Analyzing
The Tale of Despereaux
What does it mean to analyze?
to separate into parts or elements; determine
the elements or essential features of
something.
 to examine critically, so as to bring out the
essential elements or give the essence of.
 to examine carefully and in detail so as to
identify causes, key factors, possible results,
etc.
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http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/analyze
To analyze characters in The Tale of Despereaux
we need to examine:
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Traits
Motivations
Conflicts
Point of View
Relationships
Changes they undergo
What are character traits?
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These can be adjectives that you would
use to describe a character.
Examples: funny, scary, tough, sensitive,
obedient, rebellious, doubtful, boring,
secretive, selfish, energetic, devious,
bossy, and calm
What are motivations?
Motivation is why someone acts the way
they do.
 Is it always obvious what someone’s
motivation is?
 Can motivation change?
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What are conflicts?
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Struggles
Disagreements
Things that go wrong
4 Types of Point of View
1.
2.
3.
4.
Objective
Third Person
First Person
Omniscient and Limited
Omniscient
http://www.learner.org/interactives/literature/read/pov2.html
What are relationships?
How characters are related
 How they interact with each other
 What characters have shared
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Changes characters undergo
This can be anything from aging to shifting
beliefs. This can include birth, death,
learning, and forgiving.
Main Characters
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Devereaux Tilling
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Roscuro
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Miggery Sow
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Princess Pea
Secondary Characters
Despereaux’s family
 King Phillip
 Botticelli Remorso
 Cook
 Gregory the Jailer
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Analyzing Despereaux
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Traits: Imaginative and brave
Motivations: Music and love
Conflicts: Mouse society
Relationships: His family and Princess Pea
Changes: Learns to read and stand up for himself
http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi1854014
233/
Does Despereaux have any weaknesses? What do you
like most about him?
Analyzing Roscuro
Traits: Clever and heartbroken
 Motivations: Light and revenge
 Conflicts: Light and darkness
 Relationships: Botticelli and Miggery
 Changes: Seeks light, uses darkness
What does Chiaroscuro make you think of?
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Analyzing Miggery Sow
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Traits: Simple and hopeful
Motivations: Desire to be a princess
Conflicts: No one cares what she wants
Relationships: “Uncle” and Roscuro
Changes: Ears become “cauliflowers”
http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi
2743272217/
What does Miggery really want?
Analyzing Princess Pea
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Traits: Compassionate and gentle
Motivations: Love
Conflicts: Father’s expectations and laws
Relationships: Despereaux and Miggery
Changes: Learns about vulnerabilities
http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi16
35910425/
What has Princess Pea learned?
Analyzing Despereaux’s family
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Traits: Conforming and cautious
Motivations: Food and survival
Conflicts: Despereaux’s differences
Relationships: Mouse society
Changes: Lester, the father, changes. How?
http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi
1870791449/
How do the members of his family differ?
Analyzing King Phillip
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Traits: Foolish and loving
Motivations: Grief and justice
Conflicts: Death of the Queen
Relationships: Princess Pea and the Queen
Changes: Vacillates between acceptance and
non-acceptance
http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi
2760049433/
Do you know anyone like the King?
Analyzing Botticelli Remorso
Traits: Predatory and hateful
 Motivations: Cause suffering and power
 Conflicts: Roscuro’s yearning for light
 Relationships: Rat society
 Changes: None
Does Botticelli change? Why or why not?
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Analyzing Cook
Traits: Tough and impatient
 Motivations: Efficiency and nuturing
 Conflicts: Can not make soup and struggles
with Miggery
 Relationships: Loiuse and Miggery
 Changes: Becomes tolerant after making
soup
Why is soup so important to Cook?
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Analyzing Gregory the Jailer
Traits: Wise, industrious, mournful
 Motivations: Loves stories and seeks safety
 Conflicts: Rats and darkness
 Relationships: Rats , Despereaux, and Miggery
 Changes: Saved Despereaux. Never saved a
mouse before
What, if anything, surprised you about the jailer?
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What do we understand now about The Tale of
Despereaux and its characters?
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What do we understand about themes like
good vs. evil and the power of stories?
What do we understand about problem
resolution?
Why did the author choose the characters she
chose?
Watch for differences in the movie.
Helpful links and resources
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http://www.thetaleofdespereauxmovie.
com/splash/downloads/scholastic/Des
pereaux_Scholastic.pdf
http://www.teachertimesavers.com/Tal
e%20of%20Despereaux.pdf
http://www.readwritethink.org/parentafterschool-resources/grade/3-4/