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Abstract
In writing the popular Edwardian children's book The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Gra-hame invented Toad, whose tale of obdurate delinquency is well known. This paper considers the way in which Toad's adventures can be read as an embodiment of late twentieth century ideas of dependence. Toad's seemingly compulsive reckless driving, car theft, related problems and his friends' “treatment” of him are described. Kenneth Grahame's personal experience of his father's addiction to alcohol is outlined. Toad's fictional conduct is considered against the background of the research literatures on the psychopathology of car theft and addiction itself.