From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

by

E. L. Konigsburg

Angel Symbol Icon

The angel statue symbolizes Claudia’s desire to figure out who she really is. After running away from her monotonous home life where she’s always been “straight-As Claudia Kincaid,” Claudia sees a newly acquired sculpture on display in the Metropolitan Museum of Art—a small angel with folded arms. Immediately, she can’t stop thinking about the beautiful statue. And when she learns that “Angel” might be an early lost work of Michelangelo (a question debated by art experts), she’s determined to find out the truth one way or the other.

Claudia identifies strongly with Angel, though she’s not sure why. At one point, she even hints to Jamie that she thinks the statue resembles her. As she and Jamie conduct library research and study the statue for possible clues, she realizes that the statue’s mystery has become more important to her than her original goal of simply running away and hiding. In the long term, the runaway adventure won’t matter as much as “Michelangelo, Angel, history, and herself”: somehow, Angel holds a clue to why Claudia ran away in the first place. That’s why she refuses to go home until she discovers Angel’s history. If she goes home without knowing, that will mean she’s returning home as the same person she’s always been, and the whole adventure will have been a failure. She won’t know the truth about where Angel comes from—or, implicitly, about who she is.

When Claudia and Jamie’s research fails to solve the mystery conclusively, Claudia insists that they visit Angel’s previous owner, Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, to seek answers. Among Mrs. Frankweiler’s mixed-up files, the kids finally find a 400-year-old sketch proving that Michelangelo did sculpt Angel. Claudia is overjoyed and intends to keep the discovery secret—such a secret makes her different, not in an outwardly obvious way, but “on the inside where it counts.” Mrs. Frankweiler perceives that by running away, Claudia was really seeking to become “different” all along. Moreover, the determination and resourcefulness it took to solve the mystery is what changed Claudia—and such inner change is a step toward Claudia growing up and becoming fully herself.

Angel Quotes in From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

The From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler quotes below all refer to the symbol of Angel. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Growing Up Theme Icon
).
Chapter 4 Quotes

Claudia was lost in remembrance of the beautiful angel she had seen. Why did she seem so important; and why was she so special? Of course, she was beautiful. Graceful. Polished. But so were many other things at the museum. […] And why was there all that commotion about her? The man had come to take pictures. There would be something about it in tomorrow’s paper. They could find out from the newspapers.

Related Characters: Claudia Kincaid, Jamie Kincaid
Related Symbols: Angel
Page Number: 52-53
Explanation and Analysis:

“A museum spokesman said yesterday, ‘Whether or not conclusive proof will be found that this was the work of Michelangelo, we are pleased with our purchase.’ Although Michelangelo Buonarroti is perhaps best known for his paintings of the Sistine Chapel in Rome, he always considered himself a sculptor, and primarily a sculptor of marble. The question of whether the museum has acquired one of his lesser known masterpieces still awaits a final answer.”

Related Characters: Claudia Kincaid
Related Symbols: Angel
Page Number: 59-60
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 6 Quotes

Claudia didn’t think about their close calls. They were unimportant; they wouldn’t matter in the end, the end having something to do with Michelangelo, Angel, history, and herself.

Related Characters: Claudia Kincaid, Jamie Kincaid
Related Symbols: Angel
Page Number: 94
Explanation and Analysis:

Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their party;

Dear Museum Head,

We think that you should examine the bottom of the statue for an important clue. The statue we mean is the ocn you bought for $225.00. And the clue is that you will find Michelangelo’s stone* mason’s markk on the bottom. If you need help about this clue, you may write to us at Grande Central Post Office. Box in Manhanttan.

Sincerely, Friends of the Museum

Related Characters: Claudia Kincaid, Jamie Kincaid
Related Symbols: Angel
Page Number: 98-99
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 8 Quotes

“Yes,” Claudia sighed. “Just a week. I feel as if I jumped into a lake to rescue a boy, and what I thought was a boy turned out to be a wet, fat log. Some heroine that makes. All wet for nothing.” The tears flowed again.

“You sure are getting wet. You started this adventure just running away. Comfortably. Then the day before yesterday you decided you had to be a hero, too.”

“Heroine. And how should I have known that I wanted to be a heroine when I had no idea I wanted to be a heroine? The statue just gave me a chance … almost gave me a chance. We need to make more of a discovery.”

Related Characters: Claudia Kincaid (speaker), Jamie Kincaid (speaker)
Related Symbols: Angel
Page Number: 118
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 9 Quotes

“If only you’d tell me if the statue was done by Michelangelo. Then I would feel that I could go home again.”

“Why would that make a difference?” I asked.

“It would because … because …”

“Because you found that running away from home didn’t make a real difference? You were still the same Greenwich Claudia, planning and washing and keeping things in order?”

“I guess that’s right,” Claudia said quietly.

