The World According to Humphrey

“But she doesn’t know my secret: The latch on my cage door doesn’t work. It never has. It’s the lock-that-doesn’t-lock.”

The “lock-that-doesn’t-lock” plays an important role throughout the novel. It allows Humphrey a level of autonomy that would otherwise be impossible. If Mrs. Brisbane decides to get rid of him, Humphrey will leave on his own terms. 

“‘Oh that’s right,’ he replied as if we were having a real conversation. ‘Mrs. Brisbane came back today. She is a good teacher, you know, Humphrey. Wish I’d had a good teacher like her.’”

This quote is the first indication that Humphrey gets that Mrs. Brisbane is indeed a good teacher. The perspective the book gives concerning Mrs. Brisbane is influenced by the negative perception she has of Humphrey. In addition, this gives some insight into Aldo’s educational past. 

“I know you’re trying to tell me something, Humphrey, but I can’t tell what it is. Maybe you’re just saying I’m not alone after all, huh?”

One of Humphrey’s fundamental problems is that he cannot adequately communicate with humans. Because he is a hamster, he can only squeak, though he understands English. Aldo’s words turn out to be a prediction: Thanks to Humphrey’s efforts, he will meet a woman and fall in love. 

1.    “But at the end of the day, when the students were gone, the second Mrs. Brisbane came back.

The really scary one.”

Humphrey sees the different facets of Mrs. Brisbane’s personality almost as different people. He will gradually learn that people are complex and that their moods and motivations are influenced by many factors outside the classroom. Mrs. Brisbane’s dislike for Humphrey is not personal. 

“Mr. Morales is the Most Important Person at Longfellow School. He runs the place and everyone respects him.” 

Because Mr. Morales is the most important person at the school, to Humphrey he is the most important man in the world. However, while the principal is respected at school, he is ironically ignored and disrespected by his own family. 

“Now you know my secret, Humphrey. At school, everybody listens to me. At home, nobody listens to me.”

Mr. Morales confides in Humphrey about the ironic difference between his home and work life. Because Humphrey cannot communicate, people often tell him their secrets and problems. However, because he is a sentient hamster, he is able to help fix these problems.

“Getting down off that table was still a problem. I grabbed hold of the leg and slid down, as I’ve done before. It makes me feel a little queasy in my tummy. But it would be worthwhile if I could get Aldo a girlfriend.”

Humphrey’s interactions with the world are influenced by his tiny size. Humphrey deeply values Aldo’s friendship. He is willing to risk injury to pass on the message of the Moonlighter’s Club. 

“I am now working in a school here in Brazil. This country is beautiful and friendly. I really enjoyed talking with the parrots in the rain forest. I miss you all, especially my pal Humphrey. Lots of love, Ms. Mac.”

Ms. Mac left Longfellow School to pursue her dreams of teaching abroad. This postcard indicates that she has succeeded in following her dreams. In addition, it raises Humphrey’s spirits: She does remember him after all. 

“Everybody hates me. Everybody loves you. You’re just a rat in disguise.” 

Garth’s sudden change in behavior is a surprise to Humphrey. This is the first indication that his animosity is directed at him. Being called a rat or a rodent is greatly insulting to Humphrey. 

“‘That’s why I don’t like to talk in class,’ she explained. ‘I don’t talk like the other kids. I’m afraid they’ll laugh at my accent. That happened to me when I was little.’”

Humphrey learns the truth of Sayeh’s nickname, Speak-Up-Sayeh. Sayeh is the child of non-English speakers. She is worried that the other students will not accept her due to her foreign accent. 

“Suddenly, without warning, Sayeh began to sing ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ in her clear, sweet voice.”

Humphrey helped Sayeh—literally—to find her voice. This marks a turning point for her. Working up the courage to sing in front of her classmates grants her not only the prize for the talent contest, but also the courage to speak up in class. 

“Well, Miranda’s home wasn’t exactly a castle, but it was very tall. Miranda lived in a fourth-floor apartment with her mom and her big dog, Clem.” 

Though Golden-Miranda seems perfect, she is another example of the importance of not judging a book by its cover. She seems like a princess to Humphrey, but, in reality, she lives in a small apartment with her single mother. 

