Ellie Harrison has just moved to Annapolis, Maryland. Her new school, Avalon High, seems like a typical high school with the stereotypical students: Lance the jock, Jennifer the cheerleader, Marco, the bad boy/desperado, and Will, the senior class president, quarterback, the student every girl wants and all around good guy. But not everyone at Avalon High is who they appear to be, not even Ellie herself.
Characters
Elaine "Ellie" Harrison: the new student at Avalon High—she moved to Annapolis, Maryland from Minnesota and is presumed to represent Elaine of Astolat for most of the novel, though it is revealed later that she plays a different role in the legend, The Lady of the Lake, Arthur's magical protector. Arthur William "Will" Wagner Jr.: has a slightly disruptive family relationship at home and is a star quarterback for the Avalon High School Fighting Knights, he represents King Arthur, as most people thought. Jennifer Gold: a cheerleader and Will's girlfriend who corresponds to Queen Guinevere in the legend of Arthur. Lance Reynolds: the Avalon High School football team's cornerback, who is Will's best friend. He goes behind Will's back to cheat with Jennifer. Lance corresponds to Sir Lancelot. Marco Campbell: Marco is Will's step-brother/half brother. He represent Mordred. Mr. Morton: Avalon High School English teacher. He is a member of "The Order of the Bear" and represents Merlin. Admiral Arthur William Wagner Sr.: He is Will's father and he corresponds to Uther Pendragon in the legend. He seemingly murders his best friend and then marries his wife. Jean Wagner: Jean is Admiral Wagner's wife, who married him 6 months after her husband died in combat. Although originally it was believed that she was merely Will's stepmother, it was later revealed that she was in actuality Will's birth mother. She corresponds to Igraine in the legend. Ellie's Parents: professors of medieval history on sabbatical. Her mother is writing a book on Elaine, the so-called "lily maid" of Astolat, and her father is writing his on the sword that Ellie takes to the park and hands to Will during his face-off with Marco, thus revealing herself as the Lady of the Lake. Ellie's parents care about her despite being an embarrassment at times.
Miscellaneous
The book has twenty-nine chapters and each chapter starts with a quote, which relatively relates to the content of the chapter, from Alfred Lord Tennyson's famous poem about Elaine the Lady of Shalott. There is a subtle foreshadowing in the book's first chapter that points to Ellie being the Lady of the Lake, as opposed to the Lady of Shalott. Her home state, Minnesota, is known as "the Land of 10,000 Lakes".
The characters in the film are both renamed and have their mythic alter egos swapped, with respect to the book. In the film Allie, rather than Will, is King Arthur ; Mr. Moore is in the film Mordred, replacing Marco; and Miles is Merlin. In the film, Marco reveals himself to be a member of the Order of the Bear, and determined to protect Will, although Allie initially believes Marco to be Mordred. In the film, Mr. Moore reveals that he suspected Allie to be the Lady of the Lake and is shocked that she is Arthur. The climactic battle scene, which in the book takes place in the ravine, in the film occurs in the school theater. The students are explained as the reincarnations of their alter egos, as opposed to merely corresponding to them. Allie is an only child; she no longer has a brother. Since Will is not Arthur, some connections are eliminated: Will's father is not trying to make Will join the navy; Will does not sail, nor does he have a dog. Avalon High's team name is the Knights, not Excalibur. Many potentially violent and threatening scenes were removed and scene settings changed to make the movie more appropriate for younger children.
