The character who changes the most in The Westing Game is probably Turtle Wexler. Throughout the course of the novel, she grows up from a defensive, neglected child into a successful business person. Turtle’s changes encompass her social and economic situation as well as her emotional and mental health. Because Turtle had been ignored or even demeaned by her mother’s preference for her sister, Angela, she had not developed confidence in her own abilities. By solving the mystery and winning the game, she gains a huge boost in self-esteem along with the prize, Sam Westing’s patronage, and designation as his heir.

When the novel begins, Turtle is like her namesake, hard-shelled and quick to withdraw inside herself. As the mystery deepens and the situation grows more dangerous, she begins to empathize with others, even taking the blame for her sister. Along the way, Turtle also begins to develop genuine relationships with other people, such as when she finds a mother figure in Flora Baumbach. After Westing’s death, Turtle matures into a successful young adult who not only runs a business but also embarks on a healthy romantic relationship and becomes a mentor to her young niece.