8th Post

The three parts of the triple goddess are the maiden, the mother and the crone. The different phases are aligned with the phases of the moon - the maiden for the waxing moon, the mother for the full moon, and the crone for the waning moon - and the phases of life.

The maiden represents youth and excitement. Lettie is a young girl and she takes the narrator on an exciting and terrifying adventure. The maiden is also associated with qualities like intelligence and independence which Lettie possesses. Exploration is another aspect of the maiden, usually referring to self-exploration and introspection but we could apply it here to the exploration of the world and the magical, unseen forces around the narrator's home.

The mother is older and a little wiser and, as her name suggests, maternal. Mrs. Hempstock shows this in her love for her daughter as well as how she cares for the narrator and keeps him safe, providing him with food and shelter.

The crone is wise from her old age and is viewed as a source of guidance and prophecy. Old Mrs. Hempstock is similar in that she knows many things that seem beyond Lettie and her mother. The crone is also associated with rest, and near the end of the book we learn that Old Mrs. Hempstock is sleeping and cannot be woken from her sleep.

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