Tuck Everlasting Character Development Essay

Character Development:

Exploring Characterization in Children’s Literature

Out of all the literary elements, Characterization is considered one of the most powerful. A believable, entertaining story needs Characters who are lifelike and who develop throughout the story. Unforgettable characters we recall from our childhood had several sides to them; like real people, they were depicted as complex individuals with a mixture of traits from both nature and experience.

The integrity of a character is dependent upon the writer’s ability to reveal the character’s nature, including their strengths and weaknesses. Authors accomplish realistic characters by demonstrating how the character responses to conflict and change. Let’s look at some memorable characters created by talented children’s authors that exemplify these qualities’.

In “Tuck Everlasting”, Natalie Babbitt uses these methods to reveal the changes that occur in her protagonist Winnie Foster as she faces difficult decisions and overcomes her fears.

At the beginning of “Tuck Everlasting”, we see how much Winnie wants to break free from the bonds of childhood and become more independent. As the story unfolds we see Winnie start to contemplate the beauty of living as well as dying. Winnie’s newfound maturity is revealed when she understands “…

the wide world spread before her, shimmering with light and possibility. But the possibilities were different now, they did not point to what might happen to her but to what she herself might keep from happening (Babbitt, 46). In the end, Winnie is a completely changed person “closing the gate on her oldest fears as she had closed the gate of her own fenced yard, she discovered the wings she’d always wished she had” (Babbitt, 21-22).
Like Babbitt, Frances Burnett is successful at creating depth in her novel’s two protagonists Mary Lennox and Colin Craven in “The Secret Garden”. At first introduction, we see Mary and Colin are mirror images of each other: selfish, demanding, and self-absorbed; the effects of being abandoned and neglected. However, both characters go through a transformation that changes them for the better.
In Colin’s case the transformation happens because of Mary. Mary is bold enough to challenge him; "… the best thing that could happen to the sickly pampered thing to have some one to stand up to him that's as spoiled as himself” (Burnett, 121). Mary’s ability to contradict Colin’s negative thoughts helps change his outlook and he begins to see things from a different perspective.
Likewise, Colin helps Mary in her journey. We see Mary go from bitter and anger to loving and thoughtful. In chapter sixteen Burnett shows us that the Mary from the beginning of the novel no longer exists. Mary has evolved and is now capable of feeling sympathy for Colin. After their fight, we see her struggling with her feelings. “I said I would never go back again – “she hesitated, knitting her brows – “but perhaps, just perhaps, I will go and see – if he wants me – in the morning. Perhaps he’ll try to throw his pillow at me again, but – I think – I’ll go.” (Burnet, 123).
Both Colin and Mary break free from their isolation. The instant they begin to get involved with each other we start to see their wondrous metamorphoses. By novel’s end, they become less grown-up and more childlike and happier.
Another talented children’s author, Katherine Paterson, proves she can make memorable characters when she gives us two in “A Bridge to Terabithia”. Paterson shows us how her main characters Jess and Leslie complement each other on a deep and meaningful level by using each other’s strengths to conquer and overcome many of their own weakness. Both characters need each other – Jess to escape from the hardships of his life, and Leslie to connect and engage with another child in a precious friendship.
Out of these two lead characters, it is Jess that we get to see mature when he is faced with Leslie’s untimely death. “Now it was time for him to move out. She wasn’t there, so he must go on for both of them. It was up to him to pay back to the world in beauty and caring what Leslie had loaned him in vision and strength” (Paterson, 66).
While Paterson’s characters are faced with serious subject matter in “A Bridge to Terabithia” authors can produce great characters when writing a story based in fantasy as well.

Take Wilbur for instance, the main character in E. B. White’s “Charlotte’s Web”. Even though Wilbur is a pig that doesn’t stop White from giving him human attributes. Wilbur experiences an array of emotions on his journey through the novel. At the start of the novel when Wilbur is faced with any type of conflict he responds with hysterics. By the novel’s end Wilbur demonstrates his character’s growth by being able to transport Charlotte’s egg sac back to the farm while maintaining his

composure:

“Listen to me!” cried Wilbur. “Charlotte is very ill. She has only a short time to live. She cannot accompany us home, because of her condition. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary that I take her egg sac with me. I can’t reach it, and I can’t climb. You are the only one that can get it. There’s not a second to be lost. The people are coming – they’ll be here in no time” (White, 61).

These authors I have mentioned have created characters who are likely to be remembered long after the details of their stories have been forgotten. They allowed their readers to gain insights into these characters’ strengths, weaknesses, pasts, hopes, and fears. Being able to learn and grow with these characters through their stories demonstrates how important characterization is in the literary world.