What happens in Chapter 5 of A Wrinkle in Time?
Chapter 5 begins with Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin still with Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which on the dark, chilly planet Uriel. The three celestial beings help the children prepare for their quest to find Mr. Murry by introducing them to tessering — traveling through the fifth dimension. Mrs. Who uses a quote from the New Testament to illustrate the idea of things we cannot see, while Mrs. Whatsit takes a hands-on approach, demonstrating how folding space with a piece of string shortens the distance between two points. Charles Wallace understands this right away, but Meg has a harder time with it; she ultimately decides to accept it on faith. Mrs. Which then reveals that they can’t go straight to Mr. Murry because he is trapped on a planet called Camazotz, which is under the control of a dark and frightening force — the same shadow the children saw from Uriel. The chapter closes with a sense of dread as the Mrs. W's admit that even they lack the power to face the darkness head-on, and the group tesseracts away from Uriel, rushing through a stifling, dimensionless void before arriving — breathless — in a new, grey, unfamiliar world.
Analysis
L'Engle's fifth chapter marks a transition in the novel from domestic fantasy to cosmic science fiction, employing a purposeful simplification in her writing style. The demonstration with the string—folding cloth so that two distant points meet—is a brilliant example of effective storytelling; it makes complex ideas tangible without talking down to the reader. Notably, it's Meg, rather than her brilliant brother Charles Wallace, who needs the extra analogy, which positions her as a stand-in for the reader and subtly suggests that confusion doesn't equate to failure.
Additionally, this chapter deepens the novel's main theme of light versus darkness. The shadow that was first seen wrapping around the stars is now identified as an active, malevolent force, and Mrs. Whatsit’s acknowledgment of their own limitations serves as a surprising tonal shift—these almost all-powerful beings are afraid. L'Engle uses this revelation to redefine heroism: the children are not selected for their strength but because love and human flaws can sometimes achieve what sheer cosmic power cannot.
The tessering sequence is intentionally written in a sensory-deprived manner—void of sight and sound, with a pressure that seems to threaten one's sense of identity—creating a stark contrast to the vivid, multi-sensory descriptions of Uriel found in the previous chapter. This emptiness is more than just a plot device; it embodies the theme of faith, urging both characters and readers to endure the unknown and trust in what is to come. Mrs. Who’s scriptural quote reinforces this: here, being willing to be led is valued more than having all the knowledge.
Key quotes from Chapter 5
“'Now we will tesser, we will wrinkle again. Do you understand?' 'No,' Meg said flatly.”
Mrs. Which confirms the plan to travel via the fifth dimension; Meg's blunt refusal to pretend comprehension establishes her as the novel's honest, imperfect heart.
“'For now we see through a glass, darkly.' Mrs. Who's spectacles shone as she quoted.”
Mrs. Who invokes 1 Corinthians 13 to explain the limits of mortal perception, linking the novel's science-fictional conceits directly to its spiritual framework.
“There was a sound of screaming all around her, and Meg did not know whether she herself was screaming or not.”
During the tesseract itself, Meg loses all sensory bearings, and L'Engle collapses the boundary between self and void to dramatise the terror of travelling through nothingness.