The Labyrinth By Hoggle Characters

Hoggle: A Character Analysis

In the book Jim Henson’s the Labyrinth by A.F.H. Smith the character Hoggle goes through an extreme character evolution. Hoggle is a small, goblin-like creature who assists Sarah in her journey. He starts off as a grumpy and irritable character who later transitions into a loyal and helpful companion. As Carroll states “He is a self proclaimed coward and refuses to apologize for it.” He helps Sarah to navigate the Labyrinth so that she can find her little brother Toby. Throughout this time he builds relationships with Sarah and the other characters and gradually becomes a better person.

At the beginning of the story Hoggle is a cowardly character who comes off as rude and sadistic. When he is first introduced he

One prevalent part of the story that supports this is when Hoggle lied to Jareth in order to help Sarah escape the oubliette. This is supported by Hoggle’s lie to Jareth in chapter five when he says “...I told her I was going to help her unriddle the Labyrinth-little trickery on my part…” (Smith). This is further supported when Hoggle explains to Sarah that he lied: “I told him I was taking you to the start of the Labyrinth to throw him off the scent, d’you see?”(Smith). Hoggle tries to get Sarah to give up by saying “It gets alot worse from her on in…”(Carroll) As Hoggle and Sarah are climbing a ladder out of the cave leading from the oubliette, Hoggle explains to Sarah that he’s cowardly and it makes him deathly afraid of Jareth.”You’ve got to understand my position. I’m a coward, and Jareth scares me.”(Smith). This little bit of dialogue helps to show the reader that even though Hoggle has had some development he is still a coward and will need more time to make such a drastic change. Later on when Sarah and Hoggle meet a wise man, Sarah calls Hoggle a friend and he is taken aback by this because he has never had a friend before. This scene also helps to show Hoggle’s growth and the fact that the bond he has formed with Sarah is stronger than anyone else he knows. However, Hoggle has

He also shows great acts of courage in order to protect the others, a direct contradiction to his actions and ideology at the beginning of the story. This is best supported when Hoggle saved the others from Humongous at the gates of Goblin City. When all hope seemed to be lost for Ludo, Sir Didymus, and Sarah, Hoggle appeared, leaping onto the colossal stone warrior and throwing out the goblin from the cockpit within. This is supported in chapter sixteen when it states “ Inside Humongous’s head, a tiny goblin in a white lab coat, with eyes staring madly through thick lenses, was feverishly working a bank of levers. Hoggle reached down, grabbed the goblin under the armpits, and hurled him away.”(Smith). After this Hoggle has another act of courage and loyalty, when the group is defending the tower in Goblin City from the army of goblins Jareth sends to stop them. While the group is defending the tower, Hoggle has a moment where a goblin that recognizes him questions why he is against them. This is supported by the lines “At once, a third head was poked in. This one had time to peer at the defenders. ‘Hoggle!’ the goblin exclaimed. ‘You used to be with us.” ‘Yes,’ Hoggle agreed, and broke a teapot on the goblin’s helmeted head.