Minor Character Analysis

Roy’s Parents - Although minor characters, Roy’s parents are presented in an extremely positive light. They are the ones who have instilled in their son this sense of integrity and have helped him mature into a fine young man. Their jobs do force Roy to move many times which sometimes makes his life difficult and forces him to be lonely. However, they are depicted as being people who don’t enjoy the fact that they are asking their son to move so many times and find it difficult themselves. Fortunately for Roy, they always make themselves available when he needs them, and they protect him as fiercely as Beatrice protects her brother.

Curly Branitt - Curly is another character who comes across as surly and mean in the beginning, but redeems himself by the end when he realizes that the owls are worth saving. He is the construction site foreman for Mother Paula’s Pancake House and is very aware that his job is on the line if the vandalism continues to occur on the site. This is obviously the reason why he is so irritable whenever Roy comes near. He is under pressure from a company that is determined to build the new facility even if they have to break the law to do it. In the end, however, Curly refuses to help his boss, Chuck Muckle, deal with the young kids who are protesting the building of the restaurant. He even goes back to the site when it’s all over and admits that the owls are “kinda cute.”

Chuck Muckle - Another villain, Chuck is a stereotypical presentation of the corporate bully and as such is comparable to Dana Matherson. He uses his power to force the building of a new restaurant even though he knows it’s illegal to build on protected habitats. He also is willing to bribe public officials to make sure the illegalities disappear. He bullies everyone who stands in his way and shows that he also has a severe temper that could be dangerous. Like Dana, he can’t be negotiated with, preferring to use threats to get his way. Also like Dana, he is depicted as a lost cause who in the end loses his job and becomes a tour director.

Kimberly Lou Dixon - At first she seems to be the stereotypical Hollywood starlet by her condescending behavior and rough attitude. However, she turns out to be a lifetime member of the Audubon Society and willingly steps forward to repudiate the actions of the Mother Paula Pancake House company and join the kids in protecting the owls. If the adage that doing good brings good back to you is true, then Kimberly is the ultimate example. She was floundering in her career until her conscience makes her repudiate the attack on the owls. Then, her career takes off, and she becomes successful.

Garrett - He appears very briefly in the story, but he’s an example of a good kid. He befriends Roy when no one else will and feeds him information when he needs it. He also steps forward with Roy when they link arms against Chuck Muckle at the protest.

Leon and Lonna Leep - These two are the unusual parents of Beatrice and Mullet Fingers. Leon is a former professional basketball player who retired because of injuries. However, he was never able to adjust to life after that and flounders around his house as a real couch potato, being cared for by Beatrice. He likes Mullet Fingers and wants him to live with them. However, he doesn’t have the strength to fight his second wife and is still confused by the abandonment of his first wife. Lonna, his second wife, is the “wicked witch of the west.” She has no time for Mullet Fingers, her biological son, and willingly allows him to run away and never searches for him. Then, when he gains positive publicity, she pretends to love him. She also steals from Beatrice’s biological mother and literally makes life miserable for all of them in the Leep household. She’s a third villain in the story.