Characters
Many of the characters from Peter and the Starcatchers are brand new characters created for the novel. However, a few characters are also mentioned in Peter and Wendy.
Peter - Peter is the protagonist who fantasizes about a place called Never Land. Described as orange-haired and blue-eyed, he is approximately twelve to fourteen years old, though he lies about his age. Peter gained leader status by being the oldest and being able to spit the farthest. Peter learns to fly by being exposed to a large amount of starstuff and surviving. By the end of the novel, Peter is stranded as an outcast on Mollusk Island, with the fairy Tinker Bell and his orphan friends. Even though he does not learn that his surname is "Pan" (but does in "Peter and the Secret of Rundoon") in this novel, this is the beginning of the story of Peter Pan.
Molly Aster - Molly is the daughter of the new ambassador to Rundoon, the famous Starcatcher Leonard Aster. Molly is an independent, strong-minded, twelve to fifteen-year-old. Though surviving the wreck of The Never Land (and saving Peter in the process), while on Mollusk Island she is kidnapped by Slank. She is later rescued by Peter. After helping to retrieve the starstuff, Molly joins her father and sails back to her hometown in London. Molly can apparently speak the porpoise language, although she is not very fluent and constantly tells them her teeth are green, thinking she's saying "Hello".
Leonard Aster - Leonard is Molly's father, the new ambassador to Rundoon and a famous Starcatcher. Even with his great skills, he falls for a switch between the real treasure and a fake. In the ending of the novel, Leonard uses the "treasure" to turn a bird into a beautiful fairy and presents it to Peter, thus introducing the role of Tinker Bell. He also gives Peter a gold Starcatcher locket.
Ammm - Ammm is a hardworking Porpoise who sends messages to and from Molly and her father using Porpoise language. He is also a great navigator and occasionally helps Peter and Molly throughout the story.
The Lost Boys - The Lost Boys (first called Lost Boys in Peter and the Shadow Thieves) were originally orphans from St. Norbert's Home for Wayward Boys. Peter is leader to James, Thomas, Prentiss, and Tubby Ted. Tubby Ted so nicknamed because he is always ready to eat (literally).
Black "Stache" Moustache - Black Stache is a disgusting, filthy pirate, captain of the ship The Sea Devil. Named Black Stache because of a near foot long mustache that he keeps perfectly groomed. He eats raw meat and keeps a very dirty cabin, earning the nickname of "Rat Breath" by his crew. Stache is very resourceful, capturing the naval ship The Wasp by using a corset-shaped sail. Black Stache is actually the future Captain Hook - his hand is cut off by Peter near the end of the novel.
Little Richard - Little Richard is a short, powerful giant who worked for the Never Land before becoming Slank's sidekick. Even though he can take Slank easily, Richard obeys his every command and is kicked around like a slave.
Slank - William Slank is the evil first-mate and second-in-command of the ship The Never Land. Slank is one of the "Others" who use starstuff corruptly, and he and his giant sidekick Little Richard try to steal the trunk of starstuff throughout the novel. Slank eventually escapes the wrath of Peter, but does not manage to get hold of the starstuff.
Mrs. Bumbrake - Mrs. Bumbrake is Molly's governess. She is a neat, plump woman and boards the Never Land with Molly. Mrs. Bumbrakes is captured by Stache's band of pirates but later on rescued by Leonard. She is very fond of Slank.
Alf - Alf is the elderly sailor from the ship The Never Land who helps Peter in saving the starstuff. Alf is one of the first characters to experience the power of starstuff in chapter two of the novel. He decides to go home to England at the end of the novel.
Mack - Mack is Alf's partner in the beginning of the novel. His part is very short and consists of only one chapter.
Fighting Prawn - Fighting Prawn is the chief of the Mollusk Tribe. He harbors a great hatred for Englishmen, after he and his brothers were taken as slaves by English men who arrived on the island. Fighting Prawn was nearly killed, but Peter healed him with a bit of starstuff. In the end, he lets Peter and his mates stay on the island when they refuse to go home.
Teacher - Teacher is a strikingly beautiful, blonde mermaid and the leader of a group of them. Before the group met Peter, they wanted to keep the trunk to themselves. Teacher can communicate with Peter through thoughts and helps him along the way. She is very jealous of Molly, as is Molly of her. Both are very fond of Peter, especially after he saved their lives.
Tinker Bell - Was a bird but was exposed to starstuff and turned into Peter's ever loyal fairy.
Read more about this topic: Peter And The Starcatchers
Famous quotes containing the word characters:
“We are like travellers using the cinders of a volcano to roast their eggs. Whilst we see that it always stands ready to clothe what we would say, we cannot avoid the question whether the characters are not significant of themselves.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“For our vanity is such that we hold our own characters immutable, and we are slow to acknowledge that they have changed, even for the better.”
—E.M. (Edward Morgan)
“What makes literature interesting is that it does not survive its translation. The characters in a novel are made out of the sentences. That’s what their substance is.”
—Jonathan Miller (b. 1936)