New and Selected Poems | Teaching Key Figures

Character Descriptions

This section provides a short description of all the major characters in the book. This can be printed out as a study guide for students, used as a "key" for leading a class discussion, or you can jump to the quiz/homework section to find worksheets that incorporate these descriptions into a variety of question formats.

Characters

Percy (the dog) - This is the subject of three separate poems, each of which is devoted to revealing something wise and fairly mystical about the energetic little black dog.

Toadappears in Page 164 - This symbolizes the innate wisdom of the natural world.

Sea Mouseappears in Page 167 - What distinguishes this from the other creatures described in this volume is its pitiable ugliness. It is drowned and dead.

Williamappears in Page 169 - The author knows that at some point, this will become another entity who needs and wants; who demands...
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