Madeline L’Engle

Before I go deep into my writing, I want to say one of the most important things I took away from Chapter Seven. There are a LOT of big words. Mitochondria, farandole, Proginoskes, Echthroi, etc. Echthroi means enemies in Latin, by the way. So many that I had to re-read some pages A FEW times because I didn’t understand what they were saying. So, quickly I am going to relate something about mitochondria that I learned in science class. Mitochondria makes ATP or energy for the cell. Mitochondria make ATP from sugar and oxygen. Without mitochondria/energy, we cannot live. This relates to chapter seven because the Echthroi are attacking Charles Wallace’s mitochondrion and, as a result, killing them. As they kill the mitochondrion, they kill Charles Wallace. The reason why Meg, Calvin, Mr. Jenkins, Proginoskes, and Blajeny go to Metron Ariston is to fight the Echthroi. They are fighting the Echthroi to save the mitochondrion, to save Charles Wallace. Meg doesn’t know yet, but she will have to do something to overcome the Echthroi. The Echthroi are in Charles Wallace’s mitochondria, so they (Meg, Calvin, Progo, Blajeny, and Mr. Jenkins) have to go into Charles Wallace to save him. When they arrive at Metron Ariston, Meg is then able to kythe with Charles Wallace and sees that he is very sick. She sees their mother carrying his limp, weak body to his bedroom. She sees her mother putting him in bed and asking the twins to get more blankets and light the fire. She sees and hears her mother telling Charles that Meg (herself) will be back from school soon and that she will come straight up and read to him. But then, she sees Charles mumble with all the energy he has left that Meg isn’t in school… but his mother doesn’t pay attention and just brushes it off. After that, a soft fog drapes over her vision and she suddenly can’t see Charles or her mother anymore. In Metron Ariston they see another Echthroi  impersonating Mr. Jenkins and it sends a shiver down his spine. Imagine how weird it would be to see another you. I would probably react the same way I do when I see a squirrel. Scream for five seconds, run away and hide in a bush until the coast is clear.