The Rat

     Templeton the rat is an antihero. Antiheroes are nonstereotypical protagonists. So, he is a hero, as he goes the direction the book says is heroic. The rat is just not a conventional hero (rather refreshing, if I may add, after all the other annoying animals).
     However, there is the fact that Templeton is, in fact, a rat. He is vermin. He is dirty, diseased, and serves no visible practical purpose. It just consumes food. You must excuse me, for I absolutely despise the vile things. If Templeton was a human hero, I would just dismiss him as an antihero with disgusting tendencies. But, I cannot, for Templeton is a rat! A rat! That, in my mind, is unforgivable and already sets him as a villian, regardless of his actions.