Meg cut up some celery and mixed it in with the tuna. After a moment's hesitation she opened the refrigerator door and brought out a jar of little sweet pickles. - Though why I'm doing it for her I don't know, she thought, as she cut them up. - I don't trust her one bit.
This excerpt from Madeleine L'Engle's 'A Wrinkle in Time' offers a subtle glimpse into the characters' inner dynamics and the underlying tension present in their relationships. The act of Meg preparing food—for herself or perhaps for someone else—becomes a metaphor for the current state of trust and uncertainty. The careful chopping of celery and the cautious selection of sweet pickles suggest a level of deliberation and perhaps a desire to create something comforting or nourishing, yet made with reservations. Meg’s internal monologue reveals her conflicted feelings; she questions her motivations and the trust she places in others. This evokes a universal theme: our relationships often involve layers of suspicion, vulnerability, and the need for security. The mundane act of preparing a meal becomes a symbolic reflection of the complex emotional landscapes we navigate in times of doubt. The phrase
