Can we identify all of the demons in Jules Feiffer's famous Phantom Tollbooth drawing?
The scene of the Demons of Ignorance chasing Milo is one of the most iconic illustrations in The Phantom Tollbooth:
But I can't match most of the demons to Norton Juster's text. (Though to be fair, Jules Feiffer was deliberately unparticular about that.) How many can we identify?
character-identification norton-juster the-phantom-tollbooth demons-of-ignorance jules-feiffer
edited 48 mins ago
Stormblessed
1,457424
asked 5 hours ago
TheAshTheAsh
9,236447121
add a comment |
The scene of the Demons of Ignorance chasing Milo is one of the most iconic illustrations in The Phantom Tollbooth:
But I can't match most of the demons to Norton Juster's text. (Though to be fair, Jules Feiffer was deliberately unparticular about that.) How many can we identify?
character-identification norton-juster the-phantom-tollbooth demons-of-ignorance jules-feiffer
edited 48 mins ago
Stormblessed
1,457424
asked 5 hours ago
TheAshTheAsh
9,236447121
2
The annotated edition of The Phantom Tollbooth has a list of additional demons that Juster thought up but did not use. Some of Feiffer's illustrations may show unused characters.
– Buzz
4 hours ago
add a comment |
The scene of the Demons of Ignorance chasing Milo is one of the most iconic illustrations in The Phantom Tollbooth:
But I can't match most of the demons to Norton Juster's text. (Though to be fair, Jules Feiffer was deliberately unparticular about that.) How many can we identify?
character-identification norton-juster the-phantom-tollbooth demons-of-ignorance jules-feiffer
edited 48 mins ago
Stormblessed
1,457424
asked 5 hours ago
TheAshTheAsh
9,236447121
The scene of the Demons of Ignorance chasing Milo is one of the most iconic illustrations in The Phantom Tollbooth:
But I can't match most of the demons to Norton Juster's text. (Though to be fair, Jules Feiffer was deliberately unparticular about that.) How many can we identify?
character-identification norton-juster the-phantom-tollbooth demons-of-ignorance jules-feiffer
character-identification norton-juster the-phantom-tollbooth demons-of-ignorance jules-feiffer
edited 48 mins ago
Stormblessed
1,457424
asked 5 hours ago
TheAshTheAsh
9,236447121
edited 48 mins ago
Stormblessed
1,457424
asked 5 hours ago
TheAshTheAsh
9,236447121
edited 48 mins ago
Stormblessed
1,457424
edited 48 mins ago
Stormblessed
1,457424
edited 48 mins ago
Stormblessed
1,457424
1,457424
asked 5 hours ago
TheAshTheAsh
9,236447121
asked 5 hours ago
TheAshTheAsh
9,236447121
asked 5 hours ago
TheAshTheAsh
9,236447121
9,236447121
2
The annotated edition of The Phantom Tollbooth has a list of additional demons that Juster thought up but did not use. Some of Feiffer's illustrations may show unused characters.
– Buzz
4 hours ago
add a comment |
2
The annotated edition of The Phantom Tollbooth has a list of additional demons that Juster thought up but did not use. Some of Feiffer's illustrations may show unused characters.
– Buzz
4 hours ago
2
2
The annotated edition of The Phantom Tollbooth has a list of additional demons that Juster thought up but did not use. Some of Feiffer's illustrations may show unused characters.
– Buzz
4 hours ago
The annotated edition of The Phantom Tollbooth has a list of additional demons that Juster thought up but did not use. Some of Feiffer's illustrations may show unused characters.
– Buzz
4 hours ago
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
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We can identify all but four of the fifteen illustrated demons from the text.
The Monsters of Ignorance
1. The Horrible Hopping Hindsight: "…fellow whose eyes were in the rear and whose rear was in the front."
2. The Triple Demons of Compromise: "one tall and thin, one short and fat, and the third exactly like the other two." That's difficult to represent visually but the trio labeled with a '2' is the only trio, the rearmost is spindly, the foremost is more robust, and the third one climbing up over the edge of the cliff has its body hidden, but has one spindly arm and one thick arm.
3. The Demon of Insincerity: is illustrated first in the chapter "Unwelcoming Committee," and is recognizable as such.
4. The Gelatinous Giant: is illustrated first in the chapter "Unwelcoming Committee," and is recognizable as such.
5. ?
