# A Make-Believe explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by George MacDonald.

## What happens

The narrator imagines himself as a rabbit, describing the joy and freedom of rabbit life under the night sky, the pleasures of foraging, the safety of the burrow during a storm, and the sudden terror of a trap. The chapter ends with a prayer to God, who watches over all creatures.

## Themes in this chapter

### Childhood and Innocence

The playful imagination of being a rabbit and the simple joys of rabbit life reflect a childlike perspective.

### Nature as Divine Revelation

The night, moon, rain, and creatures are described as part of God's creation, culminating in a prayer to the God of all living things.

### Suffering and Purification

The sudden trap and the rabbit's cry of distress introduce suffering, leading to a turn toward prayer.

## Character check-ins

### God

Invoked in the final prayer as the God of sparrows, rabbits, and men.

### Unknown

The narrator who imagines being a rabbit and then returns to being a boy.

## Key lines

> I will think as thinks the rabbit:⁠— Oh, delight In the night When the moon Sets the tune To the woods!

I will imagine myself as a rabbit, finding joy in the night when the moon orchestrates the forest.

_The narrator adopts a rabbit's perspective to experience delight in nature._

> It must be so, though it be bewild'ring⁠— To save his dear beasts from his cruel children!

It must be true, even if confusing, that God protects his beloved animals from the cruelty of humans.

_The prayer expresses faith in God's care despite the apparent contradiction of suffering._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_8_se/chapters/a-make-believe
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_8_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_8_se/chapters