Who Are the Characters Sniff, Scurry, Hem and Haw?
Sniff, Scurry, Hem and Haw are the main characters in the bestselling book titled “Who Moved My Cheese,” written by Dr. Spencer Johnson and published in 2000. Sniff and Scurry are mice, while Hem and Haw are little people whose end goal is to find cheese for nourishment while living in a maze.
The entire plot of the book is a metaphor for real-life situations, with the cheese representing a desire in life, such as a promising career, a loving relationship, financial success, health or peace of mind. The maze is a representation of one’s current setting, whether it be a workplace or neighborhood. The characters in the story are faced with unexpected challenges, and each character tries to find a way to deal with their unprecedented changes in life until one successfully finds the cheese.
Sniff and Scurry represent the simple and instinctive aspects of mankind, while Hem and Haw represent the complex parts of man. All the characters have their own quirks, allowing readers to relate to them. Reading about how they deal with life situations helps readers determine what they should do in the future when approaching situations that may lead to personal successes in life, or the “cheese.”
