Loafing, Driving, and "Messing About in Boats": Kenneth Grahame's Decadence from Pagan Papers to The Wind in the Willows

Abstract

Abstract: "Loafing, Driving, and 'Messing About in Boats': Kenneth Grahame's Decadence from Pagan Papers to The Wind in the Willows " seeks to highlight the radical queerness and rejection of heteronormative mores within the classic Golden Age children's book The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame. It does so by tracing its roots within Grahame's involvement in the famously queer Decadent movement in late nineteenth century Britain. This reading challenges the much more common assumption that The Wind in the Willows is a fairly conservative text which reinforces "proper" behavior and traditional values. To develop these claims, the essay focuses on the queer relationships between characters, the rebellious behaviors of Toad, and the imagery and themes the text borrows from the Decadent movement.