bogs down in a surfeit of characters 
(ROOT (S (VP (NNS bogs) (ADVP (RP down)) (PP (IN in) (NP (NP (DT a) (NN surfeit)) (PP (IN of) (NP (NNS characters))))))))
(ROOT (S (VP (NNS ) (ADVP (RP )) (PP (IN ) (NP (NP (DT ) (NN )) (PP (IN ) (NP (NNS ))))))))