“Hello, rat. Why don’t you just run away? Then nobody will take you home on the weekend.”

Garth’s behavior takes a turn for the worse. By attempting to release Humphrey so that A.J. cannot take him home, he reveals that his bullying stems from jealousy. 

“‘My… mom’s… sick,’ he said. ‘Real sick.’ Tears ran down his cheeks. I was feeling a little teary-eyed myself.” 

Garth began acting out when his mother fell ill. This shows that one should reserve judgement toward others unless they know al the circumstances behind their behavior. Humphrey is able to become more empathetic toward Garth. 

“You are the most intelligent hamster in the world! And I am the luckiest man in the world! Because I am dating the most beautiful woman in the world!”

Humphrey’s plan for Aldo worked. Aldo met Maria through the Moonlighters Club thanks to Humphrey. Although Aldo has no idea the hamster was actually behind it, he gives Humphrey the credit. 

“Mrs. Brisbane called him Lower-Your-Voice-A.J. because A.J. always talked extra loud in class. I soon noticed that everybody at A.J.’s house talked extra loud.”

A.J.’s loud inside voice is due to the fact that his family has the television and radio blaring at full volume in every room of his house. He must shout over the noise in order to be heard. The racket is too much for Humphrey’s sensitive ears.

“Early in the morning, Ty, DeeLee and A.J. raced downstairs and played Crazy Eights. Later, the ran outside and threw a football around the yard.” 

The experience of a television-free evening has created real change in the behavior of A.J.’s family. The children now realize the importance of technology-free quality time thanks to Humphrey’s intervention.

“My fate was sealed. I was going to the home of the woman who had once vowed to get rid of me—for four whole days! And frankly, I was worried I’d never come back!” 

Because none of the students can take Humphrey home over the Thanksgiving break, Mrs. Brisbane is forced to take him. This marks the climax for Mrs. Brisbane’s role as the story’s main antagonist. 

“Boy, nobody in Room 26 could get away with talking to Mrs. Brisbane like that. I wished I could send her husband to Principal Morales’s office right now.” 

Once he is at the Brisbanes’ house, Humphrey begins to see another side of Mrs. Brisbane. Bert’s constant sour attitude wears her down. Humphrey actually begins to feel defensive about her once he sees how she is treated at home.

“‘You’re wrong, Bert,’ said Mrs. Brisbane. ‘Humphrey’s not stuck; he goes everywhere. Every weekend, he goes to another house. He eats different foods. He gets out of the cage and runs through mazes. He runs and jumps and climbs. You’re the one spinning your wheels and going nowhere. You’re stuck in a cage, but it’s a cage you made!’”

When Bert compares his situation to Humphrey being stuck in his cage, Mrs. Brisbane uses the cage as a metaphor to make Bert confront the true nature of his situation. While Humphrey’s cage represents home and comfort, the figurative cage that Bert has built is his own bad attitude holding himself back from the things he is still able to do. 

“Boy, there were more Mrs. Brisbanes than I’d ever dreamed. One was mean to me. One was nice to students. One was a wife. One was a mother. One was a cook. One wore dark pantsuits. The other wore jeans.”

Humphrey thinks of the different aspects of Mrs. Brisbane as separate entities. Mrs. Brisbane helps Humphrey learn that humans are complex: There are multiple sides to everyone. This helps him empathize with her. 

“Could I believe my cute, furry ears? She liked me so much, she actually wanted me to come back! This was a whole new Mrs. Brisbane. One who liked me.”

Humphrey has finally succeeded in winning over Mrs. Brisbane. Like the other people he has helped, he has effectively changed her attitude by changing the negative circumstances in her life. With Bert revitalized, she can go back to a normal life. 

“But then, it hit me. As much as I love her and she loves me, Ms. Mac does not need me. Not as much as the Brisbanes and my classmates and their families do. Maybe that’s what Ms. Mac was thinking when she left me in Room 26. This is where I belong.”

While Humphrey pined for Ms. Mac the entire time she was gone, when she returns to visit, he realizes that this place is not with her. Ms. Mac bought Humphrey for the children. She does not need him. For Humphrey, this is not a sad realization: He is exactly where he needs to be to continue helping the students of Room 26.