Hopefully you'll find today's offering a bit more palatable! It's a character from a novel.
A bonus point for the name of the novel and an extra one for the author.
Hi Pen,
The initials of your author’s real name is SLC. The initials of the pen name he wrote under was a homophone of ‘empty’.
Your character featured in four books and I guess the one you are looking for is the one in which he is the narrator and he is the eponymous Character. He was the narrator in another of the novels.
Your Character is one of the Author’s most enduring characters. He first appears in the novel about his friend but it is in the novel about him where he takes center stage as the protagonist and narrator. He is depicted as a young boy who comes from the lower levels of white society. His father is the town drunkard of St. Petersburg, Missouri, and he is often homeless, left to his own devices and wits to survive.
He’s known for his good nature, his scepticism of the values of the society around him, and his desire for freedom. His moral compass and inner conflict become central themes in this as he grapples with the societal expectations and his personal beliefs. This conflict, and his ultimate decision to help a slave is a significant moment in American literature, showcasing the author’s criticism of the institution of slavery and the moral shortcomings of society.
His adventures continue in two other novels where he remains a symbol of the American frontier spirit, embodying the themes of independence, self-reliance, and the questioning of societal norms. His character has been analysed and interpreted in countless ways over the years, and he remains a subject of study in schools and universities for his role in American culture and literature. His voice, characterized by its unique vernacular and perspective, has influenced the writing style of many authors and is considered a masterpiece of American fiction.
So well done, you.
