Character Analysis

Today, I would like to analyze different characters in the novel. In this section of reading, the main character, Chappie, made a big transformation. Additionally, in this portion of the novel the reader was introduced to new characters. Chappie meets Froggy, as well as a Rastafarian named I-Man.

The biggest change that occurs in the section is that Chappie changes his name to Bone. After leaving his previous apartment that he shared with a biker gang, he got a tattoo of two crossed bones. Russ said, "That's what your name oughta be. Bone ... It's hard. It's fucking universal, man" (107). Chappie, now Bone, replies, "I was feeling truly excellent, like I was a way new person with a new name and even new body" (107). Bone's tattoo and new name are a turning point, and after this point he transform into a young adult. He becomes increasingly rebellious and after breaking into an unknown family's summerhouse, he says, "That first night in the summerhouse was the best I'd felt in a long time" (119). It seems that after making changes in his life, Bone is happy for the first time since leaving his house.

However, similar some characters' dependence on soma in Brave New World, it seems that Bone is dependent on marijuana for happiness. Moments after stating he was happy, he exclaimed that the night would be better if he had weed and starts combing the house for pot. After finding some, he says, "we [Bone and Russ] each smoked a joint and the evening was way perfect" (122). Throughout the novel, Bone is often searching for marijuana and he feels unhappy if he doesn't smoke for a long period of time.

For me, Bone is right on the border of being likable and unlikable. His intentions are often good, but he still makes questionable (and poor) decisions. For example, he helps bring a young girl (Froggy) back home to her mother. However, in the process he steals hundreds of dollars from an innocent man. I believe it will take the whole novel for me to decide if I like him or if he is too much of a delinquent to like.

In the first sections of my reading, Russ seemed like a main character. However, in this previous section Russ left Bone for good. After living together in the summerhouse, Russ promptly packs his things and returns to his mother's house. This shows that Russ is not as defiant as Bone and does not want to live his life on the run.

The next main character is I-Man, who Bone just recently met. After leaving the summerhouse, Bone went to a rundown bus he had previously spent a few nights at. Upon his arrival, he found that a man named I-Man is living there. Quickly after meeting him, Bone says, "We smoked and talked a while and before the night was gone I knew that I had met the man who become my best friend" (150). Over the course of the section, they do in fact became great friends. I-Man is an incredibly likable Rastafarian. He is kind, intelligent, and seems to have nothing but good intentions. He took Bone in, gave him food, taught him how to grow plants, and taught him about his Jamaican and Rastafarian culture without pressuring Bone to become Rastafarian. He has been a good influence on Bone, and Bone seems to look up to him.

So far, those are the most important characters in the novel. That said, characters seem to appear and disappear very quickly. I truly believe I-Man is a main character, but he could leave just as Russ did.

That's all for today folks, hope you enjoyed reading!