Miss Nelson
Miss Nelson is the central character and the regular teacher of Room 207. She is portrayed as extremely kind, gentle and soft-spoken. Her teaching style is relaxed, and she tries to guide her student with patience rather than strict discipline. However, her kindness becomes a weakness, as the student take advantage of her and behave badly in class.
Miss Nelson represents warmth, care, and understanding, but also highlights how excessive leniency can lead to a lack of respect. Her decision to "disappear" and return in another form shows her intelligence and creativity in solving the problem of her students' behavior. She teaches an important lesson about balance between kindness and authority.
Miss Viola Swamp
Miss Viola Swamp is the strict substitute teacher who replaces Miss Nelson. She is described as scary, harsh, and extremely disciplined. unlike Miss Nelson, she gives heavy homework, enforces strict rules, and does not tolerate misbehavior.
Miss Swamp symbolizes authority, discipline, and consequences. Her presence completely transforms the classroom enviroment, forcing the students to behave properly. It is strongly implied ( and commonly understood ) that Miss Swamp is actually Miss Nelson in Disguise. This dual identity emphasizes the theme that effective teaching requires both kindness and firmness.
The Students Of Room 207
The students of Room 207 act as a collective character rather than as individuals. At the beginning of the story, they are rude, noisy, and disrespectful. They ignore Miss Nelson, throw paper, and refuse to follow instructions.
Their behavior reflects a lack of appreciation for kindness and a tendency to exploit leniency. However, after Miss Swamp arrives, they quickly change. Fear an strict discipline push them to become quiet, obedient, and hardworking.
By the end of the story, the students show growth. They begin to appreciate Miss Nelson's kindness and promise to behave better, demonstrating the theme of learning through consequences.
Detective McSmogg
Detective McSmogg is a minor but memorable character. He is hired by the students to help find Miss Nelson after her disappearance. Despite his role as a detective, he is ineffective and fails to solve the mystery.
He adds humor to the story and highlights the obvious truth that the students themselves overlook-that Miss Nelson and Miss Swamp are the same person. His inability to solve the case reinforces the story's playful tone and irony.
