The Borrowers (1997) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The story is set in a suburban neighborhood, primarily centered on the Lenders' family home where the Clock family secretly lives beneath the floorboards. The plot expands to include City Hall, where the villain Potter schemes to demolish the house, and a local dairy where the Clock family briefly takes refuge.

• setting
• suburban home
• lenders house
• city hall
• dairy

The movie is set in contemporary times, specifically the late 20th century. The setting reflects modern suburban life with everyday technology, bureaucratic systems, and ordinary domestic environments, emphasizing present-day concerns like property development and municipal governance.

• time period
• contemporary
• 1990s
• modern era

The main characters include Pod Clock, the patriarch of the tiny Clock family who protects his family; his daughter Arrietty, a curious and fearless Borrower; Peagreen, the younger Clock child; Pete Lender, the human ally who helps the Borrowers; and Ocious P. Potter, the scheming lawyer who threatens their home.

• characters
• pod clock
• arrietty clock
• peagreen
• pete lender
• ocious potter

The movie explores several key themes: Home & Belonging, as the Borrowers fight to keep their hidden home; Power & Exploitation, through Potter's corrupt abuse of legal power; Courage & Alliance, showing how unlikely bonds between humans and Borrowers overcome threats; and Ingenuity & Resourcefulness, demonstrating how the tiny Borrowers use everyday objects creatively to survive.

• themes
• home
• belonging
• power
• exploitation
• courage
• alliance
• ingenuity
• resourcefulness

Ocious P. Potter is the main antagonist, a lawyer who schemes to demolish the Lenders' home to make way for condominiums. He manipulates legal documents, including stealing the house's will, using bureaucratic power for personal profit. His actions drive the central conflict of the story.

• villain
• lawyer
• ocious potter
• antagonist
• power
• money

Arrietty Clock is the teenage daughter of Pod Clock and one of the central protagonists. She is curious, fearless, and often pushes beyond the family's safety limits to explore the human world. Her bold personality leads her to form a crucial bond with human ally Pete, and her courage helps drive the story's key turning points.

• arrietty clock
• protagonist
• daughter
• explorer
• courage

The Home & Belonging theme emphasizes that home is more than physical walls, it's a living community and sense of identity. The Borrowers' persistence in staying in their house against predatory development highlights shelter and belonging as fundamental human needs, showing that even the tiniest residents deserve a place to call home.

• home
• belonging
• shelter
• community
• family
• identity

Pod Clock is the patriarch and leader of the Clock family, the tiny Borrowers who live hidden beneath the floorboards of the Lender home. He is cautious, wise, and fiercely protective of his family, managing the delicate balance between staying hidden from humans and protecting their home. His concern for Arrietty and Peagreen motivates many of the family's brave decisions.

• pod clock
• patriarch
• father
• leader
• protective
• wisdom

The Courage & Alliance theme shows bravery arising from unlikely bonds between humans and Borrowers. Pete Lender and the Clock family team up to thwart Potter's schemes, demonstrating that trust and solidarity can overcome overwhelming odds. Small acts of courage from both human and tiny characters propel the plot and protect their shared home.

• courage
• alliance
• trust
• solidarity
• bravery
• pete lender
• teamwork

The Power & Exploitation theme depicts how power can corrupt when used for selfish gain. Potter embodies this by using legal maneuvering to seize a home for profit, manipulating documents and bureaucracy. The narrative critiques predatory development and shows how the Borrowers' ingenuity ultimately defeats such manipulation, preserving rightful ownership.

• power
• exploitation
• corruption
• legal
• bureaucracy
• predatory development

Pete Lender is a kind-hearted human boy who becomes the Borrowers' crucial ally. He believes in their existence and helps hide the house's will from Potter. His courage grows as he defies the threat posed by the villain, serving as a bridge between the human world and the Borrowers, ultimately helping orchestrate their rescue.

• pete lender
• ally
• human helper
• courage
• friend

The Ingenuity & Resourcefulness theme showcases how Borrowers rely on inventive creativity, repurposing everyday items like thread, safety pins, and batteries to stay hidden and safe. Their quick thinking turns mundane objects into tools for survival, proving that creativity and resourcefulness can level the playing field against larger threats.

• ingenuity
• resourcefulness
• creativity
• survival
• cleverness
• tools