Describe the characters in Chapter 2 of The Westing Game.

Chapter 2 is a relatively short chapter, and it introduces readers to many of the story's characters, so the descriptions of each character are not fully developed. This adds to the mystery of the overall story as well as to the mystery of each character. As the story develops, readers realize that any and all of the characters could be guilty of doing things like stealing the notebook and creating the bombs. The first character that we meet is Shin Hoo, and readers are really only told that he runs the building's authentic Chinese food restaurant. Next, we are introduced to the doorman, Sandy McSouthers. He winds up being Sam Westing in disguise, but this information isn't revealed to readers until the final pages of the book. He is stocky and broad-shouldered. Theo Theodorakis and Doug Hoo are slim, high school seniors, and Otis Amber is a 62-year-old delivery man. Readers also meet Chris Theodorakis. He is 15 years old and confined to a wheelchair and has trouble speaking. Chapter 5 tells us that he has something called "pyramidal tract involvement." Next is Turtle. Turtle Wexler is Angela's sister. Turtle is feisty and unafraid of a confrontation. She is also probably one of the most intelligent characters in the book, and she is the one that solves the mystery.

Shin Hoo lives on the 4th floor of Sunset Towers and owns the Chinese restaurant on the top floor.  He is disgruntled at his lack of customers.  The place is "too exclusive" for him.

Sandy McSouthers is the "stocky, broad-shouldered" doorman at Sunset Towers.  When he is not complaining about losing his job at the Westing paper mill he is otherwise mostly cheery.

Otis Amber is the sixty-two year old who delivered the letters to each of the tennant of Sunset Towers.

Theo Theodorakis and Doug Hoo are high school seniors, children of two families living in Sunset Towers.

Turtle Wexler is Dr. Wexler's daughter.  She is in junior high, wears her hair in one long braid, and precociously makes a bet with the older boys that she's brave enough to go inside the Westing house.

Chris Theodorakis is Theo's younger brother who sits at the window with binoculars, birdwatching.  His body is wracked by violent spasms.

Finally, a mysterious "limper" is mentioned at the end of the chapter, seen entering the Westing house by Chris Theodorakis.

Who are all the characters Mr. Westing assumes in The Westing Game?

In Ellen Raskin's mystery novel The Westing Game, the story's principle protagonist pretends to be four different characters, the name of each denoting a point on a compass. The first such character, introduced immediately at the beginning of Raskin's story, is Barney Northrup, who, the narrative points out, does not actually exist. Barney Northrup is a figure conjured up by Sam Westing (or whatever his actual name is) who poses as a real estate salesman in a ruse to entice potential heirs to the wealthy, presumably recently-departed Westing to a common meeting place. Barney is presented as an eccentric figure, enthusiastically pointing out the attributes of the vacant apartment used as part of the ruse:

“See those chandeliers? Crystal!” Barney Northrup said, slicking his black moustache and straightening his handpainted tie in the lobby’s mirrored wall. “How about this carpeting? Three inches thick!”

The next character is Alexander "Sandy" McSouthers (note the directional orientation of these names: Westing, McSouthers, Northrup), "[t]he stocky, broad-shouldered man in the doorman’s uniform, standing with feet spread, fists on hips." Again, Westing has enticed his potential heirs to this apartment building, the invitations to visit having been delivered by Westing in his Northup persona. As the visitors arrive, they are greeted by the wealthy patriarch in his persona as Sandy McSouthers, the building's doorman. 

Next up is Julian Eastman, ostensibly President and Chief Executive Officer of the Westing Paper Products Corporation, the corporation founded by "the late" Sam Westing, and the source of considerable wealth. Eastman's role is particularly interesting, as Westing's lawyer, whom he never met, is Edgar Jennings Plum, who claims to have a document cosigned by Westing and Eastman, as in the following passage from Chapter Six:

“Let me assure you that I have examined the documents at hand as thoroughly as possible in the short time available. I have verified the signatures to be those of Samuel W. Westing and his two witnesses: Julian R. Eastman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Westing Paper Products Corporation, and Sidney Sikes, M.D., Coroner of Westing County."

