Give a character analysis of Mr. Florian in To Sir, With Love.

Mr. Florian is the somewhat eccentric headmaster that we
are introduced to in Chapter One of this moving story about education. He presides over
Greenslade Secondary School, which is somewhat unorthodox in its academic approach, as
we come to discover. Note the first description that the author gives us of his
headmaster:

readability="13">

Behind a large desk sat a small man whose large
head was decorated with a fine crop of carefully groomed curly white hair; the face was
either tanned or olive-skinned, lean with high cheekbones and surprisingly smooth, as if
the youthfulness which had deserted his hair had found permanent accommodation around
the aquiline nose and full senuous mouth; his brown eyes were large, slightly protuding,
and seemed filled with a kind of wonder, as if he were on the verge of some new and
exciting discovery.

Note the
way this description points out the enthusiasm of Mr. Florian and his child-like
curiosity. It also perhaps foreshadows the alternative methods that he adopts in his
school, as discipline is very different and the school is made up of children that would
be regarded as "difficult." Mr. Florian however shows real compassionate concern and
understanding of his students and the kind of challenges they face in their homes,
including lack of proper nutrition, sleep and the stigma of being labelled a failure. He
is committed to student-staff interaction that treats students with the respect they
deserve.