Kneeknock Rise

The novel concludes with questions unanswered, reiterating the central tension between The Pain of Knowledge Versus the Comfort of Ignorance. Uncle Ott poses a philosophical question to Egan: “Is it better to be wise if it makes you solemn and practical, or is it better to be foolish so you can go on enjoying yourself?” (87). Ott’s rhetoric suggests that the preservation of illusions can bring joy, a sense of identity,  tradition, and wonder. His question echoes Uncle Anson’s earlier statement that it doesn’t matter what is true, because a skeptic cannot be convinced regardless. Babbitt evokes the concept of religious belief to imply that myth and faith serve similar psychological functions—providing meaning rather than literal truth—to emphasize The Need for Mystery in Everyday Life. 

Babbitt’s poetic motif concludes with Ott’s final poem, a simple reflection on perception. The poem features a cat playing with a piece of string as if it were a mouse. Uncle Ott questions whether the cat knows it’s just string, and whether this knowledge matters for its happiness—an open-ended metaphor that mirrors the central philosophical question of the novel. Ott’s poem suggests that engaging with illusion can be as satisfying as knowing the truth.

The closing setting maintains the novel’s atmospheric tension, emphasizing the contrast between chaos and calm. The imagery of Egan’s climb, which is solitary, ominous, and foreboding, creates a spiritual backdrop for the story’s climax that shifts subtly after Egan’s return. The warm, flickering fire by which he sits frustrated and disillusioned contrasts with the earlier mood of awe and anticipation, emphasizing the weight of knowing the truth in a community that finds its meaning and identity in legend. The moment when the sulphur spring erupts and mimics the Megrimum’s cry restores a kind of magical tension, suggesting that nature itself helps to preserve the myth.

In the final chapters, the story reaches its climax as Egan climbs the mountain during a storm and undergoes his most profound transformation. The dramatic buildup of the storm, the anxious mood of the townspeople who whisper darkly that Egan and those who follow “will never come down again, ever,” and Babbitt’s escalating imagery all contribute to a sense of foreboding. Compelled by curiosity, pride, and an almost mystical sense of calling, Egan “wander[s] up the final stony slope toward the top like a sleepwalker lost in dreams” (79). The mundanity of the reveal that the Megrimum is not a monster but a sulfur spring, juxtaposed with the mythic quality of Egan’s ascent, emphasizes the tension between legend and reality. When Egan discovers Uncle Ott alive and well, sitting in the grass with his dog, Ott’s only concern is for the needs of the village. He admits to Egan that it’s better not to tell people the truth, recognizing the comfort the myth provides. 

Egan’s need to reveal the secret emphasizes his pride and desire for recognition. The townspeople’s refusal to believe him reinforces the importance of the mystery to their individual and collective identity. Ada remains stubborn in her belief, and the rest of the family reinterpret the explosive noise from the spring as further proof of the Megrimum. In this way, Egan becomes part of the very myth he sought to disprove. He becomes a boy who wandered up and lost his dog to the Megrimum—a final irony that emphasizes his development from skeptical child to a symbol of the town’s enduring folklore.

The novel’s closing illustrations reiterate the tension between knowledge and ignorance. One of the final drawings shows Uncle Ott sitting gleefully in the grass, reunited with Annabelle, his loyal dog—a peaceful image that contrasts with the darkness and tension that surrounded his perceived disappearance and death at the hands of the Megrimum. Another depicts Egan by the fire, clearly frustrated, as he tries to convince his family that there is no Megrimum. Despite his efforts, the expression of disbelief on Ada’s face communicates the futility of his truth-telling. The final visual of Egan and Uncle Anson in the clock shop serves as an epilogue without a solid conclusion. Their thoughtful expressions suggest a shared understanding, even if unspoken, that truth and belief serve different purposes in a community. The broken wishbone, found the next day, symbolizes Egan’s lost innocence and the futility of trying to impose truth on others. Yet, a new wishbone is given to him, a symbolic gesture suggesting that, despite what he knows, wonder and belief are still accessible to him if he chooses.