6. The Dilemma: "…the ugly Dilemma , snorting steam and looking intently for someone to catch on the ends of his long pointed horns, while his hoofs bit eagerly at the ground." This illustration shows only a single visible horn (perhaps the other is hidden behind the first?), but does show hooves and snorted steam. The Dilemma is also described immediately after the Terrible Trivium and the Gelatinous Giant which appear just behind in the illustration.
7. ?
8. The Gorgons of Hate and Malice: "…inching along like giant soft-shelled snails, with blazing eyes and wet anxious mouths came the Gorgons of Hate and Malice, leaving a trail of slime behind them and moving much more quickly than you'd think."
9. ?: @OrganicMarble points out that this monster is a candidate for being the Dilemma since it is also horned and hoofed, although it is not snorting steam.
10. The Everpresent Wordsnatcher: is illustrated twice in the earlier chapter "A Very Dirty Bird," and is recognizable as such.
11. The Overbearing Know-it-all: "…his heavy bulbous body lurching dangerously on the spindly legs which barely supported him… a dismal demon who was mostly mouth…"
12. The Gross Exaggeration: "Next to [the Overbearing Know-it-all] and a little behind came the Gross Exaggeration… they hunted together…"
13. The Threadbare Excuse: This monster's descriptive paragraph follows immediately after the Gross Exaggeration's, and reads in part "Riding along on the back of anyone who'd carry him was the Threadbare Excuse, a small pathetic figure whose clothes were worn and tattered…"
14. ?
15. The Terrible Trivium: is illustrated first in the chapter "A Very Dirty Bird," and is recognizable as such. He is also described as "He was beautifully dressed in a dark suit with a well-pressed shirt and tie.… But his expression was somewhat blank. In fact it was completely blank, for he had neither eyes, nose, nor mouth."
answered 2 hours ago
LexibleLexible
7,90112561
1
When I was a kid I thought 9 was the Dilemma, but your point about the snorted steam is well taken.
– Organic Marble
2 hours ago
@OrganicMarble Noted in the answer. I also added the fact that the text of the Dilemma's description also appears in the same paragraph as that of the Terrible Trivium and the Gelatinous Giant who appear next to the figure I so label in the illustration. PS Drop me some love with an up-vote? :)
– Lexible
2 hours ago
1
Definitely. I was just digging out the book :)
– Organic Marble
1 hour ago
@OrganicMarble A classic well-worth the digging. :)
– Lexible
1 hour ago
add a comment |
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We can identify all but four of the fifteen illustrated demons from the text.
The Monsters of Ignorance
1. The Horrible Hopping Hindsight: "…fellow whose eyes were in the rear and whose rear was in the front."
2. The Triple Demons of Compromise: "one tall and thin, one short and fat, and the third exactly like the other two." That's difficult to represent visually but the trio labeled with a '2' is the only trio, the rearmost is spindly, the foremost is more robust, and the third one climbing up over the edge of the cliff has its body hidden, but has one spindly arm and one thick arm.
3. The Demon of Insincerity: is illustrated first in the chapter "Unwelcoming Committee," and is recognizable as such.
4. The Gelatinous Giant: is illustrated first in the chapter "Unwelcoming Committee," and is recognizable as such.
5. ?
6. The Dilemma: "…the ugly Dilemma , snorting steam and looking intently for someone to catch on the ends of his long pointed horns, while his hoofs bit eagerly at the ground." This illustration shows only a single visible horn (perhaps the other is hidden behind the first?), but does show hooves and snorted steam. The Dilemma is also described immediately after the Terrible Trivium and the Gelatinous Giant which appear just behind in the illustration.
7. ?
8. The Gorgons of Hate and Malice: "…inching along like giant soft-shelled snails, with blazing eyes and wet anxious mouths came the Gorgons of Hate and Malice, leaving a trail of slime behind them and moving much more quickly than you'd think."
9. ?: @OrganicMarble points out that this monster is a candidate for being the Dilemma since it is also horned and hoofed, although it is not snorting steam.
10. The Everpresent Wordsnatcher: is illustrated twice in the earlier chapter "A Very Dirty Bird," and is recognizable as such.
