Character Questions
Why do they come on stage?
Why do they remain on stage?
What do they want and from whom?
What is the geography or shape of their journey?
Where is the climax or moment of transformation for each character?
What change do they experience?
Thumbelina
Thumbelina comes on stage because she is born from a flower on stage.
She remains on stage to greet her mother.
She wants to be accepted by her mother and establish a mother/daughter relationship. This continues into her relationships with other people.
She starts off as innocent and loving but grows lonely for belonging with people she can better relate to. She finds love but it is put out of her reach multiple times. During many of these times, she believes the problem to be insurmountable and is willing to give up. The friends around her give her hope during these times and she sets out again and again to find her home and her love. It is only when she believes Cornelius is dead does she completely despair and not even her friend's help allow her to hope. When she is on the verge of committing to a life of reason over happiness that she rebels against those around her to overcome her grief and feel whole again. Still believing she and Cornelius can never be together again, she tries to go home to her mother and the genuine love they share. Her friend puts her in a place where she can use her happiest and most painful emotions to bring back Cornelius and the spring and this act grants her wings. Her and Cornelius promise to continue to raise each other up.
Thumbelina's moment of transformation occurs when she carries out her refusal to marry Mr. Mole. This is the first time she acts without promting from anyone else to make a decision she knows to be right but everyone else tells her is wrong
While she is always a very giving person, she goes from being dependent in almost everything she does to developing her freewill and being the one to save others.
Cornelius
Cornelius comes on stage to assist in the changing of the seasons.
He stays on stage to learn more about and establish a connection with Thumbelina.
He wants Thumbelina to accept and love him for himself.
He meets Thumbelina who loves him before learning of his title. He falls in love with and plans to marry her. When she vanishes he looks for her. He eventually realizes the situation is desperate and asks anyone he can for help in ensuring her safety. Knowing the danger of the situation, he is overcome by the forces of winter and freezes. When Thumbelina sings about their love, he is unfrozen and they promise to continue to lift each other up.
Cornelius asks his parents to delay the frost. Up until this point, he has done everything himself and enjoys being the one who can help others. He has not yet asked for help and in the moment he humbles himself. He decides to value Thumbelina over his pride.
He goes from being unbreakable and free to humble and committed.
Jacquimo
Jacquimo comes on stage to greet the audience.
He remains on stage to tell Thumbelina's story
He wants the audience's rapt and attentive interest in the story
He begins and ends as a joyful narrator. During the story however, he begins by coming to help someone in distress and decides to search for the Prince so that the two can be reunited. He finds Thumbelina in distress and comforts her then sets out with renewed vigor to find the Prince. While searching, his wing is pierced by a thorn and he tries to fly through it in order to find the prince before winter. The effort nearly kills him and he comes to rest in a tunnel where Thumbelina then finds and nurses him back to health. As soon as he is able to, he flies off again and finds Cornelius' home. He flies back to Thumbelina, takes her there, and prompts her to sing in order to change the Vale to its usual glory. He leaves and ends the story.
His climax occurs when he gets the thorn in his wing. He continues on the same path but his actions are more deliberative. No longer do things just have a way of working out, it is up to the person what they will sacrifice to accomplish their goal.
In the story section, Jacquimo goes from thinking that nothing is impossible if you follow your instinct to knowing that nothing is impossible if you are willing to do whatever it takes to help those you love.
Beetle
Thumbelina and Cornelius fly past where he is. He is there because he needs to find an act for the Beetle Ball.
He stays in order to hear Thumbelina’s voice and plan how he can get her to sing at the Beetle Ball.
He wants to find an act for the Beetle Ball so that he can keep the arrangements and connections he’s made there healthy. He wants Thumbelina to sing there because he is running out of time to find a new act and she has a beautiful voice and face.
He is stressed because it is his responsibility to find an act for the Beetle Ball and he has not. He hears Thumbelina and, not believing he can convince her to come, he kidnaps her. Before he can talk to her one on one, others interrupt them and he feels forced to hide. Once she is only surrounded by Jitterbugs, he appears, tries to charm her, and eventually forces her to come to the Beetle Ball. He dresses her up as a Beetle but when she goes to sing, it’s revealed that she’s not a Beetle. Because of the negative reaction to how she looks, he joins in. He humiliates and abandons her.
His climactic moment occurs when he decides to humiliate Thumbelina instead of defend her. He knows that it will hurt her but decides to protect his reputation as much as possible instead.
He doesn’t experience a large change. His motivations and actions are desparate and selfish throughout the play.
Mr. Mole
He appears to greet Ms. Fieldmouse who has come to his door. He may also want her corn cakes.
He stays in order to impress and be around Thumbelina for a longer time in order to enjoy her company.
He wants obedience from all those around him and the comforts of life. He wants everyone else to acquiesce to his whims. He wants Thumbelina to become his wife in order to entertain him and he wants Ms. Fieldmouse to do the work of pursuing her for him.
His neighbor comes with an enchanting visitor who he falls for. Her beautiful voice, face, and manners capture his heart and he bribes Ms. Fieldmouse to ask her to marry him. During their wedding ceremony, she rejects him and runs away. He tries to stop her.
His moment of transformation occurs when Thumbelina rejects him at the alter. Up until this moment, everything has gone according to plan and everyone acts and thinks (or at least pretends to) exactly the way he wishes. When she rejects him and he is no longer in control, the world he knows shakes and he lashes out with attempted force as he tries to put everything back into his control again.
He changes from a man in control of everything but insecure to a man who realizes and that now others realize cannot control everyone.
Ms. Fieldmouse
She comes on stage to nurse Thumbelina back to health.
She stays to prepare to see Mr. Mole and help Thumbelina.
She wants Thumbelina to help her make a good impression on Mr. Mole and she wants Mr. Mole to see her in an attractive light.
She saves Thumbelina from the winter and helps her get better. She takes her to see Mr. Mole and entertains him with her. Mr. Mole asks her to convince Thumbelina to marry him and she does so.
Thumbelina rejects Mr. Mole unlike what she promised. She cannot control and manipulate her anymore.
She learns that manipulation can accomplish small goals but not goals that go against a person's values for too long a length of time or in too much of an extreme.