Related Characters: Claudia Kincaid (speaker), Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (speaker), Jamie Kincaid
Related Symbols: Angel
Page Number: 138
Explanation and Analysis:

I was glad that I wasn’t dealing with a stupid child. I admired her spirit; but more, I wanted to help her see the value of her adventure. She still saw it as buying her something: appreciation first, information now. Nevertheless, Claudia was tiptoeing into the grown-up world. And I decided to give her a little shove. “Claudia. James. Both of you. Come with me.”

Related Characters: Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (speaker), Claudia Kincaid, Jamie Kincaid
Related Symbols: Angel
Page Number: 141
Explanation and Analysis:

The other side of the paper needed no translation. For there, in the midst of sketches of hands and torsos was a sketch of someone they knew: Angel. There were the first lines of a thought that was to become a museum mystery 470 years later. There on that piece of old paper was the idea just as it had come from Michelangelo’s head to his hand, and he had jotted it down.

Claudia looked at the sketch until its image became blurred. She was crying.

Related Characters: Claudia Kincaid, Jamie Kincaid, Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
Related Symbols: Angel, Files and Filing Cabinets
Page Number: 145
Explanation and Analysis:

“Returning with a secret is what she really wants. Angel had a secret and that made her exciting, important. Claudia doesn’t want adventure. She likes baths and feeling comfortable too much for that kind of thing. Secrets are the kind of adventure she needs. Secrets are safe, and they do much to make you different. On the inside where it counts.”

Related Characters: Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (speaker), Claudia Kincaid, Jamie Kincaid
Related Symbols: Angel
Page Number: 149
Explanation and Analysis:

Claudia said, “But, Mrs. Frankweiler, you should want to learn one new thing every day. We did even at the museum.”

“No,” I answered, “I don’t agree with that. I think you should learn, of course, and some days you must learn a great deal. But you should also have days when you allow what is already in you to swell up inside of you until it touches everything. And you can feel it inside you. If you never take time out to let that happen, then you just accumulate facts, and they begin to rattle around inside of you. You can make noise with them, but never really feel anything with them. It’s hollow.”

Related Characters: Claudia Kincaid (speaker), Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (speaker), Jamie Kincaid
Related Symbols: Angel
Page Number: 153
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 10 Quotes

Well, Saxonberg, that’s why I’m leaving the drawing of Angel to Claudia and Jamie Kincaid, your two lost grandchildren that you were so worried about. Since they intend to make me their grandmother, and you already are their grandfather, that makes us—oh, well, I won’t even think about that.

Related Characters: Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (speaker), Claudia Kincaid, Jamie Kincaid, Saxonberg
Related Symbols: Angel
Page Number: 160
Explanation and Analysis:
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Angel Symbol Timeline in From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