11. The Overbearing Know-it-all: "…his heavy bulbous body lurching dangerously on the spindly legs which barely supported him… a dismal demon who was mostly mouth…"
12. The Gross Exaggeration: "Next to [the Overbearing Know-it-all] and a little behind came the Gross Exaggeration… they hunted together…"
13. The Threadbare Excuse: This monster's descriptive paragraph follows immediately after the Gross Exaggeration's, and reads in part "Riding along on the back of anyone who'd carry him was the Threadbare Excuse, a small pathetic figure whose clothes were worn and tattered…"
14. ?
15. The Terrible Trivium: is illustrated first in the chapter "A Very Dirty Bird," and is recognizable as such. He is also described as "He was beautifully dressed in a dark suit with a well-pressed shirt and tie.… But his expression was somewhat blank. In fact it was completely blank, for he had neither eyes, nose, nor mouth."
answered 2 hours ago
LexibleLexible
7,90112561
1
When I was a kid I thought 9 was the Dilemma, but your point about the snorted steam is well taken.
– Organic Marble
2 hours ago
@OrganicMarble Noted in the answer. I also added the fact that the text of the Dilemma's description also appears in the same paragraph as that of the Terrible Trivium and the Gelatinous Giant who appear next to the figure I so label in the illustration. PS Drop me some love with an up-vote? :)
– Lexible
2 hours ago
1
Definitely. I was just digging out the book :)
– Organic Marble
1 hour ago
@OrganicMarble A classic well-worth the digging. :)
– Lexible
1 hour ago
add a comment |
We can identify all but four of the fifteen illustrated demons from the text.
The Monsters of Ignorance
1. The Horrible Hopping Hindsight: "…fellow whose eyes were in the rear and whose rear was in the front."
2. The Triple Demons of Compromise: "one tall and thin, one short and fat, and the third exactly like the other two." That's difficult to represent visually but the trio labeled with a '2' is the only trio, the rearmost is spindly, the foremost is more robust, and the third one climbing up over the edge of the cliff has its body hidden, but has one spindly arm and one thick arm.
3. The Demon of Insincerity: is illustrated first in the chapter "Unwelcoming Committee," and is recognizable as such.
4. The Gelatinous Giant: is illustrated first in the chapter "Unwelcoming Committee," and is recognizable as such.
5. ?
6. The Dilemma: "…the ugly Dilemma , snorting steam and looking intently for someone to catch on the ends of his long pointed horns, while his hoofs bit eagerly at the ground." This illustration shows only a single visible horn (perhaps the other is hidden behind the first?), but does show hooves and snorted steam. The Dilemma is also described immediately after the Terrible Trivium and the Gelatinous Giant which appear just behind in the illustration.
7. ?
8. The Gorgons of Hate and Malice: "…inching along like giant soft-shelled snails, with blazing eyes and wet anxious mouths came the Gorgons of Hate and Malice, leaving a trail of slime behind them and moving much more quickly than you'd think."
9. ?: @OrganicMarble points out that this monster is a candidate for being the Dilemma since it is also horned and hoofed, although it is not snorting steam.
10. The Everpresent Wordsnatcher: is illustrated twice in the earlier chapter "A Very Dirty Bird," and is recognizable as such.
11. The Overbearing Know-it-all: "…his heavy bulbous body lurching dangerously on the spindly legs which barely supported him… a dismal demon who was mostly mouth…"
12. The Gross Exaggeration: "Next to [the Overbearing Know-it-all] and a little behind came the Gross Exaggeration… they hunted together…"
13. The Threadbare Excuse: This monster's descriptive paragraph follows immediately after the Gross Exaggeration's, and reads in part "Riding along on the back of anyone who'd carry him was the Threadbare Excuse, a small pathetic figure whose clothes were worn and tattered…"
14. ?
15. The Terrible Trivium: is illustrated first in the chapter "A Very Dirty Bird," and is recognizable as such. He is also described as "He was beautifully dressed in a dark suit with a well-pressed shirt and tie.… But his expression was somewhat blank. In fact it was completely blank, for he had neither eyes, nose, nor mouth."
answered 2 hours ago
LexibleLexible
7,90112561
1
When I was a kid I thought 9 was the Dilemma, but your point about the snorted steam is well taken.
