Character Analysis of The Jockey and The Destructors Essay

As characters act in the present both their past and future influence their actions. They can live for the moment, seek revenge from the past, or look hopefully (or miserably) towards the future. The stories The Destructors and The Jockey involve complex and somewhat irrational characters, influenced strongly by the events they have witnessed as well as those that have yet to come.

The Destructors has a character named Trevor, commonly referred to as T. The overview of Ts background is simple enough with him being a normal gang member, showing up to vote and hanging out with the guys. The story of his past, more specifically his parents past, is what makes him an interesting character. His father used to be an architect and is now a sales clerk, while his mother believes herself to be above the rest of the lowly people. The reason for this is unknown except that it had something to do with the war years past.

This need for achievement and attention is what ultimately leads to Ts main role in the story. Even when he suggests tearing down Old Miserys house and the gang members question his motive, his response is that it will give them credit with the bigger gangs. This implies that through this act he may be able to elevete himself, and to a lesser extent his family, back into the spotlight and its former position of grandeur. Although this grandeur would be in the criminal underworld, T was too young to remember what it was like to live in high-class society. Therefore, he felt it was his duty to return them to the highest level that he knew.

As the story progresses T assumes the role of gang leader. This role is presented to him because of his revolutionary ideas of splendor and his ability to make others believe it will work. This leads him to puff himself up even more because he is succeeding in his quest for glory. This is eventually his downfall because he begins to act irrationally and lose control, leaving him where he began in the mundane world of normalcy.

The jockey in the story The Jockey is an extremely interesting and vague character. Although well described physically, his emotional and mental state are left out of further discussion. There are vague references to his past with a close friend getting injured and some towards his future as he gets older and begins to lag in his abilities. The mention of the injury to his friend raises questions about the closeness of the friends, what exactly happened, and why was he so upset about it? The reality, by all accounts, is that it drastically changed him, which leads us to believe the friend to be as close as a brother. His anger over the situation that occurred raises further questions about whether he felt it was his fault or someone elses and seems to be out to seek revenge whether on himself or others, we cannot be sure.

The question of his future also brings answers to the questions of his erratic actions. The men at the table agree that he is beginning to lose his touch. This leads to the implication that he is still fighting to keep doing his job. This determination shows that he is either extremely dedicated, or trapped in his own routine and cannot break free of it to save himself. The combination of the injury to his friend and his inability to adapt to the inevitable process of aging leaves him in a strange and erratic state because he cannot cope with the rigors of life.

Both of these characters have choices to make and both are making them based upon their past and future. T is hoping for a future in which he can grow and return himself to a feeling of importance, while the jockey is attempting to avoid his future for it involves one without his best friend or the job he loves. The attempt at both of these futures leads to the characters acting irrational and performing strange acts. T tears down an innocent mans house while the jockey is irate with his boss and coworker.

The past of both characters is also similar in that both have been shaped by previous events that leave them in turmoil. Ts family has a fall from grace with the upper class whereas the jockey loses a friend and maybe a lover. The results of these events cause the characters to act in the present and ultimately shape their futures. The future, although unknown, can easily be guessed in both of these cases due to the way they act in the present. They do what they believe is best and try to give themselves a future.

As a character in a story evolves, they are on an often-foreseeable journey. It can be foreshadowed by what they are doing now and the assumed consequences for their actions. This applies to any story whether it is about life, a childrens tale, or an epic novel. The characters and their being are the basis for the plot and the conclusion which compose a good story.