Circus Mirandus

Ten-year-old Micah Tuttle is the protagonist of Circus Mirandus. The story is told primarily from his perspective in third-person prose. Micah and Ephraim are jointly characterized by the detritus of their home, which reveals their silly, fun-loving personalities. Before Gertrudis arrives, the fridge is covered in “a recipe for Double Chocolate Brownies, alphabet magnets, and a picture of an elephant Micah had drawn when he was seven” (16). It is a celebration of creativity, color, self-expression, and delicious, un-diet-conscious food. Furthermore, items in Micah’s bedroom include “two yo-yos, a baseball, a felt hat, a small army of action figures, a pack of Old Maid cards, and the string” (23). These items characterize Micah as a fun-loving 10-year-old boy, who loves to play and create. This impression is strengthened in the clothing Micah wears, such as in Chapter 32, when he wears a “big green velvet coat” and bare feet (363). The eccentric nature of this costume emphasizes that he belongs in a colorful, magical world, like Circus Mirandus.

Micah’s world is rocked when Grandpa Ephraim, Micah’s main caregiver following the accidental death of his parents, becomes sick. Micah finds a reliable and loyal social connection in Jenny Mendoza, who helps Micah to navigate this tumultuous part of his life.