Phantom Tollbooth
Blog post #1
Travel Tracer
The Phantom Tollbooth is a book that changes setting a lot. It starts in the bedroom of the main character and then moves into a whole different world. Then, Milo, the main character, moves through different kingdoms both in his fantasy and in reality.
Bedroom: (important setting, as initial incident occurred)
The initial incident of this book occurs in Milo's room. His messy room is on the eighth floor of an apartment building. In the boys room, there are books, tools, games and toys scattered all over the place. In my opinion, the author made Milo's room messy to emphasize how board he always is. The mess shows that Milo starts to play with something, and then gets board of it. Next, he tries to play with something else but abandons that too.
In Milo's room, there was a strange surprise package. It was odd in shape and also in size. When the boy unpacks it and assembles it it becomes a tollbooth. When Milo drives into the tollbooth with his electric automobile, he is transferred into a different world. Pg. 11
Expectations:
When Milo passed through the tollbooth he appears in "Expectations." He found himself on an unknown country highway, and his house, bedroom and tollbooth were nowhere to be seen. In "Expectations" all the colors were very rich and bright, the flowers shone, and tall silvery trees lined the road. The sky was bright and the sun was shining. By the road was a sign with "Welcome to Expectations" written neatly on it. Behind the sign was a house from which a man came out off and told Milo that "Expectations" is the place where you had to go before you got anywhere else. Soon, Milo left towards his chosen destination, "Dictionopolis." Pg. 16, 17
Doldrums: (important setting, because this is where Milo met Tock)
Before Milo gets to "Dictionopolis" he gets lost in the "Doldrums," the home of the Lethargarians. The peaceful highway began to change as Milo began to enter the "Doldrums." The broad green valley began to get grayer, such as the sky and the countryside. Even the birds only sang gray songs. Everything there had the same monotonous tone. On the twisting and turning road the air became much heavier. Small, boring creatures live here and Milo only manages to get out off there when he meets Tock. Pg. 16, 17, 19, 20, 22
Dictionopolis: (important setting, for this is where Milo received his task)
When Milo started to think again he got out of the "Doldrums" and went on towards "Dictionopolis" located in the Foothills of confusion. When Tock and Milo, the new duo, got near to the word growing city. they could see the cities towers and flags sparkling in the sun. The city was surrounded by a great wall. Inside this giant barricade was an immense square. It was covered by people, market stalls filled with merchendise and buildings painted in happy colors. Large wooden wheeled carts came from word orchards, along with caravans, sacks and boxes that came from far away lands. The air was filled with the sound of minstrels singing mixed with the sound of merchants trying to sell their goods. People were sorting the many different words into different cases. Everything looked great. This all changed when the Spelling Bee and the Humbug fought and knocked over all the stalls. This mixed up all the words, along with the way people spoke. Everything was being drowned in confusion. Luckily, people were able to correct everything quite soon. Pg. 34, 36, 38, 45, 47, 56
Jail: (important setting, because this is where Faintly Macabre tells here story)
Officer Shrift blames the havoc on Milo and Tock and takes them to the dungeon. To get to the dungeon they took a long, dark corridor lit by few candles; then down a circular staircase where the air is damp and musty and the walls are slimy to the touch. The jail itself is a high vaulted cell with only two windows. There is a button on the door, which you press to get out. This is what the two heroes use to escape after Macabre's story. Pg. 63, 78
Faintly Macabre's story: (important setting, for this is where Milo learns of Rhyme and Reason)
The which's (not witch's) story takes place in a land of barren and frightening wilderness on high rocky mountains. There was seldom any life there, and the life that was there was evil.This place was called the land of Null. This all changed when a prince sailed over and built a city there. The city got larger and bigger, got got so big that it began to be called the kingdom of Wisdom. But outside the walls it was still evil and twisted land. The two sons of the founder of the kingdom of Wisdom built their own cities too. Both their cities prospered. The kingdom of Wisdom was also in good hands. All problems and disputes were solved by Rhyme and Reason. It was a happy place. But when Rhyme and Reason were banished the kingdom of Wisdom fell into despair and the two other kingdoms began arguing, but still growing in power.
Royal Banquet: (important setting as that is where Milo gets his mission)
The royal banquet took place in a book shaped palace. The walls inside the palace were covered in mirrors. The dining room itself was filled with people. There were carefully set cutlery along with gold plates. In the center was a thrown covered in crimson cloth. Behind it was the coat of arms. But when King Azaz begins his speech the room empties. All the people are seen again when they cheer Milo, Tock and the Humbug out of Dictionopolis. Pg 80-100.
Point of View: (important setting for that is where the action ended)
The Point of View is where the three protagonists get to when the dense forest ends. From there you can see a rich, beautiful and green landscape.
The Phantom Tollbooth changes setting a lot, has descriptive details in certain parts whilst not in others.
