OVERLAY REPORT

In the 2014 film *Paddington*, the main character’s goal is to **find a permanent home and a sense of belonging in London.** Driven by the stories of a British explorer who visited his aunt and uncle in Peru decades earlier, Paddington arrives at Paddington Station believing the city is a welcoming place for a polite bear. His journey to achieve this goal is hindered by a series of environmental, social, and antagonistic obstacles. ### **The Main Character's Goal** * **Primary Goal:** To find a "forever home." After an earthquake destroys his habitat in Peru, his Aunt Lucy sends him to London with a tag around his neck that reads, "Please look after this bear. Thank you." * **Secondary Objective:** To locate the **explorer, Montgomery Clyde**, who originally invited his family to London. Paddington believes that finding this man is the key to securing a legitimate place in British society. --- ### **Specific Obstacles** #### **1. Cultural and Physical Displacement** Paddington faces the immediate obstacle of being a literal "fish out of water" (or bear out of jungle). * **Indifference:** Upon arrival, he is shocked to find that Londoners are not the hospitable people the explorer described; they ignore him and rush past him at the station. * **The Learning Curve:** His ignorance of human technology and etiquette causes "comedic disasters" that threaten his stay with the Brown family. For example, he accidentally **floods the Browns' bathroom** while trying to clean his ears with toothbrushes and nearly **burns down their kitchen** while attempting to cook. #### **2. Mr. Brown’s Skepticism** The head of the household, **Henry Brown**, serves as a major social obstacle. A risk-averse insurance analyst, Henry views Paddington as a physical and financial liability. He initially refuses to let Paddington stay permanently and actively seeks to move him to an orphanage or a temporary facility, making Paddington feel like an unwanted guest rather than a family member. #### **3. The Antagonist: Millicent Clyde** The most dangerous obstacle is **Millicent Clyde**, a cold-hearted taxidermist at the Natural History Museum. * **The Motive:** She wants to capture, kill, and stuff Paddington for her collection. Her motivation is personal: her father (the explorer Montgomery Clyde) was disgraced and expelled from the Royal Geographical Society for refusing to bring back a bear specimen, and she believes stuffing Paddington will "restore" her family's name. * **The Pursuit:** She uses high-tech surveillance, tranquilizer guns, and even recruits the Browns' grumpy neighbor, Mr. Curry, to help her kidnap Paddington. #### **4. The "M. Clyde" Search** In his quest to find the explorer, Paddington must manually search for "M. Clyde" in the London phone book. This involves traveling across the city and knocking on doors, which leaves him vulnerable. At one point, he is led into a trap by Millicent, who lures him to the museum under the guise of being related to the explorer. #### **5. Emotional Isolation and Guilt** Paddington faces an internal obstacle: the fear that he is a burden. After the kitchen fire incident, he overhears Mr. Brown expressing his desire for the bear to leave. Feeling that his presence only causes trouble and endangers the family, Paddington **runs away into the rain**, leaving himself without shelter or protection from Millicent's pursuit.