Character Study

So far, there are only two main characters that have been introduced in the story. There is Judd, who the story is told by, and also Marianne, whom was the one that ruined the Mulvaneys' reputation. Also their mother Corinne has come into play and shows how important love is in a family so big.

Judd Mulvaney - The youngest of the Mulvaneys' which makes him feel as if he has been left out, especially when it comes to memories when he wasn't born."Where's the baby? Whose got the baby?" (Oates 4). He continuously gets forgotten about and has to grow up faster due to the people that surrounded him and his environment When Judd is around thirty, he becomes the editor of a twice-a-week local newspaper.


Marianne Mulvaney - She is the only girl of the family and is pretty much flawless. "The Miracle baby" (Oates111). She is popular, leader on the cheer squad and a member of the 4-H club. Everyone at her school looks up to her, and is asked by Zachary Lundt to the Valentine's dance. When the dance is over, she sleeps out in the town with her friends. Unfortunately, her date put alcohol in her drink, and she passed out. Zach then took advantage of her and raped her. When she got home after that night, she didn't want to be near anyone and felt like she couldn't get clean. She took shower after shower after shower and still couldn't get clean. She just wants to be alone, and feels as though no one else wants to be near her either because she has done something bad, and that she is contaminated.


Corinne Mulvaney - Is the mother of both Marianne and Judd, along with Patrick and Michael Jr. She is the glue that keeps the family together, and always has a positive outlook on everything as well as life itself. She is very compassionate about her belongings and her hobby of refurnishing antiques. She tries to equally spend time with her children and makes sure that she always tell each child how much she loves them. Corinne and her husband Michael Sr. get along very well and almost never fight. But after the family finds out about Marianne being rapped, she stands by her husband and agrees to send Marianne away because it is to hard and embarrassing to live with her. Corinne as well as Michael feel like they have failed their children by not taking care of Marianne and making sure that nothing like the night of the rape was to ever happen.

Michael Mulvaney- He is the father of Marianne, and is a huge supporter of all of his kids. He was the go to guy, and cherished and loved his family. But after the rape of Marianne, his status continued to go downhill. He stopped caring for his family, stayed out late drinking, lost all his friends, and lost control of his life. He became an alcoholic and never spent time at home. He lost his business, causing him to loose his job. He lost the farm, and also lost Corinne and the family. He couldn't take on the stress anymore, and always ran away from his problems. After plummeting down a long, dark tunnel, he finally hits rock bottom, and is found on the side of the street unconscious. He is rushed to the hospital, and the only people that the police could trace him back to was his family that he had betrayed. Michael was diagnosed with cancer, and called for someone important on his deathbed. BUT; no one is sure if he was calling for Marianne, his daughter whom he had not seen in many years, or his sister Marian. Michael Mulvaney was an extremely round character, because he had many different sides to him, and never seemed to stop changing, unfortunately for the worse.

Michael Jr. Mulvaney - Eldest son of the Mulvaney family, and was the stud on the football team. After the Marianne's rape, everything for him too went down hill. Like father like son. Michael drank and was alway getting pulled over by the police. Because of his football reputation, he talks his way out of almost all of his tickets, but after getting in a serious car accident with one of the girls he was talking to, he decides it is time for a change. He signs up to join the Marines and is shipped of to work.

Patrick Mulvaney - Second born of the crew."One that kept you on your toes, but was capable of heartrending sweetness"(Oates 110). He is the genius of the bunch but after the incident, his reputation too goes down. He was asked to speak as valedictorian at his graduation, and screws up his chance by setting off a stink bomb in the vents. He turns into a rebel, because Marianne has ruined his life at the high school, because no one wants to be friends with him. He then goes off to college in his own and one spring break, he comes home to visit the family. He is still mad about what Zachary did to his little sister and starts to plan his revenge. He sneaks out one night and kidnaps Zachary, holding him a gun point and almost drowning him. He then leaves college and travels around the world. When he is seen at the reunion, his life seems to be back in order and going well.

Zachary Lundt - Zach is a popular boy he attends the same High school as the Mulvaney's. He is the boy who rapped Marianne. He saw her at the Valentine's day dance, and couldn't keep his eyes off of her. Zachary is a year older than Marianne, and the same age as her older brother Patrick. After seeing Marianne's date leave her without a ride home, he offers her a ride in his car. Once in the car, Zachary offers her a drink, which is really alcohol. He then talks to her about his life, and how complicated it is, and tells her that she is an easy person to talk to. But after only a few minutes in the car, Zachary becomes upset, and hits and rapes Marianne. Unfortunately, all of the people at the High school take Zach's side, and turn against the Mulvaney's.