– Organic Marble
2 hours ago
@OrganicMarble Noted in the answer. I also added the fact that the text of the Dilemma's description also appears in the same paragraph as that of the Terrible Trivium and the Gelatinous Giant who appear next to the figure I so label in the illustration. PS Drop me some love with an up-vote? :)
– Lexible
2 hours ago
1
Definitely. I was just digging out the book :)
– Organic Marble
1 hour ago
@OrganicMarble A classic well-worth the digging. :)
– Lexible
1 hour ago
add a comment |
We can identify all but four of the fifteen illustrated demons from the text.
The Monsters of Ignorance
1. The Horrible Hopping Hindsight: "…fellow whose eyes were in the rear and whose rear was in the front."
2. The Triple Demons of Compromise: "one tall and thin, one short and fat, and the third exactly like the other two." That's difficult to represent visually but the trio labeled with a '2' is the only trio, the rearmost is spindly, the foremost is more robust, and the third one climbing up over the edge of the cliff has its body hidden, but has one spindly arm and one thick arm.
3. The Demon of Insincerity: is illustrated first in the chapter "Unwelcoming Committee," and is recognizable as such.
4. The Gelatinous Giant: is illustrated first in the chapter "Unwelcoming Committee," and is recognizable as such.
5. ?
6. The Dilemma: "…the ugly Dilemma , snorting steam and looking intently for someone to catch on the ends of his long pointed horns, while his hoofs bit eagerly at the ground." This illustration shows only a single visible horn (perhaps the other is hidden behind the first?), but does show hooves and snorted steam. The Dilemma is also described immediately after the Terrible Trivium and the Gelatinous Giant which appear just behind in the illustration.
7. ?
8. The Gorgons of Hate and Malice: "…inching along like giant soft-shelled snails, with blazing eyes and wet anxious mouths came the Gorgons of Hate and Malice, leaving a trail of slime behind them and moving much more quickly than you'd think."
9. ?: @OrganicMarble points out that this monster is a candidate for being the Dilemma since it is also horned and hoofed, although it is not snorting steam.
10. The Everpresent Wordsnatcher: is illustrated twice in the earlier chapter "A Very Dirty Bird," and is recognizable as such.
11. The Overbearing Know-it-all: "…his heavy bulbous body lurching dangerously on the spindly legs which barely supported him… a dismal demon who was mostly mouth…"
12. The Gross Exaggeration: "Next to [the Overbearing Know-it-all] and a little behind came the Gross Exaggeration… they hunted together…"
13. The Threadbare Excuse: This monster's descriptive paragraph follows immediately after the Gross Exaggeration's, and reads in part "Riding along on the back of anyone who'd carry him was the Threadbare Excuse, a small pathetic figure whose clothes were worn and tattered…"
14. ?
15. The Terrible Trivium: is illustrated first in the chapter "A Very Dirty Bird," and is recognizable as such. He is also described as "He was beautifully dressed in a dark suit with a well-pressed shirt and tie.… But his expression was somewhat blank. In fact it was completely blank, for he had neither eyes, nose, nor mouth."
answered 2 hours ago
LexibleLexible
7,90112561
We can identify all but four of the fifteen illustrated demons from the text.
The Monsters of Ignorance
1. The Horrible Hopping Hindsight: "…fellow whose eyes were in the rear and whose rear was in the front."
2. The Triple Demons of Compromise: "one tall and thin, one short and fat, and the third exactly like the other two." That's difficult to represent visually but the trio labeled with a '2' is the only trio, the rearmost is spindly, the foremost is more robust, and the third one climbing up over the edge of the cliff has its body hidden, but has one spindly arm and one thick arm.
3. The Demon of Insincerity: is illustrated first in the chapter "Unwelcoming Committee," and is recognizable as such.
4. The Gelatinous Giant: is illustrated first in the chapter "Unwelcoming Committee," and is recognizable as such.
5. ?
6. The Dilemma: "…the ugly Dilemma , snorting steam and looking intently for someone to catch on the ends of his long pointed horns, while his hoofs bit eagerly at the ground." This illustration shows only a single visible horn (perhaps the other is hidden behind the first?), but does show hooves and snorted steam. The Dilemma is also described immediately after the Terrible Trivium and the Gelatinous Giant which appear just behind in the illustration.
7. ?
