Artemis Fowl

“Artemis Fowl had devised a plan to restore his family’s fortune. A plan that could topple civilizations and plunge the planet into a cross-species war.”

The Prologue serves to whet the reader’s appetite for the narrative to come, and certainly, Argon’s dramatic tone here immediately builds excitement and tension. It also speaks to the ramifications of Artemis’s plot, the details of which slowly unfold leading up to Holly’s abduction. Indirectly, Artemis is characterized as a boy who takes on great challenges; this overview foreshadows the depth and breadth of his story.

“And, though they adhered to the age-old formalities, they were much more than master and servant. Artemis was the closest thing Butler had to a friend, and Butler was the closest Artemis had to a father, albeit one who obeyed orders.”

Butler trusts Artemis explicitly, and each cares for and wants the other to be safe and healthy. Butler believes in Artemis and is protective over his young charge, whose maturity undoubtedly derives from the fact that neither of his parents play a significant role in his life. Even in this adventure, however, Butler comes to question his employer’s decisions after Artemis sedates Juliet.

“Always two steps ahead, that was Master Artemis. People said he was a chip off the old block. They were wrong. Master Artemis was a brand-new block, the likes of which had never been seen before.”

Butler’s affection for Artemis is based on his own belief that Artemis will achieve more than his father did. Additionally, this quote emphasizes how close their relationship is, laying the foundation for Butler’s trust in the boy. Butler’s tone and the connotation of his phrases are full of respect.

“Artemis was perhaps the only person alive who could take full advantage of his recent acquisition. He still retained a childlike belief in magic, tempered by an adult determination to exploit it.”

Artemis’s youth proves to be an advantage in many ways during this novel. He is often underestimated because of his age, but he also uses the fact that, as a child, he still has working knowledge of the fairytale derived from real accounts of the People. Without this, he never would have found them. Two sides of his personality are juxtaposed here to account for his potential for success.

“Carry me always, carry me well. I am thy teacher of herb and spell. I am thy link to power arcane. Forget me and thy magick shall wane.”

The opening lines of the Book lay the groundwork for its importance, hearkening back to an ancient magic possessed by all fairies. It emphasizes that it contains the rules and regulations that govern their lives. It also claims the role of an archetypal mentor, calling itself a teacher and associating itself with power.

“But, Fairy, remember this above all. I am not for those in mud that crawl. And forever doomed shall be the one, Who betrays my secrets one by one.”

The Book is no fan of humans. It is not meant to be read by them, referring to humanity here as “those in mud that crawl,” and so it all the more impressive that Artemis is able to translate the Book. He utilizes its rules and limitations to manipulate the fairies. There is also strong foreshadowing in the warning against betrayal.

“The manservant started. The CNN site had been running for almost a year. Artemis was convinced that news of his father’s rescue would come from there. Shutting it down meant that he was finally letting go.”

Ultimately, Artemis is a young boy who has been left without anyone to parent him. With his father’s disappearance and his mother’s bedridden condition, he feels increasingly responsible for his family’s legacy as he gets older. While he still pines for his father’s return, his plans to kidnap Holly become his first true objective.

“Time to do what he did best—plot dastardly acts.”

Artemis is a brilliant young boy whose intelligence has baffled many adults, and it causes many to underestimate him. However, it is clear from the start that it is difficult to surprise Artemis; he excels in the element of surprises and prior planning. Artemis’s cynical tone, cutting words, and plotted actions suggest that he is something of an anti-hero, the kind readers tend to root for.

“Tonight history was going to be made. And it wasn’t the discovery-of-radium, first-man-on-the-moon, happy kind of history. It was the Spanish Inquisition, here-comes-the-Hindenburg bad kind of history. Bad for humans and fairies. Bad for everyone.”

As an anti-hero, Artemis aims to extort the People, and he kidnaps Holly Short in order to do so. However, as the protagonist, we as readers are drawn to support him, especially given how often he is underestimated. The allusions to specific events in history suggest one of Artemis’s own interest areas and reaffirm the 12-year-old’s intelligence.

“Given through courtesy, so thanks are owed. Pluck thou the magick seed, Where the full moon, ancient oak and twisted water meet. And bury it far from where it was found, So return your gift into the ground.”

The fairies have a particular connection to the earth, as it is the source of their powers. This explanation of the Ritual from the Book also denotes an important plot point, as it provides a way for Artemis to find an unsuspecting fairy, even offering geographic data to analyze with the phrasing, “[w]here the full moon, ancient oak, and twisted water meet” (64).

“She called out to the dolphins and they rose to the surface, leaping from the water to match her pace. She could see the pollution in them, bleaching their skin white and giving them red sores on their backs. And although she smiled, her heart was breaking. Mud People had a lot to answer for.”

