Character Analysis

Roy Eberhardt - Roy is a typical teenager with all the angst that puberty brings. His parents move around a great deal because of his father’s job, and Roy seems to just find his way in one place when he has to move to another. Like any kid, he has some resentment for this situation, but he also has a strong sense of responsibility as the only child of his parents. He knows that he had a baby sister who died early in his mother’s pregnancy and that they never had any more children. Because of this, he knows he owes it, especially to his mother, to keep himself safe. This is a highly mature attitude for such a young boy. When Roy comes to Florida, he is very homesick for his favorite place, Montana. Florida is very difficult to adjust to. What’s worse, he must contend with the middle school bully who has singled him out for his special wrath. Roy actually is nearly choked to death twice by Dana Matherson. Again, however, Roy’s innate integrity surfaces as he tries at least three times to make peace with this bully. Roy is also an extremely curious and intelligent young man as evidenced by his decision to find out who this running boy really is, a decision other teens may not even have considered. Then, he becomes so involved in Mullet Fingers’ life that he takes on the responsibility along with him to save the owls. He learns to balance his heart with his head and live with the consequences of his decisions. In the end, the reader can’t help but be impressed with the young man that Roy becomes.

Mullet Fingers - Far from normal, Mullet Fingers – also known as Napoleon Bridger - is the product of an extremely dysfunctional family. He has no idea who his biological father is and his own mother has literally rejected him, forcing him from her home. His step-sister, Beatrice Leep, is the only one who protects him, even though his step-father wants him to live with them. He is just incapable of caring for himself let alone a son. As a result of being rejected, this young man has found a way to survive on his own, living in the forest of Florida and appreciating how nature provides a home for many creatures including himself. He is one of those children who fall through the cracks of social services. No one knows that he’s on his own and so, he never goes to school or even wears shoes.

In spite of all his problems, he is a supremely responsible young man when he takes on the establishment to save the Burrow Owls. He also has the ability to recognize the good in others, like Roy, even though he really trusts no one but Beatrice at the time. The reader is left wondering in the end when Mullet Fingers disappears again whether he will be safe. However, Roy has no doubts that his new friend will be fine even though he knows he will only see him again if Mullet Fingers wants to see him.

Beatrice Leep - Far from normal, Mullet Fingers – also known as Napoleon Bridger - is the product of an extremely dysfunctional family. He has no idea who his biological father is and his own mother has literally rejected him, forcing him from her home. His step-sister, Beatrice Leep, is the only one who protects him, even though his step-father wants him to live with them. He is just incapable of caring for himself let alone a son. As a result of being rejected, this young man has found a way to survive on his own, living in the forest of Florida and appreciating how nature provides a home for many creatures including himself. He is one of those children who fall through the cracks of social services. No one knows that he’s on his own and so, he never goes to school or even wears shoes.

Officer David Delinko - This young police officer is an adult version of Roy in that he, too, is on a journey to find his own integrity. He wants badly to be a detective and uses any opportunity that comes to him to further his career. This includes taking on the investigation of the vandalism at the construction site on his own time and “sucking up” to Mr. Eberhardt in order to get a letter of recommendation for his personnel file. However, this weaker side of his character is soon overcome when he realizes he’s going to destroy the innocent owls if he does his job. As a result, just when the kids standing up for the owls need him, he chooses to side with them and shows his true strength and integrity.

Dana Matherson - Dana is one of the villains of the story. He is the school bully who comes from his dysfunctional family. Because he is larger than his classmates, he is able to control them physically and enjoy his own sense of power because of it. He is actually quite stupid and stubborn, and it’s obvious that he will always have problems with authority. He takes on Roy as his own personal punching bag and is totally enraged when the other boy won’t just lie down and take it. Ironically, Roy gives him many chances to back off and redeem himself, but, in the end, Dana is unable to see or take the higher ground. The reader knows that he’s probably a lost cause.