Why, you might ask, have we chosen to read A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle as if it were a sacred text? The answer to us is as simple as it is complex; the story meets at the reader at the intersection of adult and child understandings, creating a narrative that deals with the existential questions that are now-typical of coming-of-age stories.
The difference, as compared to other coming-of-age stories, is that A Wrinkle in Time features three protagonists who are connected by compassion for and sensitivity to their world. It also features a strong, female lead. Most other classic, coming-of-age stories, like Catcher in the Rye, Lord of the Flies, or The Giver, focus on how boys become men and are filled with a brand of cynicism that makes it hard to read as though it were sacred. (Not that you can’t do that; it’s just harder to find the compassion, empathy, and radical love that we search for when reading sacredly.)
A Wrinkle in Time is the coming-of-age story that inspires us to authentically engage with their world. It was one of the first books of its kind to center on a girl; empowering generations of women to save the world — knowing that they can be strengthened by their flaws and their imperfections. It’s a great place to begin looking for spiritual meaning, and that’s why we wanted to start our sacred journey with this text.
— Kailina
Some follow-up articles about these topics:
Blessed Books 