Photosynthesis and Surviving in a Thin Atmosphere: Why do Meg, Calvin, and Charles Wallace breath through flowers as they travel to see the Black Thing?

Flowers on Uriel, the third planet of the star Malak in the spiral nebula Messier 101

Mrs. Whatsit changes forms to take the children high above the planet Uriel to see the Black Thing. On their way, they stop in a beautiful garden and a creature brings the children each a flower. Meg realizes it is not one flowers but, “hundreds of tiny flowerets forming a kind of hollow bell” (68). When they are above the clouds and the mountains, Meg begins to gasp for breath and Mrs. Whatsit tells the children to breath through the flowers so they will have enough oxygen. The flowers make it possible for the children to breath in a very thin atmosphere. This is a critical point in the story because the children learn what it is they and Meg’s father are fighting against. Flowers on Uriel

Plants on Earth

On Earth, people need oxygen masks to breath when they reach an altitude high above the ground. However, plants play an important part in making sure humans have enough oxygen to breath when we are on the ground. In the process of photosynthesis, the plant takes in water through its roots and carbon dioxide from the air. Then, the plant uses chlorophyll and sunlight to change the water and carbon dioxide into oxygen and glucose (sugar). The sugar is food for the plant but the plant does not need the oxygen so it releases it into the air and we use it to breath (“Photosynthesis”). Plants on Earth

The flowers from Uriel contain elements of fact and fiction. Madeleine L’Engle may have used the factual process of photosynthesis as an inspiration for the fictional flowers that allow the children to breath in the very thin atmosphere. All of the plants on Earth work together to make our supply of oxygen but one flower in space would not provide enough oxygen for us to breath. By having the children use the flowers in this way, Ms. L’Engle reminds us that we depend on plants for our survival. We can not allow plants and trees to be cut down or die from pollution or disease because it will harm us, too. Pollution and cutting down large forests without replanting them may contribute to the “shadow” that hangs over our planet. Oxygen for Life: Plants on Earth and in Science Fiction

Works Cited L’Engle, Madeleine. A Wrinkle in Time. New York: Dell Publishing, “Photosynthesis” Alien Explorer Three Teachers Software. 21 Feb html html