Pan's Labyrinth = Key Characters

Question 1

Vidal =

Answer 1

• Vidal is obsessed with order and control mirroring Franco’s regime which demanded unquestioning loyalty to the state
• Hos violent repression reflects Franco’s ruthless treatment of prisoners
• He is obsessive with legacy and passing on his name to his son.

Question 2

Rebels =

Answer 2

• Represent those fighting against Franco’s regime as part of the resistance during the Spanish Civil War
• These rebels reflect the ongoing resistance hiding in the shadows
• The contrast of the fascist world versus the fantastical world highlights the tension between oppression and the yearning for freedom

Question 3

Mercedes =

Question 4

Faun =

Answer 4

• The faun is slightly mysterious but wise and offers guidance
• He is ambiguous and true motives are unclear
• He symbolises the mystical world that Ofelia escapes into to the realm
• He is a key figure of growth, self-discovery and resistance
• His horn and large stature makes him intimidating and otherworldly, his face is ancient and weathered which suggests he has been waiting for Ofelia
• His demeanour can be kind and intimidating, he seems concerned for his success but the motivations are not clear
• He acts as a guidance to navigate the fantasy world, he requires her to make her own decisions
• The faun embodies the ancient world being deeply connected to the earth.

Question 5

Ofelia =

Answer 5

• Ofelia is disobedient to the violent and oppressive world around her. She is symbolic of innocence and resistance.

Question 6

Pale Man =