Character Clues

Character Analysis

Family Life

You don't need a good family to survive the nuclear apocalypse, but it sure helps.

Take the Braggs, for example. If you want to know about their approach to family, Mark's final words to Helen provide a great bit of insight. Take a look:

"Your job is to survive because if you don't the children won't survive. That is your job. There is no other. You understand that, Helen?" (4.6)

The Braggs are defined by their willingness to make sacrifices on behalf of one another, and it's this tight familial bond that allows them to survive the nuclear apocalypse in one piece.

The McGoverns are a different story. Bill, Lavinia, and their daughter Lib seem constantly at odds both before and after The Day, with Bill in particular refusing to accept their disastrous circumstances. Much of this reflects Bill's personal dissatisfaction with the way his life has panned out since retirement.

Luckily for them, they become quasi-members of the Bragg family themselves after Lavinia's death, turning what was once a single family into a real community.

Social Status

You know that good credit score you've been working for? It's not going to count for jack when the apocalypse comes.

For some, like Edgar Quisenberry, this reversal is too much to handle. The owner of the only bank in Fort Repose, Edgar fancies himself a real titan of industry and "the sole accurate judge of Character" in Fort Repose (3.3). This sense of self-confidence shatters as soon as he realizes that every dollar in his bank is functionally worthless. Driven to despair, Edgar tragically commits suicide, which shows the impact of The Day on those at the top of the food chain.

Oddly enough, those on the bottom fare better, if the Henrys are any indication. A poor, Black family who isn't respected by the social order of 1950s Florida prior to The Day, the Henrys rebuild their lives quickly after the disaster. From their natural well of artesian freshwater, to their small plot of bountiful foodstuffs, to their general knowledge in traditional living, they're ready to rock as soon as the bombs hit, which is a testament to their strength and resiliency.

Actions

You don't have much agency during the nuclear apocalypse, but how you use what little you have says a lot about your character.

Take Dan Gunn, for example. When we first meet him, the guy is incredibly bitter about the way that his life has turned out, his days spent performing house calls for wealthy hypochondriacs instead of saving needy people from fearsome ailments. As soon as the bombs fall, however, he leaps into action, spending day and night serving the people of Fort Repose as its resident doctor.

He even refuses to carry a gun. Check it out:

"No! No, I'm not going to carry a gun. I've spent too many years learning how to save lives to start shooting people now." (7.125)

This ends up biting him the butt, of course, as he's brutally assaulted by a gang of highwaymen later in the novel. Still, it's a testament to his character that he stays true to his beliefs.

Randy Bragg is a similar case. Truthfully, weren't sure about him at first. It's hard to trust someone who drinks whiskey for breakfast. But in the aftermath of The Day, he proves himself in a big way, kicking his booze habit and dedicating himself entirely to his community.

More than that—he becomes its leader. These fearless actions in the face of disaster reveal a well of decency within Randy that isn't apparent at first glance.