Insu-Pu is a Robinsonade novel of the Kids' Wilderness Epic penned by Austrian writer Mira Lobe in 1947. It tells the tale of 11 Blitz Evacuees on a Deserted Island. Known mostly as one of the "inspirations" (in a Take That! sort of way) to the classic School Study Media favorite Lord of the Flies.
In Lobe's Deserted Island the kids get along quite well, and develop their own little society, complete with Bamboo Technology. Luckily, they are ultimately saved thanks to the help of the United States' president's grandson. Yes, it's that kind of book.
This work provides examples of:
- The Ace: Oliver. William fits too, though he spends some time being a Broken Ace.
- Always Someone Better: Oliver to John, though John could only dream of being Always Second Best.
- Badass Bookworm: Pete and Stanley.
- Bamboo Technology: courtesy of The Smart Guy Pete and his friend Steven.
- Blitz Evacuees: The inhabitants of Insu-Pu.
- Bully Brutality: Subverted. John threatens to kill Katelyn, but it's pretty clear he has no intention of seeing it through.
- City Mouse: Grace, the 9-year-old countess.
- Class Clown: Thomas.
- Cloudcuckoolander: Diana the circus girl.
- Cloudcuckoolander's Minder: Stanley to Thomas.
- Deadpan Snarker: John Baxton.
- Deserted Island: A very pleasant one, with a perfect climate and exactly one bear and one snake.
- Determinator: Mostly William, but also Pete.
- Fiery Red Head: Spunky Katelyn.
- Flat Character: Steven and Jean.
- Foolish Sibling, Responsible Sibling: Thomas and Stanley, respectively.
- Fun Personified: Diana.
- Gadgeteer Genius: Pete.
- Geek Physiques: Pete is a textbook example - short, thin and wears glasses.
- Girl Friday: Grace for Pete, inverted with Diana and Thomas.
- Granola Girl: Katelyn, an enthusiastic vegetarian.
- I Just Want to Be Badass: David. So much so that he faces a snake with his bare hands.
- Jerkass: John, The Bully. Eventually reformed.
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Jerkass Woobie: He has a Freudian Excuse of sorts - literally his entire family is dead.
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- The Leader: Oliver, the oldest boy in the group.
- Not So Weak: David, who saves Grace from the snake.
- Plucky Comic Relief: Thomas. He deliberately takes it upon himself to entertain everyone when they feel down.
- Plucky Girl: Katelyn.
- Sibling Yin-Yang: Thomas and Stanley, William and his shallow sister.
- The Smart Guy: Pete and Stanley.
- Tagalong Kid: Grace and David.
- Team Dad: Oliver - frequently lampshded.
- Team Mom: Subverted with Jean. She tries to become an equal to Oliver, but the kids don't respect her the same way.
- Those Two Guys: Steve and Pete at first. That dynamic fades out as Pete and Grace bond.
- Tomboy: Diana the circus girl.
- Town Girls: Grace is the girly City Mouse, Diana is the quirky Tomboy and Katelyn is the in-between hippie. They are also respectively a blonde, a brunette and a redhead.
- Weak, but Skilled: Pete.
