Children of Violence

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Children of Violence (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)

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Characters Discussed

Martha Quest, 1952

Martha Quest, the protagonist. Her name is symbolic: “Martha” echoes the biblical character of that name, known for service, and “Quest” represents her search for meaning. the book begins when she is fifteen years old, imagining a “four-gated city” that will be the utopia where all can live happily. She wishes to avoid standard female roles but winds up in a traditional marriage.

May Quest, Martha’s mother, who represents what Martha does not want to become: a nagging old woman who tries to live...

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