Poppy

Chapters 17 and 18 encapsulate the climax of the novel as Poppy and Mr. Ocax have their final confrontation. Chapter 19 represents the narrative’s resolution, while Chapter 20 acts as an epilogue of sorts, providing closure for this narrative’s events and setting the stage for the stories that follow in the Dimwood Forest series. 

Chapter 17 preludes the final confrontation and contains a defining character moment for Poppy. During her conversation with Mr. Ocax, Poppy is momentarily tempted to use her knowledge about the true nature of the owl on the barn to gain an advantage over Mr. Ocax: “What fun it would be to humiliate [Mr. Ocax]. Just the idea of it brought a feeling of power” (126). This moment demonstrates the allure of using power to redress one’s own fear, yet Poppy’s ultimate decision to seek diplomatic negotiations with her terrorizer supports her role as hero, demonstrating the difference between The Nature of Tyranny and Heroism. 

The final battle between Poppy and Mr. Ocax in Chapter 18 is the narrative’s climax. All the conflicts have built towards this point: Poppy and Mr. Ocax’s personal conflict as Mr. Ocax finally has the chance to hunt Poppy, the conflict surrounding Mr. Ocax’s fear, and the direction of Poppy’s personal character arc all culminate in the moment that she finds her courage to face the owl. The symbolism of the quill as a sword reinforces this, demonstrating that Poppy has reached the culmination of her development as she faces Mr. Ocax and defeats him in battle.

Mr. Ocax’s final words—that he sometimes wonders why he bothers protecting the mice (138)—demonstrate that he has not undergone any significant changes, as he still clings to his delusions even as he lies dying. Meanwhile, Poppy feels “weariness, as if she had aged four seasons over the last hour” (139), demonstrating that she is a character who cares about others and does not wish to cause harm but acts instead for the greater good. Here, her heroism foils Mr. Ocax’s tyranny and suggests the difference between the two.  

Poppy returns home from her hero’s quest in Chapter 19, a journey which mimics the “return with the elixir” step in the classic hero’s journey framework. The tail feather Poppy takes from the scene of the final battle is a symbolic representation of this final “reward”: liberation from Mr. Ocax’s control. When Poppy returns home to her family, she holds the feather aloft as a physical signal of their liberation. This ultimately demonstrates The Importance of Challenging Assumptions: Thanks to Poppy’s courage and willingness to challenge Mr. Ocax’s power, she has saved the day and provided a path towards prosperity for her family—another kind of reward she returns with.

The final chapter utilizes a time jump to provide a final bit of closure and tie up loose ends. The epilogue depicts Poppy’s family and mentions her husband, Rye, who is an important character in later books in the series. Chapter 20 centralizes the importance of freedom and The Power of Love. Avi uses the symbolism of both the earring and the hazelnut tree to suggest The Importance of Challenging Assumptions. The hazelnut tree and earring also represent Ragweed, who embodied the questioning of assumed authority and are reminders of the love he had for Poppy, while her love for him and her family led her to challenge assumptions and embark on her quest that resulted in freedom for them all. The mice all dance beneath the tree—a final gesture which demonstrates that they have been freed from the tyranny of Mr. Ocax.