Pea, and fell in love with her (DiCamillo 21). This single fact that a mouse can have great feelings toward a human is of significance. The author introduces this event to demonstrate that one’s origin is not the only determining factor. Since the mouse is capable of this act, the book can be considered motivational for its audience. In particular, the readers should understand that they do not need to despair if they feel sad and helpless. People should follow Despereaux’s example and take a risk to achieve success.
In addition to that, Despereaux is not the only character that conveys meaning in the novel. The author discovers the main message through the character of Mig, a misguided servant girl (Choi 572). She lets herself be tempted by rat Roscuro and agrees to kidnap the Princess and place her in the dungeon because the rat promises to make Mig a new princess (DiCamillo 102). Since Mig was left by her father and mistreated throughout her life, she agreed to cooperate with Roscuro. However, she soon understands that the rat deceived her into committing a brutal act. That is why Mig changes her mind and decides to help Despereaux save the Princess (DiCamillo 150). This character demonstrates that even though a person lives in challenging conditions and faces multiple problems, it is not a good choice to turn to the bad side. Mig reveals that it is important to stay humane irrespective of how much effort it requires.
It is worth acknowledging that the theme of forgiveness occupies an essential place in the novel. According to Rapp, Xu, and Enright, the author draws much attention to demonstrate how significant it is to forgive others (1251). The novel has a happy ending because Despereaux is allowed to spend time with the Princess, and the two forgive Roscuro (DiCamillo, 154). This description demonstrates that it does not make sense what problems a character faces because it is their choice to avoid despair and make good decisions.
In conclusion, the essay has overviewed The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo and stipulated that the novel presents a powerful and valuable lesson. In particular, even though a person is born into sadness, there is no need to despair. The characters of Despereaux and Mig exemplify that various challenges can emerge, but all of them are solvable. The only critical aspect is that people should rely on positive thinking to overcome these challenges. Thus, DiCamillo teaches her audience that there is nothing impossible when a person decides to make an effort and achieve a particular outcome.
Works Cited
Choi, Yunseon. “Finding ˈjust Rightˈ Books for Children: Analyzing Sentiments in Online Book Reviews.” The Electronic Library, vol. 37, no. 3, 2019, pp. 563-576.
DiCamillo, Kate. The Tale of Despereaux. Candlewick Press, 2009.
Rapp, Hannah, Jiahe Wang Xu, and Robert D. Enright. “A Meta‐Analysis of Forgiveness Education Interventions’ Effects on Forgiveness and Anger in Children and Adolescents.” Child Development, vol. 93, no. 5, 2022, pp. 1249-1269.