Books can take us anywhere in the world and introduce us to characters we’d never dream of meeting. Sometimes we love them, sometimes we hate them, but we’re usually still interested enough in their lives to carry on reading. Their exciting lives are filled with love, loss and adventure. But how can they afford it all? Here’s how much some of our favourite characters would earn in today’s real world.
Rubeus Hagrid
Hagrid is the loveable half-giant who oversees the land surrounding Hogwarts school in J.K Rowling’s Harry Potter series. In addition to being the school’s gamekeeper, looking after many of the beasts in the forbidden forest, he is also Keeper of Grounds and Keys. In the muggle world, that’d make him a groundsperson or greenkeeper.
A groundsperson in the UK has a usual starting salary of around £17,000. However, since Hagrid has been in his job for decades, he’d be more likely on the upper end of the pay scale which is £48,000! If you love the books as much as us, you’ll know that Hagrid does much more than just tending the plants. However, he also gets a free home and an extended magical family as part of his job perks. Not too shabby!
Miss Trunchbull
Our childhood fears were brought to life when we read Roald Dahl’s portrayal of a teacher in Matilda. Miss Trunchbull is the headmistress of Crunchem Hall Primary School who locks children in a tiny room – the ‘chokey’ – with nails sticking out of the wall if they misbehave even slightly… or wear pigtails to school.
A headteacher’s salary varies per council, school and person, but generally, the wage for a headteacher in the UK is around £50,000. But we all know the best thing that Trunchbull gets is a taste of her own medicine!
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Bridget Jones
One of the world’s most read diaries is that of Bridget Jones. Helen Fielding brings to life this thirty-something who is unlucky in love and hoping for self-improvement. Bridget works in publicity for a publishing house (the one where she meets Daniel Cleaver!).
A publicity assistant at one of the UK’s top publishing companies, Penguin Random House, earns around £22-24,000.
Bridget eventually makes her way into TV as a local breakfast news reporter. Depending on location, these jobs typically start at £15-24,000. Makes you wonder how she can afford to rent that cute flat in the centre of London, eh?
Image courtesy of Marie Claire
James Bond
This secret service agent was introduced to readers in the 1950s, long before he hit the screens in so many films. His crazy cars, hi-tech gadgets and super-power fighting skills may make him the envy of many, but would he get this many perks in real life?
The Secret Intelligence Service, more commonly known as MI6, isn’t just for super-skilled action men. In fact, it was named as the most popular graduate recruiter in the public sector in 2016! An intelligence analyst (the proper name for spy) can expect a starting salary of at least £25,000. For a seasoned agent like 007, £40,000 would be a more realistic number. He probably wouldn’t get all the fancy gadgets, but he could expect perks of pension schemes, childcare and sports facilities. Glamorous!
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Sherlock Holmes
Probably the most famous fictional detective in the world, Sherlock Holmes is somewhat of a mystery himself. Described as a ‘consulting detective’ in the books, he’s most likened to a real-world private investigator – a job hidden in the shadows.
When your job involves this much secrecy, it’s very difficult to pinpoint a salary. However, indeed.com research suggests somewhere in the region of £10.47 per hour. Their best estimate for a salary was around £42,000. Gov.uk says ‘Salaries will vary and can depend on many factors, like whether you’re self-employed, working for an organisation, the type of case and the length of the investigation.’
How do you measure up to these favourite fictional characters?
