Meg Murry is the protagonist of A Wrinkle in Time. Meg suffers from low self-esteem and a touch of self-loathing. With braces, glasses, and a propensity to be disagreeable, Meg believes she’s ugly, inside and out. She envies her mother’s beauty, brains, and composed nature. Meg wishes she could hide her emotions more and not “always have to show everything” (5). She hates her flaws and wants to be rid of them.

Meg’s greatest wish at the book’s opening is for her father to return. She believes his reappearance will fix everything in her life. When Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which whisk the children off on their rescue mission, Meg’s desire gains a purpose. Her father is in danger, and she must help him to set everything right, for herself and her family. In particular, Meg holds a protective responsibility toward Charles Wallace. Meg also hides behind Charles Wallace’s strange understanding of her thoughts. So long as Charles Wallace anticipates and takes care of Meg’s needs, she never has to face herself head-on. When Charles Wallace enters IT on Camazotz, Meg loses her security blanket. She can no longer rely on Charles Wallace to understand or fix her.