Stories Character Presentation / Role Significance to Theme or Genre
1. Occurrence Soldiers Anonymous, collective identity, inhumane, ruthless executioner War dehumanizes soldiers. Paints them
as aggressive murderers, rather than
national heroes.
War casualties are to be deeply
sympathized with, whatever their
War victim vs war criminal, human (husband and father) agenda or political background, because
Farquhar they underwent physical and
psychological suffering, leading up to
their deaths.
2. Melancholy Phyllis A meek woman of her time, submissive to father and fiancé, A Society has made the submissive and
loyal love interest, a failed rebel. subservient woman as a norm. Hence,
when their natural desires resurface (to
pursue adventure and romance without
consent of patriarch) she does not
follow through; brainwashed to adhere.
Acts as an effective contrast to the cold
Mathaus The homesick foreigner, the dishonorable mercenary, the loyal fiancé. Hot blooded foreigner who
son, the lover expresses affection freely.
Sympathy from the audience having to
die in a foreign land, for “cowardice”
Mirror to Phyllis – no sense of belonging,
no freedom, controlled by authority.
3. The Lady Maid’s Hartley Typhoid survivor – second chance at life, support system for
Bell mistress, potential psychic / medium due to ability to see ghosts
Mrs. Brympton
Victim of spousal negligence, adulteress, kind mistress, long
suffering wife
Supernatural element, source of mysterious backstory, vengeful
Agnes apparition, cautionary tale, symbol of victimization of lower
class
Sexist, typical representative of matriarchal society, negligent,
The men hypocrite, emotional abuse.
Mr. Ranford is the contrast of Mr. Brympton. But physically unharmed unlike Agnes.
And reputation intact unlike Mrs.
Brympton, despite affair.
4. Gabriel Ernest Gabriel Antagonist, Werewolf, supernatural being, predator, pedophilic
potential, homosexual potential
Van Cheele Protagonist, Naturalist, homophobic potential, Justice seeker
5. The Doll’s House Kelvey sisters Wealthy heiress, symbol of infectious discriminatory mindset,
symbol of generational bias / arrogance / authority, entitled and
privileged children of the wealthy
Kezia Kezia being the youngest may offer hope of breaking the archaic
discriminatory social class
The contrast to Kelvey – the underdogs, the lowest in hierarchy,
Else and Lil outcast identity acknowledged and accepted
Symbol of rich society who has no regard for the poor and only
Aunt see them as servants and laborers
6. A warning to the Narrator and Well-meaning strangers, loyal friends, perceived accomplices of
curious Long Paxton, traumatized casualties of Paxton’s mistakes
Symbol of greed, symbol of regret, opportunist, victim of
Paxton haunting, prey, traumatized thief, desecrator of historic /
preternatural object, symbol of retribution
7. Death in the Narrator Self-conscious narrator, representative of uncaring detached
woods community through is as a matter-of-fact narration, coming of
age boy with sexual urges, may romanticize memories of old
woman,
Symbol of poverty and sexism, outcast, selfless carer, symbol of
Old Woman sacrifice, victim of misogyny, invisible and sidelined by
community, victim of ageism, sexualized victim of sexism,
dehumanized to fictional character
Symbols of oppression and control, bullies and criminals,
Old woman’s consequences of poverty and little education, outcasts
family
8. The Black Ball John Victim of discrimination and racism, good responsible
protective single father, discriminates against white men,
harbor deep seated aggression towards white men, potential
rebel, pessimistic outlook on future
Innocent victim of discrimination, positive untainted
unsuspicious attitude towards community, figure of sympathy
Son due to happy innocence, only to be inevitably hardened over
time due to intolerant and unequal society.
Representative of racist society, white supremacy who thinks
Mr. Berry they are providing good service to the undeserving blacks by
offering minimum wage labor employment
Victim of discrimination and generalization – where John is
understandably suspicious of him. Shady suspicious descriptions
White man are ironic to his kindhearted nature when his backstory is
framed later. Provides suspense and irony and twist for the
audience. Create mixed feelings towards John’s unfriendly
behavior.
