Living being in The Oz Series
Professor Nowitall
Also known as the most famous scholar in the land of Oz, the master.
The most famous scholar in the Land of Oz, a country schoolmaster who lectures and discourses to his pupils; the owner of a famous magnifying-glass, with which — meaning only to display a captured insect to his class — he accidentally magnified the Woggle-Bug to human size.
Appears in 3 chapters, first in chapter 37, last in chapter 43.
This encyclopedia covers chapters 1 to 100 of the story and shows the world as it stands at chapter 100, so it contains spoilers up to that point. To read it spoiler free, one chapter at a time, open the interactive codex.
What the story establishes
| Affiliation | A schoolmaster of a country school in the Land of Oz, teaching a class of pupils; unconnected with the traveling party. (as of ch. 37) |
| Being nature | An ordinary living human man — a scholar and schoolmaster of Oz. |
| Dialogue style | Speaks in the formal, declamatory manner of a lecturing schoolmaster, addressing his pupils grandly and presenting specimens for study. (as of ch. 37) |
| Equipment | Owns a famous magnifying-glass — a curious instrument kept in a cupboard, which he uses to throw insects upon a screen in a highly-magnified state. (as of ch. 37) |
| Gender identity | man (as of ch. 37) |
| Is alive | yes (as of ch. 37) |
| Maturation stage | Adult |
| Motive | To instruct his pupils; on catching the Woggle-Bug, to display it magnified so the class may study its construction, habits, and manner of life. (as of ch. 37) |
| Personality | Learned and enthusiastic as a teacher, eager to present a rare specimen to his class, yet caring — he cries out in horror and rushes to help when two children fall from the window. (as of ch. 37) |
| Referential profile | masculine (as of ch. 37) |
| Skills | A learned scholar and lecturer — the most famous scholar in Oz — versed in natural history and able to give discourses and demonstrations to his pupils. (as of ch. 37) |
| Social status | Reputed the most famous scholar in the Land of Oz — a respected schoolmaster of high standing. (as of ch. 37) |
| Status | In the backstory he teaches in his country schoolhouse, catches and magnifies the Woggle-Bug before his class, then rushes out with his scholars to help two children who have fallen from the window, leaving the magnified Bug to escape. (as of ch. 37) |
Relationships
- mentor of → Woggle-Bug ch. 37For about three years the hidden Woggle-Bug listened to Professor Nowitall's daily lectures and discourses from a nest in the schoolhouse hearth, acquiring a marvelous education entirely without the Professor's knowledge.
- imprisoned by ← Woggle-Bug (ended) ch. 37–40[CASCADE] Created by CAPTURES(professor_nowitall→woggle_bug)
- captures → Woggle-Bug (ended) ch. 37The Professor discovers the Woggle-Bug crawling across his hearth and catches it between his thumb and forefinger to show his class, then throws it upon a screen with his magnifying-glass, magnifying it.
From the text
“My dear children,” said he, “I have captured a Woggle-Bug—a very rare and interesting specimen.”Chapter 37
See Professor Nowitall chapter by chapter in the interactive codex →