Question

In the end, why do the children regret locking margot in the closet?

Answer 1

All the children in the story live on Venus, where the sun shines only once for two hours every seven years, while their parents work at some undefined job having to do with rockets and setting up a new civilization. The difference between Margot and the rest of the children is that Margot has only lived on Venus five years. She lived on Earth before that and remembers experiencing sunshine all the time. The rest of the children have lived on Venus their whole lives and only know the endless rain that falls day and night. The last time Venus experienced sun, the children were only two years old and can't remember it.

Therefore, at first the children probably do not understand the implications of what they have done. Since they do not remember the sun and have never experienced it on a regular basis anyway, they cannot truly understand the implication of robbing Margot of her one chance to see the sun for a couple of hours. Margot does remember the sun and so the loss of seeing it for a couple of hours it could be said, is far greater for her. However, having now experienced the sun for a couple of hours while she is locked in the closet, the other children do seem to have some understanding of what they have taken from her and to feel remorse and shame. This is described in the way the children act, looking down, looking away, as they remember where she is and slowly let Margot back out of the closet after the rain begins again.