The Tale of Despereaux

by

Kate DiCamillo

The Knight in Shining Armor

The knight in shining armor symbolizes Despereaux’s coming of age. When Despereaux first encounters the story in a library book about a brave knight who rescues a beautiful maiden, he believes wholeheartedly in the…

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Soup

Soup represents love, comfort, and community. It’s Queen Rosemary’s favorite food, and when she dies while eating it, King Phillip bans soup (as well as soup-making implements like kettles and soup-eating implements like spoons…

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Light and Dark

Light represents good things (such as hope, love, kindness, and beauty) while dark things and places represent evil. The narrator aligns Despereaux, the novel’s protagonist, with light and goodness the moment he’s born—he’s born…

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