The Book of Lost Things

The Woodsman is the first person David meets after entering Elsewhere, and David learns some important lessons from him on his way to maturity. Tall and muscular, the Woodsman acts as a caretaker of the forest. His striking green eyes, “like a part of the forest itself given human form” (70), show his connection to nature. The Woodsman uses his ax to defend himself and protect the forest, showing David the proper way to wield a weapon—not needlessly, but when necessary for justice and protection. The Woodsman is both brave and kind, showing that strength and gentleness are a powerful combination.

The Woodsman takes David under his care and balances his protection of David with trust in David’s intelligence and independence. For example, when they reach the bridges that cross the canyon, the Woodsman trusts David to solve the riddle and choose the safe bridge. He also acts as a father figure to David, teaching him valuable lessons, such as the value of replacing meaningless routines with purposeful ones that bring satisfaction. David also learns lessons from the tales the Woodsman tells, such as the value of outsmarting one’s opponent, which he later uses to escape the huntress. Finally, Connolly highlights the Woodsman as a Christ figure. He fights the evil Loups, sacrifices himself for David at the bridge, and is “resurrected” at the end of the novel when he returns to take David back to his tree.

Similar to the Woodsman, Roland is kind, and David learns from his wisdom as they travel together. He teaches David to balance bravery with wisdom when he chooses to continue travelling rather than attempting to fight a battle with the Beast that he knows he cannot win. This shows David that, contrary to the themes of his beloved stories, not every battle needs to be fought. He learns the wisdom in choosing one’s battles carefully.

Furthermore, David absorbs valuable lessons from Roland’s tales. For example, in the tale of the false prince and the true prince, David recognizes that justice is not black and white, and that mercy should temper judgment when possible. Finally, like the Woodsman, Roland protects David, yet also treats him as a friend and equal. He trusts David and affirms his bravery, which contributes to David’s ability to confidently fight against the Beast and the enchantress.

Although Roland shares similarities with the Woodsman, he also differs from the Woodsman in that he is not characterized as faultless. Roland has lost faith in people and in God based of his experiences in life, and he admits that he lives in fear of dying or losing those he loves. Connolly portrays Roland as having a homosexual relationship with Raphael, the knight he seeks, and shows that although David is at first repelled by Roland’s homosexuality, he learns that Roland is a respectable man.

The antagonist in the novel, the Crooked Man, has sinister physical characteristics to match his evil nature. He has a long face, hunched back, hooked nose, and black eyes. David calls him the Crooked Man because he wears a crooked hat, and everything about his appearance suggests evil. The Crooked Man has supernatural powers, and he uses them to show David false images of his family, disguise himself as an old man, and transform into a magpie to avoid capture. He pulls the strings behind the scenes, using stories to shape the land and collecting more stories every time he tricks someone.

The Crooked Man uses cleverness and deception to manipulate David. He makes David feel unloved, alone, and afraid, knowing that David will be most vulnerable if he thinks his family has forgotten him. He recognizes human nature and weakness and has used it against many children in the past. However, David surprises him by never giving in to his demands and betraying his brother. David overcomes the Crooked Man’s lies and defeats him once and for all.