9. Stability Controller Defamiliarization figure – figure of authority- cross between
human and machine (rigidity and lacking empathy), symbol of
autocracy and control
Benton Typical figure of subservience, rebel, secrecy, individualism
Globe Defamiliarization figure – God-like? Symbol of individualism
where it wants to breakaway from the glass, an innate desire of
man since dawn of time / biblical allusion.
10. The Tower Caroline Trophy wife, rebel potential, feminist potential, victim of
patriarchy, victim of oppression, “unnatural” urges to assert
dominance punished by supernatural elements, dual conflicting
voice symbolic of woman’s duality – true identity and identity
constructed by society
Typical oppressor, figure of authority, new money,
Husband condescending husband
11. The Axe Narrator Fallen hero, humanized figure of capitalist society, victim of
haunting, corporation’s workhorse, middle management having
to face disgruntled employees
Victim of discrimination – ageism, unfair dismissal,
representative of mild mannered hardworking introverts, who
always fall victim to profit / advantage driven employer,
Singlebury supernatural figure contributing to horror, poor life choices
leading to solitary life which make him easy target for others
12. When it Happens Mrs. Burridge Mental health sufferer, hallucination, PTSD, Lonely estranged
wife, resourceful survivor, doomsday fanatic
13. The Plantation Namidi desperate breadwinner, symbol of poverty and suffering, strong
motivation to alleviate poverty, victim of lack of education,
irresponsible and ignorant family man leading his brood to their
deaths, simple pitiful village man who tirelessly seek any and
every opportunity to ensure family survival.
Victim of husband’s poor choices, instinctive and sharp woman
who has been programmed to mute rational logic or ill ominous
Mama Effe forebodings, out of respect of husband, loyal pitiful wife, good
loving mother
Cause and effect of parents’ search for betterment. Ultimate
victim of disaster bred from ignorance and poverty. Symbol of
the vicious cycle, where ominous ending whereby his newly
Ochuko found identity as a solitary orphan hint at bleak future to secure
the main solution to break cycle of poverty, which is education.
14. Haywards Heath Atilla Ambitious realist who chooses career opportunities over
possibly challenging interracial relationship, nostalgic romantic
who wishes to make amends, guilty ex lover who abandoned
Rosie, failed attempt to seek atonement for selfish pursuit and
successful attainment of wealth and success as Rosie’s life
turned out far less fulfilled.
Symbol of unrequited love, dementia patient who uses romance
nostalgia to stay “alive”, symbol of unconditional love, source of
Rosie guilt and regret for Atilla, symbol of ageing and pitiful
conditions / diseases that accompany this inevitable process,
forgiving soft hearted woman who requires romantic memories
to escape current pain, selfless lover who does not harbor
bitterness or resentment when Atilla flees for a better life
15. The Paper Mom Desperate survivor seeking a better life through marriage with
Menagerie white American, subservient Asian wife engrossed in domestic
duties, stubborn immigrant who fails to assimilate at crucial
stage – sacrificing relationship with son, oblivious to effects of
racial discrimination on son, loving and selfless mother who is
mistreated by son, conflicted immigrant who wishes to retain
first identity within her son, failed figure for assimilation due to
loyalty and nostalgia for identity, unconditional maternal love
who relents and assimilates / adopts American language, food
and culture, but at too late a stage – tragic figure
Passive negligent husband who allows son to mistreat mother,
perhaps guilt-ridden dad who married a foreigner without
Dad having the ability to maintain a stable mixed race family, a head
of the family who lacks leadership and assertiveness, ironically
playing role of Asian Dad stereotype who is not emotionally in
tune with wife and son needs, ally of son, figure of irony: well-
meaning American who wanted to love and save Asian damsel
in distress; but end up causing caused distress in other aspects
Protagonist who struggles between loyalty and resentment
towards mother, victim of mother’s failure to assimilate, victim
of mother’s foreign genes, victim of father’s negligence, fully
assimilated American teen who adopts western values where
adherence and respect towards elderly parents may be less
Jack expected, Harsh and cruel treatment of mother – peer pressure
and symbol of importance of sense of belonging, tragic figure
who gained maturity and empathy, when it is too late, product
of patriarchal / misogynistic society where he condemns
mother and not father, for the dubious, transaction like initial
courtship. Figure of atonement and redemption, where final
scenes show him reconnecting back to his biological roots,
preternatural elements
