Gossamer

The angry, hurtful, and hurting John is the novel’s deuteragonist and primary human character. The eight-year-old has a “chipped tooth and curly hair” (90), and the tooth suggests implicitly that he has been neglected and needs care. His wrathful reputation precedes him; he is described as “an angry little boy” even before the text introduces him (34). John’s overwhelming anger stems from years of trauma. His father abused him physically and psychologically, and he feels abandoned and unloved because his mother cannot be a full-time parent at present. The boy attempts to ease his own pain by hurting others, such as when he kicks Toby: “He liked it when things were scared of him. It gave him power” (45). John’s anger, pain, and unkindness reveal his deep need for healing. Gradually, John learns that there is an even greater power in gentleness, and he begins to bond with the dog and his elderly caretaker.

John plays an essential role in the plot and the protagonist’s development. His status as a survivor of abuse allows Lowry to explore The Role of Empathy and Compassion in Addressing Trauma. John is a dynamic character who becomes gentler and kinder as he mends. For example, Littlest One observes, “He’s starting to love the dog! I can feel it!” (80). This development suggests that bonds of trust and empathy can overcome pain and isolation. Littlest One helps John recover through The Healing Power of Happy Memories, and his healing process gives the novel structure. John’s introduction marks the rising action, and the climax unfolds inside his mind as a dream from Littlest One helps him overcome a traumatic nightmare. This victory leads to long-term positive change, as Littlest One tells Thin Elderly: “I’m so glad the boy is fine. [...] I gave him a fun going-back-to-school dream now that he’s getting used to third grade” (133). John’s improved emotional state and his success in adjusting to his new school give the text a happy ending. Although John is unaware of Littlest One’s existence, her loving care for him is essential to his healing and her growth.

John’s isolated, frightened, and resilient mother is one of the novel’s most important supporting characters. Lowry emphasizes the young woman’s loneliness from her first appearance in Chapter 9, which describes her “unkempt apartment and its unhappy occupant, a thin, sad woman who lived there alone” (38). She lives alone because her son is in foster care while she works to rebuild her life. Adding to her isolation, she isn’t sure how to make friends because her abusive ex-husband prevented her from having any during their marriage. John recalls those dark years, saying, “She cried, and got hit [...]. She always got hit” (105). Due to this abuse, she lives with trauma and feels terrible fear whenever she cries. Her painful past makes her resilience all the more significant. John recognizes this trait when his mother appears in his dream during the novel’s climax: “How strong she was, he thought! She had escaped the man!” (120). Remembering her courage helps him to find his own and defeat the nightmare. John’s mother demonstrates resilience in the face of isolation and fear.

As a survivor of domestic abuse, John’s mother undertakes The Journey of Personal Growth and Resilience by removing herself and her son from a damaging situation. Over the course of the novel, the dynamic young woman gradually pieces together a new life for herself by finding a fulfilling job, forging friendships, and taking steps to improve her physical and mental health. The subplot with John’s mother and Strapping echoes the themes in the main plot and provides additional insight into John’s characterization. For instance, Chapter 27 details Duane’s transformation into a “person they didn’t know, the person they feared” (126), and it reveals that John was placed in foster care after his father broke his arm when he was seven. Strapping’s empathy for the young woman offers further opportunities for Lowry to explore The Role of Empathy and Compassion in Addressing Trauma. John’s mother also plays an important role in the story’s happy but unresolved ending. Although she has made significant progress during the story, her son will remain with the elderly woman for the time being: “I still have to get my act together” (128). The young woman’s awareness that her life is a work in progress conveys that healing is a process. John’s mother overcomes difficult circumstances and comes to represent healing and resilience.

The lonely, tranquil, and caring elderly woman is John’s caretaker. Lowry does not give the woman’s name or describe her appearance, but she vividly portrays the woman’s personality traits through her words and actions. At the start of the novel, the elderly woman is painfully lonely. She lives by herself except for her dog and “closest friend,” Toby, and her dreams revolve around memories of people she’s loved and lost, including her mother and a soldier who died in World War II. The novel does not fully address her trauma, instead suggesting that caregivers are rounded people with their own burdens who also need care.

After John’s arrival breaks her quiet solitude, the elderly woman reveals great patience and a caring heart. She cultivated this patience in her profession as a music teacher, and she proves imperturbable when John tries to provoke her: “‘You thought [the soldier] was your friend, right? But now he hates you.’ ‘No, he never hated me. But this was a long time ago’” (60). Her calm response shows that she doesn’t take the boy’s hurtful words personally and understands that his comments come from the relationship he observed between his parents. The woman cares deeply about John, and she is moved by what he has survived. At the end of the novel, she chooses to continue to support his growth by letting him extend his stay with her. The woman’s peaceful, caring personality helps John heal from his trauma, and he helps to heal her loneliness in return. Through her, Lowry explores The Role of Empathy and Compassion in Addressing Trauma as she looks after the boy.

Becoming his foster guardian leads to significant character development. The narrator describes her existence before the boy: “Life had become very lonely for the woman, but she was accustomed to her solitude” (19). As this excerpt illustrates, it sometimes seems easier to stay in a familiar existence, even a painful one, rather than risk change. However, the elderly woman bravely opens her heart and home to a child in need. This is one of the most pivotal decisions made by any character in the novel because it provides the inciting incident. The elderly woman gives John a place of safety where he can heal and learn to accept and show kindness. She is also transformed for the better as she trades her loneliness for the life of a “surrogate grandmother.” Lowry’s diction illustrates how John becomes like family to her over the course of the story. The elderly woman’s dynamic characterization demonstrates the transformative power of connection and compassion.