The Strange Case of Origami Yoda

Tommy Lomax is the originator of the Origami Yoda case study. He is “the short one with hair that’s a pain in the butt to try to keep combed” (7). As a key narrator, he supports the main character, Dwight. Tommy writes and narrates most of the chapters in the book, his case study on Dwight and Origami Yoda.

Tommy likes Sara, but for much of the novel his insecurity prevents him from acting. Through trying to understand the mysterious Yoda puppet and its inexplicable wisdom, he confronts his own self-doubt. As he watches Dwight evolve from an eccentric kid to one who is increasingly sociable, Tommy sees that he, too, can be more active in seeking out his dreams. As a result, by the novel’s end he becomes good friends with both Dwight and Sara, and connects with Sara romantically.

Harvey Cunningham, a good friend of Tommy, is “the tall one with the smirk on his face” (7). As chief antagonist of the story, Harvey dislikes Dwight; he’s a Yoda skeptic who makes continuous fun of the boy’s paper puppet. A blend of nerdiness and arrogance, Harvey isn’t well-liked among the other students. However, his skepticism about Origami Yoda embody everyone’s doubts about the puppet and its supposed powers. Harvey’s efforts to denigrate and marginalize Dwight fail spectacularly. He learns nothing from the experience, making him a static character. He returns in the book’s sequels and continues to pester Dwight.

Sara Bolt is smart and pretty. Tommy is in love with her, but they’re both too shy to approach one another. Sara is characterized as honorable and conscientious. After Yoda foretells a pop quiz, which Sara studies for and aces, she feels guilty and confesses to the teacher that she knew about the quiz beforehand.

When she discovers that the teacher didn’t know he was going to administer the test, she becomes convinced that Yoda has powers of wisdom, and asks the puppet if Tommy likes her. Yoda sends her to the next Fun Night, where they play the Twist and she and Tommy dance together. Though a secondary character, Sara drives the plot: Tommy’s interest in her inspires him to write the case study that becomes the novel.

Despite his interest in Sara, Tommy admits that Caroline Broome “is amazingly cute and cool, too” (79). She’s the girl who captures Dwight’s heart. Caroline wears hearing aids and reads lips. She seeks advice from Yoda about a mean boy in class named Zack; Dwight responds by getting into a fight with Zack and losing. This inspires Caroline’s interest in Dwight. Her hearing loss distances her from other students, but Dwight treats her wonderfully, and they become close. Effectively, they bring each other out of their shells.

Kellen Campbell is Tommy’s good friend. He gets great advice from Origami Yoda, and helps popularize the puppet. His simple faith in Origami Yoda allows him to use the puppet as a social go-between, a Yoda usage that becomes common among the students. Kellen supports both Tommy and Dwight, but in the book he’s an example of someone who tries too hard to be accepted and fails. He is not honest with Rhondella, who otherwise would really like him. Through Kellen, the novel suggests the power of honesty and taking risks, and the consequences of not being authentic.

Through Quavondo Phan, the novel shows Dwight’s ability to read social situations and advise others. Dwight’s astute perception is surprising, given his own awkwardness. When Quavondo selfishly eats all of the Cheetos during a field trip to the zoo, he’s known thereafter as “Cheeto Hog.” To remedy this, he asks Yoda for advice, and the puppet tells him to buy Cheetos for everyone. It’s expensive, and it’s guaranteed to get Quavondo into trouble when he hands out bags of Cheetos at a school assembly, but the kids decide he’s a hero, and the “Cheeto Hog” name disappears. Yoda’s unusual and burdensome advice proves to be hugely effective, which raises the puppet’s reputation. Quavondo learns that sometimes getting into trouble can be the best decision. Through this example, the novel shows how Dwight’s advice often comes with risk; however, the entailed risks lead to rewards.

Through Mike Coley, the novel shows Dwight’s ability to read human psychology. Mike tries too hard to hit the ball during softball games, and he strikes out constantly. Each time, angry and frustrated, he bursts into tears. Humiliated, he asks Yoda for pointers. Yoda suggests he not see his worth based solely on his hitting ability. This insight helps Mike to relax; he stops crying, and he begins to get on base now and then. In this way, Yoda acts as an effective therapist. He doesn’t tell Mike what he should do, but how to see things differently.

Rhondella Carrasquilla is a friend of Sara’s and catches Kellen’s eye. She reciprocates his interest but won’t admit it and finds his intense attention irritating. Her narration in Chapter 17 describes Kellen’s pressure to ask advice from Yoda; finally she buckles and does so. Yoda’s answer to her question about Kellen embarrasses them both with its blunt honesty, and the result keeps them apart instead of bringing them together. Yoda seems to understand that Kellen isn’t ready for a relationship; thus, Rhondella’s main purpose is to foil Kellen’s foolishly pushy attempt to win her affections.

Lance Alexander is a minor character. However, his interactions with Dwight and others help to move forward plot threads that highlight Origami Yoda’s wisdom, such as when asking Yoda about the vampire movie. After refusing to help Kellen with his stain situation, Kellen encounters Dwight and asks Yoda for advice.

Mr. Snider is an English teacher and owns a bust of Shakespeare that he has on display in his classroom. When Cassie accidentally breaks it and presents him with a new bust made out of Play-Doh, he’s so amused that he forgives her. He understands that what happened was an accident and that Cassie’s efforts show a willingness to fix the problem using original thinking. Not all the school lessons come from textbooks, and Mr. Snider’s handling of the situation is itself an inspired bit of teaching.

Mr. Howell, a teacher, serves mainly as a plot device. He takes the sixth graders to the zoo, where he forbids them from buying snacks or ice cream at the refreshment stands. He’s angry when Quavondo and others work around his restriction by purchasing snack bags from a vending machine; he yells at them, which makes his last name sound appropriate. Mr. Howell is an example of how, in middle grade fiction, there is often a rift between how children and adults see the world. Adults are often presented as rigid and unbending. In contrast, children experiment with risk-taking and navigating the world.

Mr. Howell is a foil to Dwight, who epitomizes experimentation and seeing the world in an unconventional way. Mr. Howell often issues in-school suspension slips to the boy, who usually fails to get them signed by his parents and returned. It’s an ongoing back-and-forth between them: Mr. Howell is frustrated while Dwight perceives it as a game.

Mr. Stevens teaches life science. Through him, the novel shows how Dwight manipulates things behind the scenes. One day, Origami Yoda predicts that Mr. Stevens will hold a pop quiz, and several students quickly catch up on their studies and ace the test. Mr. Stevens later admits that he didn’t know he’d be giving a test until the last moment, which adds to the luster of Yoda’s abilities at predicting the future. It’s likely, though never revealed, that Dwight sabotages Mr. Stevens’s teaching materials, forcing the teacher to revert to the pop quiz that validates Yoda’s prediction.