Discussion Topic
Characters and their roles in "The Cay."
Summary:
The main characters in "The Cay" are Phillip Enright and Timothy. Phillip is a young boy who becomes blind after their ship is torpedoed, and Timothy is an older, wise West Indian man who helps Phillip survive on the deserted cay. Their relationship evolves from one of dependency to mutual respect and deep friendship as they struggle to survive together.
Who are the characters in "The Cay?"
The Cay is somewhat unique among novels in that it really spends time developing only two characters. The first character, Phillip Enright Jr., is an eleven-year-old boy who is shipwrecked on his way home. He was living on the island of Curacao with his mother. However, German submarines attacking the island ultimately cause him to get on the ship that eventually is also torpedoed.
Phillip ends up on a raft searching for a safe landing place with Timothy. Timothy is much older than Phillip and at first, Phillip doesn't like him. We can see this by the words that Phillip uses to describe Timothy. He says that he "looks pure African" and constantly comments on his perceived ugliness. In contrast to this, Timothy is kind to Phillip.
If the novel is thought of in terms of exploring Phillip's growth, then Timothy is the main catalyst for that growth. He teaches...
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him how to survive after being shipwrecked and helps Phillip gain the insight about himself and about life that he needs to mature.
Who are the 10 important characters in The Cay and what are their roles?
Ten characters from Theodore Taylor's novel, The Cay, are listed below. Several are very minor characters who are mentioned only once or twice.
PHILLIP ENRIGHT JR. The main character and narrator, he is shipwrecked and blinded after his ship is attacked by a German submarine. He is separated from his mother, but is saved by Timothy, a sailor from Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas.
PHILLIP ENRIGHT (FATHER). An engineer for Royal Dutch Shell Oil Company, he must remain in Curacao despite the threat of German attack.
GRACE ENRIGHT (MOTHER). She is not happy living in Curacao and hopes to return to Virginia. Additionally, she is not comfortable being around black people.
TIMOTHY. Timothy is the 70-something-old sailor who saves Phillip following the torpedoing of their ship. He sails them to The Cay on a raft and later takes care of Phillip for several months as they await rescue.
STEW CAT. He is the old cat that accompanies Phillip and Timothy when their ship is torpedoed.
HENRIK VAN BOVEN. A Dutch native, he is Phillip's best friend in Willemstad.
HENRIK'S MOTHER. Mentioned only once in the story, she is much less "nervous" than Phillip's mother.
THE CAPTAIN OF THE HATO. He calmly directs his passengers to the life rafts following the Hato's sinking.
SCOTTY. He is the sailor who comes to Phillip's rescue on The Cay in the final chapter.
THE CAPTAIN OF THE RESCUE SHIP. He takes care of Phillip following his rescue.