Character Analysis
Marco's whole gang of characters comes straight from his imagination, which—as you might've guessed—means they're pretty fun to hang out with. There's a Rajah on an elephant, a brass band, and even a man along for the ride to enjoy the nice music. It's only right, after all, that the band has an audience:
A band that's so good should have someone to hear it,
But it's going so fast that it's hard to keep near it.
I'll put on a trailer! I know they won't mind
If a man sits and listens while hitched on behind. (67-70)
Marco creates these characters in his head and works to make things better for them so that the whole procession just gets more and more delightful. He adds everything that he thinks will make the story better, including:
… A Chinese man
Who eats with sticks…
A big Magician
Doing tricks…
A ten-foot beard
That needs a comb… (98-103)
All of these zany characters are just extensions of Marco—they all represent the imaginative, joyful spirit that he has as a kid. They are also, interestingly, all adults. As Marco reimagines the world, he transforms adults into people who are as vivid and excited about life as he is.