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A character guide

The Hunting of the Snark

by Lewis Carroll

A familiar name, but a fuzzy memory? Get reacquainted with the cast and pick up the thread, with descriptions drawn from the book itself.

23 charactersDescriptions in enDownload JSON ↗

This guide covers the whole book and includes spoilers. Descriptions are generated by AI and may contain mistakes.

The cast

Names as they appear in this edition

  1. The Bellman

    Also known as Bellman · Captain

    The crew’s captain and leader of the Snark hunt. He gives confusing orders, insists on the crew’s duty, and warns them about Boojums.

  2. The Boots

    Also known as Boots

    A member of the Bellman’s crew; he helps sharpen a spade while preparing for the hunt.

  3. The maker of Bonnets and Hoods

    Also known as maker of Bonnets · maker of Bonnets and Hoods

    A member of the crew who makes a plan involving bows before the hunt.

  4. The Barrister

    Also known as Barrister

    A crew member brought to settle disputes. He dreams of a Snark defending a pig in court.

  5. The Broker

    Also known as Broker

    A crew member who values the expedition’s goods.

  6. The Billiard-marker

    Also known as Billiard-marker

    A crew member noted for his great skill at billiards.

  7. The Banker

    Also known as Banker

    The crew’s banker, hired at great expense to safeguard their money. A Bandersnatch attacks him, leaving him apparently insane.

  8. The Beaver

    Also known as Beaver

    The crew’s tame beaver, who makes lace and is said to have saved them from wrecks. It becomes the Butcher’s close friend.

  9. The man called “Hi!”

    Also known as The Baker · Baker · Thingumbob · the man called “Ho!” · the man called “Hi!” · Candle-ends · Toasted-cheese · What-you-may-call-um · What-was-his-name · Fritter my wig · Fry me

    The forgetful Baker, who has lost his name and is known by several nicknames. He fears that meeting a Boojum will make him vanish, and he disappears when he encounters one.

  10. The Butcher

    Also known as Butcher · Dunce

    A crew member who says he can only kill beavers. He and the Beaver become close friends after he teaches it arithmetic and natural history.

  11. The Snark

    Also known as Snarks

    The elusive creature the crew hunts. Some Snarks are Boojums; the Baker vanishes after finding one.

  12. The Baker’s uncle

    Also known as dear uncle

    The Baker’s namesake uncle, mentioned in the Baker’s story. He warned his nephew that a Boojum would make him vanish.

  13. The Jubjub

    Also known as Jubjub bird

    A dangerous bird whose cry frightens the Beaver and Butcher. Its song later helps cement their friendship.

  14. The Bandersnatch

    Also known as Bandersnatch

    A creature that attacks the Banker during the hunt.

  15. The Snark’s pig client

    Also known as pig

    A pig in the Barrister’s dream, accused of deserting its sty; it has been dead for years by the time sentence is pronounced.

  16. The Judge

    Also known as Judge

    The judge in the Barrister’s dream, who struggles to sum up the case and is too nervous to pronounce sentence.

  17. The Jury

    Also known as Jury

    The jury in the Barrister’s dream, whose members cannot agree on the case and ask the Snark to deliver the verdict.

  18. The Witnesses

    Also known as Witnesses

    The witnesses in the Barrister’s dream who establish that the pig’s sty was deserted.

  19. The jailer

    The jailer in the Barrister’s dream who reveals that the pig has been dead for years.

  20. The helmsman

    Also known as Man at the Helm

    The ship’s helmsman, who cannot steer when the Bellman’s orders conflict and is forbidden to speak to the captain.

  21. The sailors

    The ship’s sailors, who do not know how the Beaver has supposedly saved them from wrecks.

  22. The Bellman’s crew

    Also known as the crew · the men

    The expedition’s company aboard the ship, assembled to hunt the Snark.

  23. The strange creepy creatures

    Also known as creepy creatures

    Creatures that emerge from their dens and watch the Butcher and Beaver as they work.