Runaway Ralph

Ralph is the protagonist of all three Mouse and the Motorcycle books. He is a brown mouse caught between the older generation of mice who are concerned only with safety and survival and the younger generation who look for simple fun. Ralph is the point of view character: Everything that happens is filtered through Ralph’s point of view. At the beginning of the novel, Ralph is conflicted about his role in the world and feels misunderstood by essentially everyone around him. Ralph’s experiences on his journey and at the camp prompt Ralph to mature and broaden his perspective on life.

Ralph is a lot like the boys he befriends. He’s different from other mice, just as Garf is different from the kids at camp. He’s excited by the possibility of adventure but struggles with his fears until an outside force pushes him to face those fears directly. It takes the possibility of starvation, the threat of being attacked by Catso, and the loss of his motorcycle to summon the courage to talk to Garf. Ralph’s growth and maturity are directly influenced by those around him.