Misty of Chincoteague

Maureen, the younger Beebe sibling, is first described as having a golden “mane” of hair that trails behind her as she runs up the beach of Assateague. This reflects the horse-centered descriptions of many of the book’s characters. She is strong and independent from her first appearance, when she is upset that she can’t participate in the pony roundup with Paul and the other boys and men. She is an expert horse rider and a hard worker who will do any job necessary to raise money to buy the Phantom and Misty.

The book never specifies how old Paul and Maureen are, but they appear to be in a transitional period between childhood and young adulthood. Maureen often feels foolish for acting like a child, and the book shows several examples of her emotional growth, such as when she comes to terms with the colts’ separation from their mothers as a necessary and healthy step in their development rather than cruel mistreatment.

Maureen, like most of the characters in Misty of Chincoteague, is based on a real person. The real Maureen lived on Chincoteague Island until her death in 2019. She became a legendary figure on the island, although she reportedly was never particularly interested in the crowds and frenzy surrounding Pony Penning Day.

Paul is Maureen’s older brother and has many of the same characteristics as his sister. He is resourceful, independent, and determined to do whatever it takes to get the Phantom and Misty. The first half of the book revolves around Paul’s first experience as a Pony Penning Day rider. He is very aware of his youth and inexperience in the hours leading up to the event. Although he feels confident that he will be a strong asset to the team, his grandparents have convinced him to listen to everything the leaders say. After he successfully rounds up the Phantom, Paul takes a step toward full-fledged adulthood as the team of horsemen welcomes him into their ranks.

The heightened visibility surrounding Paul’s role in Pony Penning Day reflects gender norms on 1940s Chincoteague. His participation in both the pony swim and the race makes him a local hero, even though Maureen does equal work to buy the Phantom and can ride her just as well. Paul shares some of these assumptions, often making fun of his sister for acting like a girl. However, he knows how much she wants to be a full participant in everything and shares the celebrations with her whenever he can.

Paul was Maureen’s real-life brother, part of the Beebe family who ran Beebe farm where the real Misty grew up. The real Paul died in a car accident in 1957 at the age of 21.

The Pied Piper is the stallion who leads the Phantom’s herd; his name—a reference to the legendary piper whose music irresistibly attracted followers—indicates his sway over the other horses. He is a large horse with a wild, flowing mane who neighs loudly whenever he feels his family is in distress. While he is gentle at times, he can also aggressively defend the herd. The Pied Piper’s introduction comes when Maureen and Paul are watching the wild ponies on Assateague. He runs after the Phantom, who has broken with the herd, and tussles with her until she meekly makes her way back to the group. At first Maureen hates him, thinking he is demanding compliance from a horse that doesn’t want to be controlled, but she eventually realizes that this is normal behavior in the horse world and that the Pied Piper is keeping the Phantom safe.

Unlike the Phantom, the Pied Piper is willing to be rounded up with the herd during Pony Penning Day. He seems to think protecting his family is more important than remaining free and often challenges humans who try to approach the mares. During the final scenes of the book, the Pied Piper becomes an almost mystical figure who represents the wildness of nature. He neighs so loudly that the Beebe family can hear him from Chincoteague. He then swims through the violent sea to reach the Phantom, his flowing mane becoming one with the breaking waves.

The Phantom is Misty’s mother and the primary horse character in Misty of Chincoteague. At first, Paul and Maureen are not even sure if she is a real horse because tall tales have surrounded her since her grand escapes from the last two Pony Penning Days. Although some say she is a dark, shadowy figure, she turns out to be a chestnut mare with a patch on her shoulder that resembles the United States. The children believe that this mark represents her wildness, which the novel symbolically associates with American freedom.

The Phantom is wild in her soul, but she gives in to human demands to protect her colt, Misty. From the time Paul finds them in the forest, nearly everything the Phantom does is for the sake of her baby. While living on the farm, Paul and Maureen can see the wildness in the Phantom’s eyes even as she learns to love being ridden, but she remains on Chincoteague until Misty is old enough to live on her own. Her story arc ends after the second Pony Penning Day, when the Phantom flees back to Assateague where she belongs.

Grandpa Beebe is a long-time Chincoteague resident and horse rancher, known to everyone throughout the community. He and Grandma took Paul and Maureen in after their parents moved to China. Grandpa is a gruff but loving man with wiry whiskers that he pulls when he is frustrated or concerned. His regional dialect is apparent, and he is full of humorous, folksy wisdom. Although he is skeptical about the plan to tame the Phantom, he is Paul and Maureen’s primary supporter throughout the book.

Grandpa Beebe is an old man, but he can spring into physical action when necessary. He wrestles the Phantom and Misty into his truck before the storm, presumably by himself. When the Phantom makes her escape to Assateague, he jumps over the fence like a young man before accepting, like the rest of the family, that she is gone forever.

Grandma Beebe has a round face and fine whiskers that Marguerite Henry compares to a newborn colt’s. She exclusively appears at the Beebe house, never attending the events of Pony Penning Day. Her primary role is to be a caregiver for Paul, Maureen, and Grandpa, cooking them delicious food and encouraging them whenever they face hardship.

Like Grandpa, Grandma has a thick Chincoteague accent and a no-nonsense yet loving demeanor. She gets agitated when she sees Misty misbehave. She is also a good neighbor to all the locals and visitors to the island: She sets an extra place at the table for anyone who might stop by during Pony Penning Day, and she welcomes the fire chief when he comes by to ask Maureen and Paul if they will put the Phantom in the next race.