Re-visiting the Phantom Tollbooth & other “children’s books”

C.S. Lewis was once quoted as saying, “No book is really worth reading at age of ten which is not equally (and often far more) worth reading at the age of fifty.” I recall reading that with a smile on my face as I often enjoyed paying a visit to the literary works of my childhood, long after I had “grown up.” I think we all enjoy doing this with films, but too often we forget about the books and short stories that kept us up in bed, longing for one more chapter. We have forgotten the thrill of far away places and heroic journeys to distant lands. With the advent of modern technology, everything is so fast and we just cannot seem to slow down, let alone look back.
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Luckily for me, I have had some time recently to go back and revisit a childhood favorite of mine, Norton Juster’s The Phantom Tollbooth. Published in 1961, with an animated film which followed shortly thereafter, the work was quite popular; it was even described in an early review as the “closest thing America had to Alice In Wonderland.” Unfortunately, I have a feeling the book is not having the impact it once did. I recently took a poll of my own high school students and only one student had ever read (or heard of) the book! Needless to say, I was very disappointed as I believe Juster’s work is of great literary value, not to mention the positive themes and motifs which encourage a balanced education, rooted in moderation (quite a social commentary if you ask me!). Juster himself never really believed the book was “for children” since the vocabulary, word play and puns, as well as abstract concepts, become more and more enjoyable the older the reader is; I am still finding new ones!

For those unfamiliar with the work, I will briefly summarize. The main character is a young boy (although his exact age is irrelevant) named Milo. The opening lines of the work tell you everything you need to know about this stereotypical American boy: “There was once a boy called Milo who didn't know what to do with himself – not just sometimes but always.” We go on to learn that Milo is unsatisfied (St. Augustine’s “restless heart” concept immediately comes to mind) with life and just can’t ever seem to figure out where he wants to be, let alone what he wants to do. In an age where our kids have SO many choices, they often feel paralyzed by them and end up on the couch and on their phones. Because they are on the couch - you know where they aren’t? They aren’t out having an adventure! In a classic “coming of age” style, Juster gives Milo the chance to have purpose and instills in him a mission by sending Milo a mysterious toy tollbooth (a little strange even in the 60’s). Once assembled, Milo drives a motorized toy car through it and the adventure begins. Characters like Tock (a watchdog & Milo’s guide), the Humbug, the “Whether” Man, Lethargarians, Chroma the Great, and many more will delight you as you journey with Milo through the “Lands Beyond” and the “Kingdom of Wisdom.”

Ultimately, Milo finds himself on a quest to rescue the Princess of Sweet Rhyme and Pure Reason. The sisters, who represent temperance and practicality, have been banished to the Mountains of Ignorance by their brothers - one who is the King of Dictionopolis (where words reign supreme), and the other who is the leader of Digitopolis (where numbers dominate). You don’t have to look too far in the Bible to see the warring brothers motif - that one is classic! Also, the fact that the two are rulers of cities was interesting to me. It was St. Augustine who reminded his readers in his masterpiece, City of God, that Rome (and consequently all cities of the world) is descendant of the very first city - founded by Cain. Who was Cain in the Bible? Oh well, just the first murderer (fratricide actually, which is the killing of one’s own brother)! Nothing so dramatic occurs in The Phantom Tollbooth, but the reader is still left feeling very sad and frustrated that brothers should be at odds with one another. Additionally, the fued between the brothers has serious ramifications for all the citizens within the Kingdom. While words and numbers are, of course, essential, without the key attributes of rhyme & reason, everyone Milo encounters lives a life of impracticality (and sometimes irrationality). This is because without rhyme & reason, society will break down. Even a cursory look at today's cultural climate can show you that the dysfunctional kingdom Milo discovers, even while comical at times, is actually quite sad, and bears a striking resemblance to our own.

Furthermore, it is even more upsetting since the brothers are the sons of the founder of the Kingdom of Wisdom, the First King, who arrived from the “Sea of Knowledge” on the shores of the barren wasteland (then known as the “Land of Null”). While I don’t necessarily believe that Norton Juster was intentionally writing a biblical-based story, his experience growing up in a Jewish household has to have had an influence on him. I certainly don’t want to be guilty of eisegesis, but there are a lot of great parallels to salvation history! Anyway, I encourage you to read The Phantom Tollbooth for yourself because my synopsis can’t do Juster’s text justice. Both the humor and also the fantastic cartoon depictions by Jules Feiffer really add to the experience. I even discovered several audiobook versions as well, which can be really fun after you’ve enjoyed the book version. One is even narrated by Rainn Wilson (aka, Dwight ​​Schrute).

In conclusion, I really enjoyed rereading this book, and I would strongly encourage you to reconnect with a favorite childhood book of your own. Go back and dust off a copy of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, or Secret Garden, or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Allow yourself to see these, and so many other, “children’s books” with more mature eyes and simultaneously allow the reader of today to appreciate the text anew, while also appreciating the child that once was. The stories are the same, but not exactly. You are the same, but not exactly. Let your imagination go; let your adventure begin.