![]() Perhaps best remembered was his surprise portrayal of Betsy Ross. ![]() Whether disguised as Ben Franklin or a lowly drummer boy, he always acted a role in the elaborately staged pageants which he wrote and directed. Grace's constant comparisons often make Turtle feel unwanted and undesired, which have a much larger impact over the course of the novel.Ī great patriot, Samuel Westing was famous for his fun-filled Fourth of July celebrations. Grace's quote in chapter three showcases how she views Turtle with contempt even when Turtle is simply entering the room. This causes Grace to view Turtle's rebellious antics with disdain and hatred. Throughout the novel, it is apparent that Grace Wexler favors her older, more attractive daughter, Angela, compared to Turtle. Due to her distinction as the main character, Ellen Raskin focuses heavily on the interactions between Turtle and her family members-especially the relationship between Turtle and her mother, Grace Wexler. Grace Wexler, Chapter 3įrom the beginning of The Westing Game, it is made clear that even though there are 16 distinct characters within the novel, Turtle Wexler, a sassy but intelligent 13-year-old girl, is the main character of the book. Wexler always seemed surprised to see her other daughter, so unlike golden-haired, angel-faced Angela. Also, Raskin crafts a sense of intrigue by making the reader evaluate the backgrounds of the Westing heirs in order to discover their true identities. By stating the hidden characteristics of some of the tenants, Raskin immediately creates various red herrings that the reader will feel obligated to discover and eliminate as the novel progresses. Conversely, the mood changes drastically when Raskin notes that a few of the tenants living in Sunset Towers are characters with rather questionable backgrounds such as the burglar and the bomber. Initially, the job titles/characteristics seem normal and reasonable, as Raskin creates the illusion that regular, ordinary people live in Sunset Towers. Narrator, Chapter 1Īt the end of chapter one, Ellen Raskin provides the reader with various characteristics and professions of some of the Westing Hheirs, who are the 16 tenants living in Sunset Towers. ![]() Barney Northup had rented one of the apartments to the wrong person. And, oh yes, one was a bookie, one was a burglar, one was a bomber, and one was a mistake. Barney's character forces the reader to question the real motives of each individual character in the novel, and he even creates an aura of unease in the heart of the reader that travels throughout the entire novel.Ī dressmaker, a secretary, an inventor, a doctor, a judge. Although Barney does not make many more appearances throughout the novel other than the first chapter, his character acts as a catalyst for the mystery and deception that Ellen Raskin utilizes in the novel. However, Barney's presence within the opening scenes of the novel is complicated by the fact that he is not exactly forthcoming about his true identity he convinces the 16 Westing heirs that they should rent an apartment as it will fit each of their needs, but he is actually acting as a pawn within the much larger confines of the novel. ![]() Barney Northup, the aforementioned delivery boy, is the first character that the reader meets in the novel, and he formally shows apartments within Sunset Towers to the 16 chosen tenants, who are also known as the Westing heirs. Narrator, Chapter 1Īt the beginning of The Westing Game, the reader is immediately introduced to one of the main themes of The Westing Game: lies and deception. The delivery boy was sixty-two years old, and there was no such person as Barney Northup. Then one day (it happened to be the Fourth of July), a most uncommon-looking delivery boy rode around town slipping letters under the doors of the chosen tenants-to-be.
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