Arrietty is what you would call a "Borrower." The Borrowers are little people (really little people) that live in houses made from the many items they borrow. They don't steal, but rather they borrow things people won't miss - such as a single sugar cube, a single tissue, a missing pin - and use it for themselves to survive.
Arrietty, herself, is a very independent 13 year old Borrower who just wants to be like her father and go out into the world to start her first borrowing. She is also not afraid to take risks, as at the beginning of the movie she is out collecting herbs from the surrounding foliage and she is seen by the main male character, Shawn. Though she is told not to trust humans by her father, she can't help but be curious.
She meets with Shawn, even though her father has told her that humans are dangerous, and tells him to leave them alone. She also can't help but be a little amazed at how Shawn saves her life when a blackbird tries to attack her.
Arrietty is a relateable character because she is how we would imagine a 13 year old to be - ready to grow up, takes risks, unafraid of the world. But she grows up during this time as she has to rescue her mother and use Shawn's help. I feel like she is able to grow up a lot in this movie because she faces "real life" trials and troubles, and she makes a friend doing it.
Next up: Shawn.
Shawn is a sickly character that is introduced at the beginning of the movie - his heart is weak. And so we see him mostly in his bedroom during the movie. He is very kindhearted and is willing to do whatever it takes to help out Arrietty. He's fascinated by them, of course, but knows he can't reveal them to anyone in the household. Shawn is also very soft-spoken and doesn't show much emotion, but toward the end he shows that he can be sneaky, caring, and unafraid to do whatever it takes to help a friend - even if it means dying.
I think that Shawn is very mature for his age (I believe it's 13, too), and knows when and when not to speak or act. I think that maybe he should have had a different voice actor or have shown more emotion, but alas, there isn't much to do about that. I like how helpful he is to Arrietty, and even though he's genuinely trying to be helpful, Arrietty, at first, doesn't see it that way.
Next: Hara.
Hara is the crazy maid of the house who claims that she knows the little people (Borrowers) live in the house, but can't find any proof. She's very sneaky, nosy, and very... annoying. I don't like her. But anyway, Hara ends up finding Arrietty's house and even captures her mom to show to the rest of the world. Even when she captures Homily (Arrietty's mom) she calls the pest control guys to come over and look for more. You think she's crazy by the end, even though you know the truth, and wish she would just get fired. At least I did. I don't like her.
Next: Homily and Pod
These are the parents of Arrietty, and are quite the opposite of one another. Homily is the "stay-at-home mom" who is constantly worried for the well being of her daughter and husband, constantly over reacting (in a goofy way) about their whereabouts and just what is going on in the world around them.
Pod, on the other hand, is very self-controlled and confident, only trying to protect his family and do what he can in the outside world to help them survive. The two are quite opposite but go well together perfectly. Though they don't have an overbearing presence in the film, Homily is captured by Hara, and since Pod's leg was sprained, it makes it much more difficult to help.
There are several other characters in Arrietty that make a presence, such as Nina, the cat, Spiller, another Borrower (the first they've seen in a long time), and Shawn's Aunt Jessica. But they are more background characters.
Pretty much, I feel that the characters are stereotypical of what we would expect to find in a story like this: the heroine is independent and ready to do whatever it takes to save her mom; the hero is ready to help the heroine no matter the cost, even his own life; the maid is nosy, conniving, the antagonist; the over-protective parents just trying to give their daughter the best life they can in the world. But it still makes for a good story. I enjoyed this film, and even though the characters a little cookie cutter, I find myself loving Homily, Arrietty, Shawn, and even Jessica (who is rarely seen during the movie). If you want to make your own conclusions of the characters, you'll just have to watch and see for yourself!
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