The Tale of Despereaux

Despereaux is the youngest and smallest mouse of the Tilling family. Born with large ears and a tiny frame, he seems unequipped for castle life. His interests in light and humans (particularly the princess) set him apart from other mice and eventually lead to his condemnation by the Mouse Council. Young Despereaux is frail and sickly, and his mother condemns him to a life of “desperation” as per his name.

As Despereaux accepts the dangerous quest of saving Princess Pea from Roscuro, he gains confidence and courage to the point where he is able to imagine himself as a knight in shining armor. The small mouse traverses the dungeon’s maze and his own pain while rescuing the princess, all for the sake of love.

Despereaux does not transform into a ruthless warrior, however (i.e., he spares Roscuro). His greatest strengths are his loyalty and sense of devotion. His diminutive size aside, Despereaux proves an individual with a big heart. He grows as a character, acknowledging his ambivalence toward other mice’s opinions of him after surviving the dungeon.

Princess Pea is the 12-year-old heir of the Kingdom of Dor. As for her conscience, “Like most hearts, it was complicated, shaded with dark and dappled with light” (197).