Newt Scamander

Character Analysis

We know: this dude sounds like a fantastic beast in his own right: "Scamander" sounds more than a bit like "salamander," and "Newt" makes us think of, well, a newt. (Source)

But the most fantastic thing about ol' Newt is that he wrote an awesome encyclopedia. No poisonous fangs here, folks.

Newt Scamander is the only totally original major character that appears in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. (Okay, not totally original. He was mentioned on Harry Potter's supply list in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, but since he didn't get much of a backstory, this is really his moment to shine.)

So what do we know about the author of one of the most famous wizarding texts of all time?

Who Is Newt?

Mr. Scamander was born in Great Britain, way back in in 1897. He had an interest in fantastic beasts even as a child. His mother bred fancy Hippogriffs and he liked to dissect Horklumps for fun. (Gee, sure sounds like fun.)

After graduating from Hogwarts, Mr. Scamander got a job at the Ministry of Magic in—where else?—the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. He was about 21 years old when an interesting opportunity came along:

The first edition of Fantastic Beasts was commissioned back in 1918 by Mr. Augustus Worme of Obscurus Books, who was kind enough to ask me whether I would consider writing an authoritative compendium of magical creatures for his publishing house. I was then but a lowly Ministry of Magic employee and leapt at the chance both to augment my pitiful salary of two Sickles a week and to spend my holidays travelling the globe in search of new magical species. (3.2)

Needless to say, Fantastic Beasts was a big hit.

The book was a "world-wide bestseller" (1.2) and propelled Mr. Scamander to writing stardom. He was involved in all kinds of other high profile government projections like the creation of the Werewolf Register and the Ban on Experimental Breeding.

Hmm. We're not sure Hagrid thanks him for that last one.

The Thinker

So, now that we know a little about Mr. Scamander's background, what does that tell us about him as a character? After all, he is the one who narrates most of this book. What are we supposed to think of this guy exactly? Should we be a little suspicious of his advice?

Nope. It's clear right off the bat that we're supposed to think Newt Scamander is a pretty smart guy. He's obviously well respected by other wizards in his field (you don't get awarded Order of Merlin, Second Class without people thinking you're pretty great). He's also worked really hard to educate himself on just about every fantastic beast out there.

What more is he doesn't want to keep this info to himself. And he isn't looking to make things all about him (like a certain wizard we could name—cough, Gilderoy Lockhart, cough). Mr. Scamander could have easily written a book of adventure stories, but he wrote a practical guide so he could pass along the hard-earned wisdom that he learned throughout his travels.

That's how you know his advice is solid.

So, if you ever find yourself facing off against a deadly Japanese water demon, just go ahead and throw it a cucumber like Newt Scamander says. It may seem weird, but at this point, the guy's proved that you can trust him with your life.

The Explorer

We're also supposed to see Mr. Scamander as a bit of an adventurer:

I have visited lairs, burrows, and nests across five continents, observed the curious habits of magical beasts in a hundred countries, witnessed their powers, gained their trust and, on occasion, beaten them off with my travelling kettle. (3.1)

Sure, he may have started out as a lowly pencil pusher at the Ministry of Magic, but it's clear that Mr. Scamander also got out in the field and had some pretty crazy adventures.

It would have been easy to sit back and just read what other wizards had written about these beasts, but Newt Scamander travelled far and wide so that he would be able to track as many down as possible and study them face to face.

That's why you can be sure that his advice is the most accurate out there. He's seen these beasts with his own eyes, so he knows what makes them tick. In other words, don't approach a Nundu without you copy of Fantastic Beasts in hand.

Better yet, don't approach a Nundu at all.

If you're interested in learning more about Newt Scamander, there's more info about him on the official Pottermore website. You're also gonna want to check out the movie and its planned sequels, which will be all about Newt Scamander's adventures in with magical creatures in North America.

If nothing else, watching the movies will make you extra cautious when hiking around a national park.