Blog 10B-Notable Moment: Mrs. Frsiby and the Rats of NIMH

Blog 10B-Notable Moment: Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH

After reading Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, my overall opinion of the book was that it was a cute story that definitely served to teach some lessons. These lessons were seen through actions of the different animals, such as Nicodemus no longer believing in stealing. Although, of all the different journeys the rats had, and the different experiences that brought each different animal to the Fitzgibbon’s farm, Mrs. Frisby’s journey into the house was a notable moment for me.

It is first of all ironic that the task that lies ahead of her is the same task that her late husband, Jonathan Frisby, would perform for the rats. Also, this is the first part of the book where we, as the reader, are introduced to the Fitzgibbons and see them socializing as people. This awakened me up as the reader to the fact that I wanted Mrs. Frisby, the little mouse, to escape and not be captured by the humans. I wanted her to be set free.

The first thoughts of Mrs. Frisby after she had been caught in the colander by Billy were, “A few days! Mrs. Frisby felt sick. And after a few days—then what? Would they let her go? Or would Billy plead for a few more? But even if they did set her free—her children were alone; the rats were coming tonight to move her house. Why had Billy picked today, of all days, to sit on the stool?” This quote shows the maternal side of the mouse in that she is worried for her children, and then she becomes worried for the moving of the house, which is what got her captured in the first place.

By the end of the chapter, Seven Dead Rats, Mrs. Frisby becomes worried for the safety of not only her kids, but also the safety of the rats. This is portrayed at the end of the chapter where it is stated, “And now she had another urgent reason to get out of the cage. Somehow, she had to warn Nicodemus. All in all, this moment was notable because it shows the interaction of mice and people and how they are similar in values of family and friends.