Five Children and It

The siblings in Five Children and It give little thought to their wishes and, in fact, sometimes wish in clichés, one of the motifs of the novel. Their wishes, however, not only fail to benefit them but also get them in trouble. Nesbit is employing a theme found in the stories of many cultures, classified by folklorists as the “Magician and His Pupil” type. The story of the sorcerer’s apprentice, who bewitches a broom to do his work but can’t stop it from multiplying, belongs to this folklore type. The moral is that one should take responsibility when given power. In Five Children and It, the children never take the time to think through their wishes or their consequences, and so the magic continually betrays them.

As the story goes along, the children take more care in crafting their wishes, setting rules around them such as making sure the servants don’t notice and taking turns. However, when they are in the throes of anger or disappointment, they break their own rules. This is especially true of the two boys. Robert and Cyril’s thoughtless wishes twice get their baby brother into deep trouble, like when Robert wishes that everyone would want