A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Chapter 7 and 8, Part I

There are many connections to be made between the character names in this book. For instance, the Welsh translation of Madoc is Madog, similar to Mad Dog. Bran (like Brandon or Branwen) plus Zillo (Zylle's father) is Branzillo, the last name of Mad Dog. I find this ingenious, personally.

Charles Wallace convinces Gaudior to try to travel in both space and time, an idea that Gaudior has shed negative light on before. In this, we see the old Charles Wallace emerge, the one who thinks he knows best and can take whatever. He fails to heed Gaudior's warnings, and ends up in a barely post-Ice Age ocean, bruised and dying from the cold. It's called common sense...thanks to Meg, they both made it out.

In the beginning of Chapter 8, Gaudior takes Charles Wallace to his home to heal. When I read the description of it, I think about how difficult it must be for Gaudior. I wouldn't want to leave what sounds like such a beautiful and safe place and look after a 15-year-old boy who doesn't use his head often. But it runs deeper than that; if I had been born and raised in that place and had ridden the When-winds like Gaudior, I would be appalled at Earth and all of its imperfection.