The environment is a recurring motif in this novel, and Holly’s interaction with the dolphins touch on the disastrous environment effects humans have had on the planet, especially as a result of their own avarice. This moment and its imagery work to develop the theme of Destruction Resulting from Human Greed.

“Finally the coast loomed ahead of her. The country. Éiriú, the land where time began. The most magical place on the planet.”

Ireland is portrayed as a particularly magical place; being Irish, Artemis is associated with a measure of the power that comes from knowing and practicing magic. Likewise, many on Irish myths and legends are unique in their symbolism and hidden meanings, and Artemis draws on them in order to find the fairies.

“Stay back, human. You don’t know what you’re dealing with.”

Artemis is consistently underestimated by the fairies, but he quickly shows how familiar he is with the Book and the laws of fairies. This line from Holly also emphasizes how she is willing to fight and has been underestimated in her work. Though she tries to put on a brave face in this encounter with Artemis, he quickly proves himself a significant nemesis, establishing their rivalry and conflict.

“Science was taking the magic out of everything.”

The Blending of Science and Magic is a major theme in the novel. At this point, Commander Root represents untainted magic, believing that the science that Foaly utilizes for equipment robs magic of its true nature; in Root’s thinking, the two should maintain separate power. He reminisces about the old days when equipment like Foaly’s had not been a part of his role.

“What was he becoming? His father was the priority here, not some moneymaking scheme.”

Artemis continuously has to wrestle with his own greed and how he can care for his family. This internal conflict is exemplified here, a piece of interior monologue that question if he is losing sight of his ultimate goal at the expense of the execution of his plans. Later, he will give up gold in order to care for his mother, showing that he still holds on to the image of the Fowl family restored.

“Still, the ruse disturbed him. It was undeniably cruel. How far was he prepared to go for this gold? He didn’t know, and wouldn’t until the time came.”

In this rising action discovery, Artemis learns more about his own capabilities when he emotionally manipulates Holly into thinking that she betrayed the People. He knows that it is wrong, but he continues to do so in order to achieve his ends. This scene further illustrates how Artemis’s qualities as an anti-hero, showing Artemis at his most unlikable.

“‘Right, Master Fowl.’ She grinned, watching the blue sparks of fairy magic seal her wounds. ‘Let’s see what I have to do to get your permission to leave this place.”

While Holly is taken captive by Artemis, she is still a fiery elf who refuses to sit still and wait for others to take action. The rules of the Book require that she obey Artemis’s wish for her to stay in his home, but she plans to convince him to let her go, illustrating that she is still in control of her life and her fate.

“Defeated the troll, and without a single plea for aid passing his lips. Watching the display, Artemis appreciated fully, perhaps for the first time, the service provided by the Butler family.”

Throughout this adventure, Artemis does come to appreciate those around him more, including Butler, whose loyalty is something that he has always taken for granted. This moment is important in that it illustrates a moment of growth and change in Artemis; he is capable of showing empathy and appreciation and has potential for further coming-of-age maturation.

“‘No,’ he sighed. ‘I’m not. You’ll have your gold, Fowl. A ton. Twenty-four carat.’” 

Commander Root comes off as brusque, but he genuinely appreciates his officers. Unlike Lieutenant Cudgeon, who is only interested in his own advancement, Root is not willing to risk Holly’s life to preserve the fairies’ stash of gold. His concession puts this sentiment into action while demonstrating the juxtaposition of his characterization against Cudgeon’s.

“Captain Holly Short gazed into her captor’s blue-black eyes and she saw the truth in there. And for a moment she believed it.”

No fairy believes that Artemis can escape the time stop; however, he is confident he can do so. The blue rinse is the climax of the novel, and all of the doubt aimed at Artemis comes to a head until it is revealed that Artemis is correct. As a character, he is seldom wrong, and his confidence in his own intelligence contributes to the success of his plan.

“What would I have to do to buy a wish?”

Artemis’s question to Holly demonstrates his desire to bring together science and magic so that his mother can be cured. While he has been able to defeat the LEP with no magic of his own, he is not able to help Angeline without Holly; this is a considerable concession on Artemis’s part. It also shows the depth of Holly’s kindness; given that Artemis kidnapped her, she might have easily refused to help.

“A casualty of war? How can you say that? A life is a life.”

Holly comes to feel great empathy for her captors, saving Butler’s and Juliet’s lives when the troll attacks. She tries to intervene to save Juliet again before the biological bomb is fired, but Root refuses.

“Artemis nodded. No need to talk about the wish. It could be perceived as weakness.”

Artemis does not wish to appear weak, and so he keeps even from Butler that he asked Holly to help Angeline. His attempt to prevent the appearance of weakness illustrates the value he places on cunning and, ironically, maturity--though he has still some growing room in that area.