Sometimes simple is best. Miyazaki is nothing if not skilled at spotting the magic in everyday objects. A scarecrow with a penchant for getting stuck in whatever random places it is possible to get a scarecrow stuck in (e.g. a bush and a chimney), Turnip Head is one of the most open-hearted characters in a movie full of deceit amongst its supporting cast. On many occasions, Turnip Head goes out of his way to help out Sophie and the other characters in Howl's Castle - this ranges from such small things as helping hold a laundry line or fetching Sophie's shawl to acts of near heroism like nearly sacrificing himself to prevent his friends from sliding off a cliff. Although Sophie notes when he first appears that turnips are her least favorite vegetable, it is impossible for her to not appreciate the company of such a enthusiastically friendly individual. His contribution to the narrative itself is twofold: firstly, he leads Sophie to Howl's Castle to begin with, and second comes with the revelation of his true identity (which, like all great transformed characters, proves a little disappointing due to how charming his scarecrow form was).
Self-evidently a man who writes for the Internet, Robert also writes films, plays, teleplays, and short stories when he's not working on a movie set somewhere. He lives somewhere behind the Hollywood sign.
