Oliver B. Bumble - Character

Character

Sir Oliver is a bear of nobility, he likes to think, an eloquent, though not always coherent and not very bright gentleman with a slight stutter when he's upset. He enjoys the finer things in life and likes making a good impression with his peers in the "Kleine Club", the "Little Club" a rather exclusive affair with members such as mayor Dickerdack, overly eager to delegate difficult tasks and Bumble's arch-rival the Marquis de Canteclaer, who is also his neighbour and thinks that "this, err.. Bumble" is a parvenu. Bumbles membership is somewhat controversial and he's blackballed on several occasions.

Bumble is quite wealthy, he even makes it into the upper ten who own almost everything, but always tells others that money is of no importance and is generous to his friends. He lives in castle Bommelstein, where his butler Joost sees to his every need. He is a modest bear though; he always dresses in a simple, checkered coat and his car, nicknamed "De Oude Schicht" ("The Old Bolt (of lightning)"), is reliable, but not extravagant. Extravagance is a trait Bumble doesn't possess, following his dear father's lessons of modesty and common sense which is exemplified in a "simple yet nitricious meal", which is rarely simple but always nutritious. The phrase "een eenvoudig doch voedzaam maal" has become a colloquialism in Dutch.

He is a kind soul but tends to act before he thinks. His compassion and sense of justice can sometimes move him to do great things, although it's usually others, most often Joost and Tom Puss, who do the actual work. He also tends to blame others for his own mistakes and rarely gives Tom Puss the credit he deserves for getting him out of trouble. As he is a "gentlemen of weak constitution", he has no heart for conflict, but in the end he will always help his friends in need.

Bumble has two staunch admirers. The first is miss Doddle, Bumble's Dulcinea and his prime source of fresh tea, courage and resolve in times of great emotional turmoil. She idolizes Bumble and thinks he's the smartest man in the world, even though Bumble is out of his depth more often than not. The second great admirer is the dwarf Kwetal who thinks Bumble has a big thinking-frame ("denkraam") and blindly trusts his judgement. He is the source of some weird gadgets which wreak havoc in Bumble's life or work as a deus ex machina to solve the problems which Bumbles ill conceived grand designs have caused.

Although Bumble has many flaws in his character, and maybe because of it, he's far more popular than Tom Puss and practically reduced the former hero to a sidekick. In many ways Bumble is an antihero, blundering blindly through life, forced by fate, one of several villains or Dorknoper, civil servant first class and tax-collector, to make decisions which greatly influence his world. Hence he is a more interesting figure than Tom Puss, who is a bit boring in contrast.