Tools of Characterization

Characterization in Seven

Family Life

Our three main characters have vastly different home lives. We briefly visit Somerset's apartment a couple of times, and it's a lonely place. He lives by himself, with only a metronome and a dartboard to keep him company. Mills and his wife, Tracy, live together in their own apartment. But, this ain't a completely happy home. It's filled with boxes because they just moved in and because Tracy, who doesn't want to live in this city at all, doesn't seem to be in any hurry to unpack. Their dogs stay in one small room covered with newspaper, their new city surroundings restraining their freedom.

Finally, there's John Doe. If Somerset's apartment is too big and Mills' apartment is too small, then Doe's apartment is too freaking creepy. It's filled with pictures of his victims and 2,000 composition books filled with tiny writing cataloging every minute of his day. John Doe is far from the serial killer that has neighbors saying, "We didn't suspect him at all." Anyone who takes a glimpse inside his home knows he's unhinged.

Names

The first names of our three main characters are all pretty plain—David, William, and John are all names that just blend in. However, you do not get any more generic than John Doe. John Doe is typically a name used for someone who doesn't have a name.

And, John Doe doesn't really have a name. We don't know what his real name is because all of his bank accounts are new and he cuts off his own fingertips. As Somerset says, "He's John Doe by choice." Doe wants his actions to speak for themselves.

Somerset and Mills have significant names, too. Somerset is about to retire, the sun setting on his career, so think "sun is set" or "summer set." And "mill" has a couple of definitions from Merriam-Webster. As a noun, it is "a machine for crushing," much like Mills, as passionate as a superhero, wants to crush John Doe and all evil. But, as a verb, "to mill around" means "to walk around in a general area without any particular aim or purpose." Unfortunately for Mills, Doe is so clever that that's exactly what the police do for most of the movie, until Doe reveals himself.

Physical Appearances

Kevin Spacey's John Doe just looks crazy. His evil eyes. His bloody fingertips. He even makes a bald head look insane. It was Spacey's idea to shave his head, and the look works. John Doe is unsettling because of how nondescript he is. He could be anyone.