Character Analysis: Time and Again Essay

Time, something that effects all of us and everything about us. As seconds go by information is gained, and processed by the mind. Simon Morley, main character of Jack Finneys Time and Again had to react to every situation carefully, almost like a different person. He had to change personalities from decade to decade; outgoing in one and then cautious in the other. Acting like two different people, one would think that it would be difficult to completely change yourself, which was the same with Simon. There were similarities from his character from era to era, making the transition much easier on both the Simon and the reader. In both time periods Simon was amiable to all of those that he encountered, curious, and always wanted the truth. Simon Morley displayed these characteristics throughout the book from period to period because these characteristics made Simon the outgoing man he was.

Throughout the book, Simon was friendly to all of those who he encountered. In the beginning of the book, when Simon first meets Rube, Simon seemed pleased to see him. He smiled as I stepped into the lobby, a real smile, an I liked him instantly (Finney 8), Simon thought when he first met Ruben. Even though he was having a fairly bad day, and anything would have been better, he was pleased. He acts and feels happy to meet the project leaders as well, from Danziger to Rossoff. This constancy continues all the way though the book, with Julia, Felix, and even Jake, who Simon begins to fear soon after. His amiability allowed him to meet, greet, and befriend new people easier and made his reactions easier for the reader to grasp. His happiness and attitude towards others depict him as an outgoing person as well.

Simons curiosity stays with him throughout the book, from when he first joins the project, to Jakes meeting with Carmody. In chapter one, Simon is offered a position in a secret project, but has his doubts. Eventually though, his curiosity prevails and Simon takes the position, allowing for the book to happen. When Simon begins to uncover the conspiracy between Carmody and Jake, he gets dragged in by his own curiosity even though he was told to not participate in any activity that could change the future. He later on physically encounters Jake and then gets caught up in the fire which he would eventually get blamed for. These decisions were made on impulse, without a change in character. His curiosity controls his actions, making certain decisions easy for him to make in both the present and past.

Simons pursuit of truth can be seen when he discusses the letters with Kate all the way to his stakeout at Jakes office with Julia. His search for truth is also evident in Simons first meeting with Ruben. When Simon first meets Ruben, Simon knows that Ruben is lying about something, and he then precedes to press Ruben for answers. He then joins the project to discover the truth. His pursuit of truth can be seen again when Kate first reveals her history behind the letter from Jake Pickering, Simon becomes determined to find the missing piece of the letter. This leads him on his adventure in the past, revealing one piece at a time to find the missing piece. This should not be confused with his curiosity, though, as curiosity rose the question and the Simons pursuit for the truth executed the question at hand.

These three basic characteristics held Simon together, uniform throughout the novel despite his rapid shift in character as he traveled from time to time. They proved to be a motivation for Simon, leading him to raise certain questions and finding the answers, leading to events throughout the book. Along with this, the characteristics allowed for Simon to make quick decisions without consulting his current character that he had to pose. These characteristics allow the reader to anticipate his actions, as surprise decisions were uncommon in the book.