Once and Future King

Once and Future King
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Experience is Everything

In the book, The Once and Future King, T.H. White shows the importance that education
relies heavily upon ones own personal experiences.   When Merlyn is called on to tutor Wart, an
adopted child, he uses this exact learning method on Wart.   Merlyn, who is a magician, uses transformation as a his learning tool.   Merlyn turns Wart into different animals to show Wart
lessons of life.   Through each transformation Wart experiences different forms of power, each
being a part of how he should rule as king. When Wart experiences each of these different stages
of lesson he finds out from Mr. P that mind power is nothing, from the wild goose he learns freedom, and the badger teaches him to accept what you have.
When Wart is transformed into a fish Merlyn takes him to go talk to the master of the
moat, Mr. P.   This is the first transformation that Wart will learn his first lesson in. When Wart
approaches Mr. P he already senses a great deal of danger because of his massive size and
strength.   Wart was so flabbergasted by his enormous structure that he could not think of anything
to ask Mr. P.   Then Mr. P replies with his view on life, a simple statement, "There is only power. Power is of the individual mind, but the mind's power is not enough" (52). Mr. P is showing the
importance of physical power over the minds with this comment he makes .   What Mr. P states
astonishes Wart so much that Wart becomes speechless and does not move from where he is
positioned.   As Mr. P teaches his theories of life he becomes very agitated with Wart and Pronounces, "I think you ought to go away really almost at once in case my disillusioned mouth
should suddenly determine to introduce you to my gills, which have teeth too" (52).   As Wart is
listening to Mr. P say this he is stunned by the words he is saying to him.   Wart is astonished that
Mr. P is thinking about eating him.   At this instance Wart has... [continues]

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