Maybe nine's a little young to go on a journey of self-exploration, but Tiffany isn't one to stick to conventions anyway, and in The Wee Free Men, Tiffany learns a lot about who she is. At the beginning, she's just Tiffany, one of many children—but by the end, she knows her true inner strength, has learned how to think for herself, and even leads a band of merry pictsie men. Pretty impressive, right? And she's not the only one to find herself in the journey. The toad companion also learns his true roots when legal matters arise. It turns out he was a lawyer all along.
Questions About Identity
- How does facing the Queen help Tiffany figure out who she really is?
- How does Tiffany define herself in relation to Grandma Aching?
- Does Tiffany become a better sister throughout the book, or was she always a good one?
- How does Tiffany handle her duty as kelda?
Chew on This
By the end of the novel Tiffany has a much better sense of her place in the world as an individual, family member, and as a member of her community.
The Queen's main failing when she comes to face Tiffany is that she hasn't taken the time to learn more about herself or grow as a person; instead she's trapped in a state of perpetual childhood and self-absorption.