The timeline below shows where the symbol Angel appears in From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 4
Adventure, Mystery, and Secrets Theme Icon
Art, Beauty, and Wonder Theme Icon
...time, they’ve reached the front of the line. They see a graceful statue of an angel with folded arms. Claudia thinks it’s the most beautiful thing she’s ever seen. (full context)
Adventure, Mystery, and Secrets Theme Icon
Independence, Capability, and Creativity Theme Icon
Art, Beauty, and Wonder Theme Icon
As they exit the hall, Claudia can’t stop thinking about the angel. She wants to buy tomorrow’s New York Times so she can find out what’s so... (full context)
Adventure, Mystery, and Secrets Theme Icon
Art, Beauty, and Wonder Theme Icon
...The article says that a record crowd of 100,000 people came to see the 24-inch “Angel” statue, one of the museum’s newest acquisitions. Apparently, the statue might be an early work... (full context)
Growing Up Theme Icon
Adventure, Mystery, and Secrets Theme Icon
Art, Beauty, and Wonder Theme Icon
...impressed by the museum’s bargain, but Claudia explains that if this statue is really by Michelangelo, it would be worth $2,250,000 instead of $225. She suddenly has an idea. Instead of... (full context)
Adventure, Mystery, and Secrets Theme Icon
Art, Beauty, and Wonder Theme Icon
That day, there’s an even bigger crowd waiting to see “Angel.” (Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler is surprised that the newspaper article couldn’t get even Saxonberg to... (full context)
Chapter 5
Growing Up Theme Icon
Adventure, Mystery, and Secrets Theme Icon
Independence, Capability, and Creativity Theme Icon
Art, Beauty, and Wonder Theme Icon
...is determined to remember everything she reads. She assigns Jamie to look through photographs of Michelangelo’s work while she studies. After realizing that her book is more than 200 pages long... (full context)
Art, Beauty, and Wonder Theme Icon
...voices by the sink. The men expect big crowds tomorrow, and they mention the delicate angel statue they’ll have to move tonight. One of them says that he doesn’t think there’ll... (full context)
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Art, Beauty, and Wonder Theme Icon
Jamie realizes that they’re moving Angel, and that Claudia would have no way of knowing this. He tries to warn her... (full context)
Growing Up Theme Icon
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Family Theme Icon
Art, Beauty, and Wonder Theme Icon
Before going to bed, they visit Angel in the Great Hall. Claudia says they can’t make up their mind about the statue... (full context)
Chapter 6
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Independence, Capability, and Creativity Theme Icon
Art, Beauty, and Wonder Theme Icon
Then they go to study Angel again. Jamie teases Claudia for wishing she could hug the statue; he says Mrs. Frankweiler... (full context)
Growing Up Theme Icon
Adventure, Mystery, and Secrets Theme Icon
Art, Beauty, and Wonder Theme Icon
...guards—she figures they won’t matter in the end. “The end” has something to do with “Michelangelo, Angel, history, and herself.” Somehow, Angel holds a clue to her running away, but she... (full context)
Growing Up Theme Icon
Adventure, Mystery, and Secrets Theme Icon
Art, Beauty, and Wonder Theme Icon
...Claudia’s voice gets high-pitched as she insists they can’t leave without knowing the truth about Angel. She doesn’t want to return home to “the same old thing.” She’s sure that finding... (full context)
Chapter 8
Growing Up Theme Icon
Art, Beauty, and Wonder Theme Icon
...Jamie doesn’t understand, but Claudia is determined to figure out a way to be different—and Angel will help her. (full context)
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Art, Beauty, and Wonder Theme Icon
Neither of the biographers who knew Michelangelo personally mention an angel statue. However, in a letter written in 1497, Michelangelo wrote to... (full context)
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Independence, Capability, and Creativity Theme Icon
Art, Beauty, and Wonder Theme Icon
Claudia keeps insisting she has to know for sure if Michelangelo did the sculpture, while Jamie says that if the experts don’t even know, then he’s... (full context)
Chapter 9
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Art, Beauty, and Wonder Theme Icon
...file containing newspaper clippings about the auction and the exhibit. Claudia asks why she sold Angel, and Mrs. Frankweiler says she doesn’t like to donate things. (full context)
Growing Up Theme Icon
Adventure, Mystery, and Secrets Theme Icon
Independence, Capability, and Creativity Theme Icon
Claudia explains that she can’t go home until she knows the truth about Angel’s sculptor. Mrs. Frankweiler says that’s her secret and asks where the kids have been hiding... (full context)
Growing Up Theme Icon
Adventure, Mystery, and Secrets Theme Icon
...been thinking about her family much—she doesn’t feel she can go home without knowing if Michelangelo carved Angel. Mrs. Frankweiler asks why that would make a difference and then answers her... (full context)
Growing Up Theme Icon
Adventure, Mystery, and Secrets Theme Icon
Independence, Capability, and Creativity Theme Icon
...Mrs. Frankweiler asks what her favorite part was, and Claudia says that, eventually, it was Angel. But she doesn’t want to explain how Angel got involved. And that’s partly because, once... (full context)
Growing Up Theme Icon
Adventure, Mystery, and Secrets Theme Icon
...even a ride home in a Rolls-Royce isn’t enough for Claudia—she wants to know about Angel. Mrs. Frankweiler feels grateful that she’s dealing with a spirited child instead of a stupid... (full context)
Growing Up Theme Icon
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Independence, Capability, and Creativity Theme Icon
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...explains that these are her “secrets.” In one of the cabinets is the secret of Michelangelo’s Angel. She’ll share it with them—but they must have a “handicap,” which is that they... (full context)
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...just looking,” and begins making a list. She makes a list of 11 items, including “Michelangelo,” “Angel,” and “Metropolitan Museum of Art.” She and Jamie squabble briefly over who should get... (full context)
Adventure, Mystery, and Secrets Theme Icon
Family Theme Icon
Independence, Capability, and Creativity Theme Icon
Art, Beauty, and Wonder Theme Icon
...protests, “Oh, boloney”—and suddenly Claudia knows where to look. She remembers that Mrs. Frankweiler purchased Angel in Bologna, Italy. They race back to the cabinets and find a file labeled “BOLOGNA.”... (full context)
Adventure, Mystery, and Secrets Theme Icon
Art, Beauty, and Wonder Theme Icon
...of the paper is an Italian sonnet. They can’t read it, but they recognize the signature—“Michelangelo.” On the other side is a sketch of an angel. (full context)
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Independence, Capability, and Creativity Theme Icon
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Claudia starts to cry, hugging the glass frame. Finally she tells Jamie that Michelangelo himself touched this paper over 400 years ago. Then Mrs. Frankweiler emerges from her hiding... (full context)
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Mrs. Frankweiler can see that Claudia is surprised—she’d expected Angel’s secret to be “a loud bang, not a quiet soaking in.” She also knows that,... (full context)
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Independence, Capability, and Creativity Theme Icon
The kids consider this. Mrs. Frankweiler explains that the facts she’s gathered about Michelangelo and Angel have grown inside her for a long time. There’s just one new thing... (full context)
Chapter 10
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...which lets Sheldon hear the kids’ conversation. They mostly speculate about why Mrs. Frankweiler sold Angel in the first place. Claudia figures she did it because she wanted people to know... (full context)
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Mrs. Frankweiler tells Saxonberg that this is why she’s leaving the angel sketch to “your two lost grandchildren that you were so worried about.” Since Saxonberg is... (full context)