What are some character descriptions in "The Cold Equations" by Tom Godwin?
Barton: Barton is the EDS pilot. He is a compassionate man who is frustrated by the "laws" that circumscribe him. In the story, Barton does everything he can to prolong Marilyn's time on board the EDS, in order to give her an opportunity to speak with her brother Gerry.
It must be noted that even though Barton desires to save Marilyn, he is unwilling to give up on his convictions. In the story, Barton explains that the EDS will crash if he allows Marilyn to remain on board. Essentially, Barton believes that he must bow to the inevitable, since the EDS is carrying an important serum that could save six lives.
Despite his pragmatic nature, Barton manages to retain his humanity. He treats Marilyn with compassion and comforts her in the last moments of her young life. He also assures her that she is not to blame for wanting to...
Unlock This Answer Now
Start your 48-hour free trial and get ahead in class. Boost your grades with access to expert answers and top-tier study guides. Thousands of students are already mastering their assignments—don't miss out. Cancel anytime.
Already a member? Log in here.
be a stowaway. In all, Barton manages to redeem himself in our eyes, despite his adherence to the "cold equations" of his occupation.
Marilyn: Marilyn is the eighteen-year-old teenager who has stowed aboard the EDS. She is a vibrant, articulate, and affectionate young lady. Despite her youth, Marilyn faces death with courage. Marilyn's last words to her brother are hopeful ones. She tells him that she will always be with him and their parents, even though they will not be able to see her. Marilyn's last words highlight her positive nature and unselfish character.
Gerry: Gerry is Marilyn's brother. He is affectionate, loyal, and magnanimous. In his last interaction with his sister, Gerry puts aside his own grief to comfort her. It's clear from the siblings' exchange that Gerry dearly loves his sister.
Records Dispatcher: The Records Dispatcher is unnamed in the story. He is the one Barton speaks to when the latter reports Marilyn's presence on board the EDS. Initially, the dispatcher is business-like and brusque. However, when he realizes that Marilyn is listening, he tempers his words accordingly.
Commander Delhart: Commander Delhart is Barton's superior officer. He is as dogmatic as Barton but harbors none of the latter's positive qualities. Even when Barton informs Commander Delhart about Marilyn's relative youth, the commander reverts back to form. He is the leader who stays the course and never veers from the dictates of the "cold equations" that order their profession. To Commander Delhart, Marilyn's age is of no consequence. She must be jettisoned, for other lives depend upon it. To Commander Delhart, compassion is a luxury in the face of a complex challenge.
What are examples of direct characterization in "The Cold Equations" by Tom Godwin?
Direct characterization occurs when an author comes out and directly
describes what a character is like. Direct characterization contrasts with
indirect characterization, in which an author shows rather than tells what a
character is like through words, actions, and other characters' responses. Both
direct and indirect characterization are used to develop a character's
personality traits, thoughts, actions, the way the character speaks, and
character's appearance. In his short story "The Cold Equations," author Tom
Godwin uses direct characterization to characterize both the pilot Barton and
the stowaway Marilyn.
We see the first instance of direct characterization early in the short story.
Since the main conflict of the story is an internal conflict within Barton
because he must execute the young, innocent Marilyn, it is necessary for the
reader to see Barton's psychological and emotional state; it's especially
important for the reader to learn Barton's views about death. Through direct
characterization, Godwin informs readers that Barton, as an emergency vehicle
pilot, has become so accustomed to the sight of men dying that he now no longer
feels any emotion at the sight of death; he instead objectively views death as
a part of the laws of nature. Regardless of his objective view of death, Barton
is still reticent to take another man's life and must steel his nerves before
ordering the stowaway to come out of the closet:
He was an EDS pilot, inured to the sight of death, long since accustomed to it and to viewing the dying of another man with an objective lack of emotion, and he had no choice in what he must do. There could be no alternative—but it required a few minutes of conditioning for even an EDS pilot to prepare himself to walk across the room and coldly, deliberately, take the life of a man he had yet to meet.
The second instance of direct characterization occurs the moment Marilyn emerges from the closet. To understand Barton's internal conflict, it is important for the reader to see Marilyn as a young, sweet, innocent teenage child, attributes Godwin shows the reader through his direct characterization of Marilyn's looks:
The stowaway was not a man—she was a girl in her tees, standing before him in little white gypsy sandals, with the top of her brown, curly head higher than his shoulder, with a faint, sweet scent of perfume coming from her, her smiling face tilted up so her eyes could look unknowing and unafraid into his as she waited for his answer.
Since in these examples, Godwin directly tells the reader the emotional states of both Barton and Marilyn, as well as Marilyn's appearance, we see both are excellent examples of direct characterization.
References