Pattertwig

Background

Pattertwig is one of the Old Narnians in Prince Caspian, a talking squirrel whose size makes him easy to underestimate until he opens his mouth. He belongs to the part of Lewis’s world that delights in small creatures with outsized courage, and nearly every mention of him carries that energy. He is tiny, quick, and eager for action.

Personality

What readers usually remember about Pattertwig is his warlike enthusiasm. He has the temperament of someone who would gladly charge into battle five seconds after being told that battle is a terrible idea. That could make him ridiculous, but Lewis uses it affectionately. Pattertwig is spirited rather than malicious, and his fierceness is tied to loyalty, not vanity.

Role in the Story

Within the company supporting Caspian, Pattertwig helps represent the return of the old, enchanted Narnia that Miraz and the Telmarines tried to suppress. He is one of the many creatures who make it clear that Narnia is more than a human kingdom with decorative animals around the edges. It is a realm full of talking beings with their own tempers, gifts, and kinds of bravery.

Though he is not one of the biggest decision-makers in Prince Caspian, he adds color and momentum to the resistance. He also gives the story some of its cheerfully martial spirit. Pattertwig is the kind of character who reminds readers that courage in Narnia is not measured by physical size. A squirrel can burn with as much fighting heart as a giant.

Legacy in Narnia

Pattertwig endures in readers’ memory because he is fun, vivid, and unmistakably himself. He is a small character in terms of page count, but not in personality. When people talk about the charm of Lewis’s supporting cast, Pattertwig is exactly the sort of figure they mean.