The most important character in The Tale of Beatrix Potter is obviously Beatrix herself. In Lane's portrayal, Beatrix possesses a sturdy temperament and an inner self-sufficiency that allow her to find compensations in her lonely and rather unhappy childhood.

Rather than succumbing to boredom, Beatrix develops during her solitude a life-long love of privacy and an ability to focus intensely on her own interests and fantasies. Shy, modest, and gentle, Beatrix has a subtle wit and an unsentimental innocence. Although the conventional formality of her parents' life irritates her, she remains patient and never openly rebels against it.

Rupert Potter, her father, is a dignified, whiskered, and punctual Victorian who does not share much of his daughter's life. Mrs. Potter is stem and stiff.

Some of the more positive influences in Beatrix's life include her grandmother, her brother, and her governess.

Jessie Crompton, or Grandmamma Potter...