It is some time before any of the assembled potential heirs is able to meet Eastman face-to-face, but when one, Turtle, does, she is greeted by a more somber individual than she expected, but one who greets her cordially:

"Julian R. Eastman rose. He looked stern. And very proper. He wore a gray business suit with a vest, a striped tie. His shoes were shined. He limped as he walked toward her . . . just a small limp, a painful limp. . . His watery blue eyes stared at her over his rimless half-glasses. Hard eyes. His teeth were white, not quite even (no one would ever guess they were false). He was smiling. He wasn’t angry with her, he was smiling."

Finally, there is Windy Windkloppel, the ex-husband of Berthe Erica Crow, a recovering alcoholic who has turned to religion and charitable activities. Windy is mentioned as the birth name of Sam Westing, who changed his name for business purposes ("After all, who would buy a product called Windkloppel’s Toilet Tissues?"), but the true identity of the wealthy departed(?) figure remains something of a mystery, as he apparently did die, but only after his potential heirs had all believed he had died. In the end, as Turtle observes, "Julian R. Eastman was dead; and with him died Windy Windkloppel, Samuel W. Westing, Barney Northrup, and Sandy McSouthers."

These are the collected personalities portrayed by the deceased in Raskin's complicated mystery. 

Name two characters who find success in The Westing Game.

All of Sam Westing's heirs find success in some capacity by discovering their identities and forming lasting relationships with each other. Two of the most successful heirs are Turtle Wexler and Doug Hoo. Throughout the story, Turtle is portrayed as a disgruntled tomboy who enjoys kicking people in the shins and has a knack for discovering the meaning behind Sam Westing's elaborate riddles. Unlike her beautiful sister Angela, Turtle is a risky-taking daredevil who agrees to enter the Westing house on Halloween night. Turtle also courageously takes the blame for the several bombings to protect her sister and becomes the winner of the Westing game. Turtle discovers that Sam Westing has three other aliases, which are Barney Northrup, Sandy McSouthers, and Julian Eastman. Turtle not only inherits Sam Westing's $200 million dollars but forms a close friendship with Sam and marries Theo Theodorakis.

Doug Hoo also finds significant success after participating in the Westing game. Throughout the game, Doug spends most of his time training for his upcoming track meet and does not seem concerned about winning Sam Westing's inheritance. Despite his father's constant criticism, Doug is focused and determined to take first place at the all-state high school track meet. Doug not only wins the meet but ends up having an illustrious career as a track star. Doug goes on to win two Olympic gold medals and becomes a successful television sports announcer.

Who are two characters from The Westing Game connected to Westing?

In Ellen Raskin's The Westing Game, eight pairs of characters compete in a puzzle-based competition, the winner of which will inherit millionaire Sam Westing's fortune. Characters are paired by Westing's will and are given a sum of money and a set of clues to solve. The winner who solves the clues will receive control of Westing's fortune and company.

Westing pre-selected the competitors by recruiting most of them to live in a new apartment building, Sunset Towers. The reader will eventually learn that Westing faked his own death so that he could participate in the process of clue-giving and puzzle-solving, evaluating the other characters as they compete for a chance to win his fortune.

Many of the characters are connected to each other as well as to Westing. For example, the four members of the Wexler family—father Jake, mother Grace, and daughters Alice and Tabitha (or "Turtle")—are all included in the inheritance competition because Grace is a relative of Westing. The Wexlers were recruited by Barney Northrup, an agent of Westing, to live in Sunset Towers.

Another competitor, Berthe Erica Crow, is eventually revealed to be Westing's ex-wife. She is the mother of his late daughter and is implicated in Westing's death (though since he didn't actually die, no crime was committed). Crow's identity is key to the solution of the clues and the obtaining of Westing inheritance.

Barney Northrup's connection to Westing is one of the novel's great surprises. He is Westing himself, in disguise! Westing maintains two other secret identities throughout the book as well, one of which participates directly in the inheritance competition.