Character Clues
Character Analysis
Physical Appearances
In this story, there are no diamonds in the rough. If characters are terrible, they look terrible. Take this description of the big and not-so-friendly giants:
“They were simply colossal, far taller and wider than the Big Friendly Giant upon whose hand she was now sitting. And oh how ugly they were! Many of them had large bellies. All of them had long arms and big feet.” (6.21)
The evil, people-eating giants are described outright as ugly, with specific attention paid to their large stomachs. Stomachs full of humans. (Shudder.) There is no doubt in looking at them that the giants who aren’t the BFG are dangerous, and they’ve got the unsightly tummies to prove it.
The same is true in reverse. Kind characters also happen to look good. The Queen is described as having a “famous rather lovely face.” (19.72) Her loveliness is a clue that she’ll listen to Sophie and the BFG, and not send them away out of fear. No wonder people say “God save the Queen.”
Speech and Dialogue
Descriptions in this story are short, so we learn about the characters from their dialogue. Characters tell each other how they are feeling, and they each have a distinct way of speaking.
Sophie’s many questions show us her curiosity. We learn that she’s caring and thoughtful from her polite apologies whenever she upsets the BFG. The Queen’s speech is quick and commanding. She tells the butler to tell the hens to lay more eggs and the Heads of the Army and Air Force to “get cracking” (21.38). She’s clearly a woman who gets things done (not everyone can command hens to lay eggs).
The BFG and the other giants have a different way of speaking that involves the scrambling and combining of words. You learn about them through their word choices. The Bloodbottler insults the BFG, calling him a “runty little scumscrewer” (9.10) and the other giants use similar insults.
The BFG’s language, in contrast, sounds more colorful than mean. Like when he calls the Fleshlumpeater’s appetite “squackling” and “whoppsy” (15.4). His words are more funny than malicious. He’s a good guy like that. Not to mention a food author, as we find out at the end.
Social Status
Not every character’s social status determines what they’re like, but for a few, it matters. The Queen, for example, is respected by Sophie simply because she’s royal. It’s just lucky she turns out to be everything Sophie hopes she’d be.
The Queen’s servants also fall into stock roles: the maid is far easier to spook and quicker to get mad than the Queen is, the footmen all have well-turned ankles, and the butler is almost a cartoon of a butler. He climbs a ladder with no problem, because “good butlers never crash.” (20.37) He’s there more for the narrator to joke about butlers than he is to have a distinct personality.