Phantom Tollbooth Analysis

” But what a pleasure to lead my violins in a serenade of spring green or hear my trumpets blare out the blue sea and then watch the oboes tint it all in warm yellow sunshine.” (Juster 125). In the book, The Phantom Tollbooth, a young boy named Milo entered a mysterious tollbooth ending up in a strange and bewildering land. After spending a notable time in that land, he gained friends and accepted an important task that converted into a long journey. Along the way he and his friends, Tock and Humbug, discovered a place called the Forest of Sight. In this forest, they experienced a symphony, not performing elegant music, however, instead painting the world with the vibrant colors of everyday day life. This wonderful symphony and the conductor, …show more content…
He only observed the symphony playing once and not for a sufficient amount of time. Because of this fact, Milo lacked the knowledge of how to successfully lead the orchestra in a performance. When Milo readied himself to conduct, he noticed how many instruments the orchestra truly consisted of. There, sitting peacefully in the coolness of morning, countless people with numerous different instruments awaited the signal to begin. With so many instruments to follow along with Milo realized the difficulty of the feat. Not only had Milo never conducted this orchestra, but he had never conducted any orchestra before. He knew scarcely anything about …show more content…
When he first started to conduct, it progressed smoothly and peacefully. However, after a moment it all fell apart. Milo led the orchestra into chaos and disharmony which led to the loss of time. The symphony played in such confusion that an entire week flew by in a matter of minutes. Milo also ruined many of the beautiful colors of the forest. He turned the radiant flowers black, and the blue sky tan and then fiery magenta. As the snow fell, it appeared green and the leaves of every tree and bush changed from green to orange. He tried frantically to end the confusion, but he failed. Following his actions, he caused himself stress. Panic struck him and worry consumed him. Tears flowed from his eyes like a rapid river and he wished he had never tried to conduct. “’ I wish I hadn’t started,’ he thought unhappily as a pale-blue blackbird flew by. ‘There doesn’t seem to be any way to stop them”” The few glorious happy moments when Milo felt he showed talent, rapidly diminished after the stress, disharmony, and confusion that followed. Milo’s decision proved irrational and wrong even, in the end, to Milo. Chroma’s strict instructions, Milo’s lack of talent, and Milo’s causing of chaos all showed signs of how truly foolish a choice he made. Just because something might seem remarkable while watching, it is not always a feat for others to attempt.