The Tale of Despereaux

by

Kate DiCamillo

The Tale of Despereaux: Coda Summary & Analysis

Summary
Analysis
The narrator asks if readers remember when Despereaux was in Gregory’s hand and whispering a story in Gregory’s ear. The narrator would love it if the reader thought of them as a mouse telling a story to save their life from the darkness—and to save the reader from the darkness too. Gregory said to Despereaux that “stories are light,” and the narrator hopes the reader has found some light.
Light, in the coda, seems to refer to joy and fulfillment. Hopefully, the narrator suggests, the reader was able to find some refuge from whatever darkness might be plaguing their lives. This is, according to the narrator, the power of stories: they can teach, but they can also provide an escape.
Themes
Good vs. Evil Theme Icon