Character Clues

Character Analysis

Direct Characterization

Direct characterization is J.D.'s go-to. He loves to tell us exactly what a character looks like, what they're known for, how they behave, and why they're on the page in the first place. He is only eight years old, after all—an age when kids pretty much call 'em like they see 'em. Check out his description of himself and his brothers:

Tom didn't look like Papa and he didn't look like Mamma, unless you put them together. Then you could see that his hair was a cross between Papa's dark hair and Mamma's blond hair and that he had Papa's nose and mouth and Mamma's stubborn chin. Where the freckles came from was a mystery. I took after Papa and had curly black hair and dark eyes. My other brother, Sweyn, took after the Danish grandfather for whom he was named. He had blond hair and a stubborn Danish chin. (1.7)

Who knew Danish chins were any more stubborn than any other kind? Not us. But looks aren't the only way J.D. busts out direct characterization; he also tells us exactly what happens when Nels Larson gets a shipment for Papa:

He never delivered any express or freight except the things Papa ordered. Mr. Larson would simply telephone people and tell them they had express or freight shipments at the depot and to come and get them. But his curiosity always got the best of him when anything came for Papa. When the water closet arrived, he went home and got his own team and wagon to make the delivery. He told his wife the water closet had come. Mrs. Larson got right on the telephone to spread the news all over town. (1.72)

Mr. Larson isn't usually a Nosy Nelly, but when Papa orders something, he takes notice. Thanks for breaking it down for us, J.D.

Family Life

Most young children are most interested in what happens right within their own families, and J.D. is no different. He sees the people in his household mostly in how they relate to him, so Papa is presented more in his role as a father than as a newspaper publisher. Mamma's inner life is not a concern for J.D.—what is a concern is what kind of cookies she made today. Finally, Tom and Sweyn are presented in their roles as big brothers, though Sweyn is the more protective and Tom is the more exploitative:

"Well, J.D.," Papa said, smiling at me, "did you learn how to swim today?"

"Yes, Papa," I said, and had to restrain myself not to brag about it.

"He's a regular duck," Sweyn said. "He ran and jumped off the diving board and swam to the river bank a dozen times." (3.57-59)

Looks like Sweyn's a pretty good older brother, right? Giving J.D. props when he deserves them. Meanwhile, take a peek at Mamma's life:

Mamma was kneading dough on the big kitchen table as we entered. I had never seen Mamma's hands idle. They were busy hands—sewing, mending, cooking, washing, knitting, and always moving. (1.24)

It takes a lot of work to keep the family rolling along smoothly, most of it done by Mamma. That she does it—and without complaining—makes it clear she's generally pretty happy with her lot in life tending to her family.

Occupation

In a small town, occupation is very important because people need what you do, whether you're a shoemaker, a plumber, or a banker. So whenever J.D. introduces an adult character, the next thing he says is usually what they do for a living.

Everybody in town—from Calvin Whitlock, the banker, down—had to use a backhouse until the water closet Papa ordered arrived from Sears Roebuck.

[…]

The first Tom and I knew of it was the morning Fred Harvey walked into our backyard with a pick and a shovel on his shoulder. He was the only plumber in town.

[…]

Then he took off his holster and revolver and handed them to Don Huddle, the blacksmith. (1.4, 1.6, 3.140)

Even the more important (by which we mean in the boys' lives, not necessarily in the town) adult characters are defined by their jobs. Uncle Mark, for instance, appears mostly in his official capacity as the county marshal, while Abie is very much defined through his job as a salesman, first a traveling one and then as the owner of the unsuccessful variety store.