Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert O’Brien

This enchanting tale brings together family, intellect, and morality in a riveting tale about courage and innovation.

Summary

Robert C. O'Brien's Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, first published in 1971, is a staple in children's literature. The story combines science fiction and fantasy, focusing on intelligent animals navigating survival and ethical dilemmas. The plot centers on laboratory rats that evolve into an independent society, reinforcing the message of self-reliance.

Plot

In Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, Mrs. Frisby, a widowed field mouse, seeks to protect her family. With spring approaching, her son Timothy falls ill with pneumonia just as impending plowing by Farmer Fitzgibbon threatens their home. Mrs. Frisby consults Mr. Ages, a knowledgeable mouse, who confirms that Timothy needs rest and cannot be moved.

Returning home, Mrs. Frisby frees a crow, Jeremy, from the farm cat, Dragon. In gratitude, Jeremy flies her to a wise owl, who advises her to contact the rats that live in the farm's rosebush. These rats, led by Nicodemus, have enhanced intelligence and abilities—including the ability to read and use electricity—due to experiments at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). She discovers that her late husband, Jonathan, worked with Mr. Ages to help the rats escape from NIMH.

The rats devise a plan to move Mrs. Frisby's home to avoid the plow. But it requires incapacitating Dragon, a dangerous task that cost Jonathan his life. Mrs. Frisby agrees to take on this mission but is captured by Farmer Fitzgibbon’s son. While held captive, she overhears plans to exterminate the rats.

In the end, the brilliant rats rescue Mrs. Frisby and relocate her home. They also manage to mostly evade the exterminators, evacuating the bulk of their technology but suffering casualties. Ultimately, with Timothy recovering, Mrs. Frisby’s family finds security, and the rats pursue independence at Thorn Valley.

Characters

Mrs. Frisby: A field mouse and mother, Mrs. Frisby aims to save her sick son, Timothy, from danger posed by Mr. Fitzgibbon's plow. Her actions demonstrate resilience and leadership.
Timothy Frisby: As the youngest of Mrs. Frisby's children, Timothy suffers from pneumonia. His illness drives the urgency of the story's events.
Justin: A rat from NIMH and ally to Mrs. Frisby, Justin is crucial for his trustworthiness. His actions significantly affect the story's progress.
Nicodemus: Leader of the rats of NIMH, Nicodemus has a vision for their future. His character reflects the challenges of seeking independence.
Mr. Ages: A knowledgeable mouse, Mr. Ages provides medicine and guidance to Mrs. Frisby and the rats of NIMH.
Jeremy: A crow, Jeremy becomes an ally to Mrs. Frisby, adding humor while helping her navigate difficulties in the journey.
Dragon: The farmer's cat, Dragon, poses a constant threat to the mice and rats.
Jenner: A rat opposed to Nicodemus, Jenner stirs conflict, highlighting differing values and internal struggles among the rats.

Themes

Intelligence and ethics in science

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH addresses intelligence through the rats' enhanced abilities, resulting from experiments at the National Institute of Mental Health. These experiments prompt ethical questions about altering nature. Led by Nicodemus, the rats deal with the impact of their intelligence and the moral duties it brings. They choose to form an independent community in Thorn Valley, reflecting a need to balance scientific progress with ethical values.

Community and civilization

Community and civilization are pivotal as the rats create a sophisticated society under a rosebush, complete with electricity and a library. Their effort to establish a self-reliant community goes beyond survival, representing a desire for moral and social advancement. Comparing their utopian society with their past dependent life raises questions about the essence of civilization.

Survival

Survival drives the narrative. Mrs. Frisby's desire to protect her family parallels the rats' own survival challenges. Their joint effort to relocate Mrs. Frisby's home indicates survival relies on intelligence and ethical choices along with communal cooperation. The story argues true progress requires aligning intelligence and technology with courage and foresight.

Quick facts

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH won the Newbery Medal in 1972.
Robert C. O’Brien was inspired by researcher John Calhoun’s experiments on mice and rats at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) for the book.
The rats in the story developed advanced intelligence and longevity due to experiments at NIMH.
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH addresses themes of sustainable living, societal evolution, and technological anxieties from the 1960s.
The rats built an underground society with electricity, running water, literacy, and governance.
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH was ranked at 33 on the School Library Journal's list of the Top 100 Children's Novels.
An animated film adaptation, The Secret of NIMH, was released in 1982.
In the film, the character Mrs. Frisby was renamed Mrs. Brisby to avoid trademark issues with the Frisbee brand.
The movie introduced a magical amulet representing Mrs. Brisby's inner strength, a feature not included in the original book.
Robert C. O’Brien passed away two years after the book's publication; sequels expanding the original story, including Racso and the Rats of NIMH, were written by his daughter, Jane Leslie Conly.
The audiobook version is performed by accomplished actress and award-winning narrator Barbara Caruso.

Film adaptation

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH inspired a 1982 animated film, The Secret of NIMH, directed by Don Bluth. While retaining the plot of a widowed mouse seeking help from intelligent rats, the film features significant changes from the book. The movie introduces magic with a new element. The lead character, renamed Mrs. Brisby for trademark reasons, receives an amulet symbolizing courage and power. This differs from the book's emphasis on inner strength and determination. Director Bluth explains that the amulet visually represents Mrs. Brisby's courage. The film also enhances Jenner's role as the primary antagonist, depicting him as a power-seeking rat to create dramatic tension. Additionally, the portrayal of Nicodemus as a mystical figure shifts from the book's scientific themes to a more fantastical focus.

About the author

Robert C. O'Brien, the pen name of Robert Leslie Carroll Conly, was an American author and journalist. He is best known for his children's novel, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, which won the Newbery Medal in 1972. Before writing fiction, he worked in journalism at National Geographic, Newsweek, and the Washington Times-Herald. He drew from research at the National Institute of Mental Health to write about scientific ethics and survival for both adults and young readers.

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