8. The Gorgons of Hate and Malice: "…inching along like giant soft-shelled snails, with blazing eyes and wet anxious mouths came the Gorgons of Hate and Malice, leaving a trail of slime behind them and moving much more quickly than you'd think."
9. ?: @OrganicMarble points out that this monster is a candidate for being the Dilemma since it is also horned and hoofed, although it is not snorting steam.
10. The Everpresent Wordsnatcher: is illustrated twice in the earlier chapter "A Very Dirty Bird," and is recognizable as such.
11. The Overbearing Know-it-all: "…his heavy bulbous body lurching dangerously on the spindly legs which barely supported him… a dismal demon who was mostly mouth…"
12. The Gross Exaggeration: "Next to [the Overbearing Know-it-all] and a little behind came the Gross Exaggeration… they hunted together…"
13. The Threadbare Excuse: This monster's descriptive paragraph follows immediately after the Gross Exaggeration's, and reads in part "Riding along on the back of anyone who'd carry him was the Threadbare Excuse, a small pathetic figure whose clothes were worn and tattered…"
14. ?
15. The Terrible Trivium: is illustrated first in the chapter "A Very Dirty Bird," and is recognizable as such. He is also described as "He was beautifully dressed in a dark suit with a well-pressed shirt and tie.… But his expression was somewhat blank. In fact it was completely blank, for he had neither eyes, nose, nor mouth."
answered 2 hours ago
LexibleLexible
7,90112561
edited 1 hour ago
answered 2 hours ago
LexibleLexible
7,90112561
answered 2 hours ago
LexibleLexible
7,90112561
answered 2 hours ago
LexibleLexible
7,90112561
7,90112561
1
When I was a kid I thought 9 was the Dilemma, but your point about the snorted steam is well taken.
– Organic Marble
2 hours ago
@OrganicMarble Noted in the answer. I also added the fact that the text of the Dilemma's description also appears in the same paragraph as that of the Terrible Trivium and the Gelatinous Giant who appear next to the figure I so label in the illustration. PS Drop me some love with an up-vote? :)
– Lexible
2 hours ago
1
Definitely. I was just digging out the book :)
– Organic Marble
1 hour ago
@OrganicMarble A classic well-worth the digging. :)
– Lexible
1 hour ago
add a comment |
1
When I was a kid I thought 9 was the Dilemma, but your point about the snorted steam is well taken.
– Organic Marble
2 hours ago
@OrganicMarble Noted in the answer. I also added the fact that the text of the Dilemma's description also appears in the same paragraph as that of the Terrible Trivium and the Gelatinous Giant who appear next to the figure I so label in the illustration. PS Drop me some love with an up-vote? :)
– Lexible
2 hours ago
1
Definitely. I was just digging out the book :)
– Organic Marble
1 hour ago
@OrganicMarble A classic well-worth the digging. :)
– Lexible
1 hour ago
1
1
When I was a kid I thought 9 was the Dilemma, but your point about the snorted steam is well taken.
– Organic Marble
2 hours ago
When I was a kid I thought 9 was the Dilemma, but your point about the snorted steam is well taken.
– Organic Marble
2 hours ago
@OrganicMarble Noted in the answer. I also added the fact that the text of the Dilemma's description also appears in the same paragraph as that of the Terrible Trivium and the Gelatinous Giant who appear next to the figure I so label in the illustration. PS Drop me some love with an up-vote? :)
– Lexible
2 hours ago
@OrganicMarble Noted in the answer. I also added the fact that the text of the Dilemma's description also appears in the same paragraph as that of the Terrible Trivium and the Gelatinous Giant who appear next to the figure I so label in the illustration. PS Drop me some love with an up-vote? :)
– Lexible
2 hours ago
1
1
Definitely. I was just digging out the book :)
– Organic Marble
1 hour ago
Definitely. I was just digging out the book :)
– Organic Marble
1 hour ago
@OrganicMarble A classic well-worth the digging. :)
– Lexible
1 hour ago
@OrganicMarble A classic well-worth the digging. :)
– Lexible
1 hour ago
add a comment |
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2
The annotated edition of The Phantom Tollbooth has a list of additional demons that Juster thought up but did not use. Some of Feiffer's illustrations may show unused characters.
– Buzz
4 hours ago