Gretchen Lutterman Character Analysis

Cal is a character who has to deal with other peoples' problems while having to deal with his own problems. Cal has to deal with his father losing his job and his father doesn't support Cal when it comes to sports. Wanting his dad to go to some of his games, Cal discusses with his mom about his dad coming to the games. "Do you think you and Dad might come?" "No... not tonight, you know your is going through a lot right now." I zipped my gym bag shut. "Yeah, I know, but I wish he'd see me play sometime" (West 16). Helping out Cal, Peggy brings up Cal's last football game at the dinner table, trying to gain her fathers' attention on the subject. "I didn't say anything about the game at dinner that night! like I'd be begging my dad to come, I mean a lot of kids

never have their dads see them play, lots of kids don't even have dads or their dads are sick or something. Right in the middle of dinner Peggy piped up and said, 'Isn't this your last game, Cal?' and she looked right at my father. I could've kissed her. 'Yeah', I said" (West 50).

Having a fun and safe life is something that the character, Gretchen Lutterman, has a desire to have.

Beatings, teasing, and insanity are a few examples of what Gretchen is going through as well as what is holding Gretchen back from having a happy life. All of the examples come as a result from her father. Gretchen's father has a sheer way of having Gretchen act and live. Gretchen's sister, Helga, went insane as a result of her father which makes Gretchen fear for her life as she cannot reach out for help because is she does, then she says, multiple times throughout the book, that her father will severely hurt or possibly kill her. "She pulled her dress slightly above her knee and showed me an ugly looking bruise. 'He wouldn't let me out because the marks would show'" (West 92). Finally, Gretchen's mom is scared of Gretchen's father as well. She doesn't try to help any of her children, she lies about what her husband does to their children. Gretchen explained this to Cal, "Helga tried to tell on him. It was her word against his. My mother lied and told them Helga just made up the story. I wish my mother had told the truth, but she's too scared. If she was stronger, she could stop him, tell on him" (West

136).

A character who tries to hid his problems or self blame through comedy was Steve. Steve was a class clown and caused some trouble for himself as a result of trying to make people laugh. Blamed by his own parents for the cause of his little brothers death who had terrible breathing problems was one of the main causes for Steve's sadness or guilt that he embraced. Steve reveals to Cal in a conversation, "I killed my brother . . . When they buried my brother, my parents held on to each other and they wouldn't even stand by me. I had to watch them put him in the ground all by myself, and I knew they blamed me" (West 86). Because of the blame, Steve nearly commits suicide by jumping off of the Ford Bridge. Steve reveals to his friends, who are on the bridge, "No one in the world gives a damn if I'm dead or alive . . . My parents will be glad if I was out of their hair" (West 156).