Group 3: Esther Kwon's Character Blog (Brinker)

Brinker Hadley:

Age: seventeen



The LOOKS: I cannot say much because I was not told but guessing, plain and tall-medium height.



Job: The law. He seeks justice and practices order.



Relationships: Brinker does not really have friends. He has Papa Hadley.



Personality and attitude: Brinker bullies and manipulates to not get buillied and manipulated in a sense. He is the seeker of order and a follower of justice. Basically, he is the exact opposite if Phineas. Brinker is not a spontaneous person and he follows the rules unlike Phineas. Brinker is a big bully but he is also a leader because people follow him sometimes willingly.



Symbolism: Brinker is part of the "conformity" theme with Devon. Brinker is obedience and form. He himself is according to the rules and laws of what he has been told he is right. He seems to be in competition with Phineas but Phineas does not really notice this "competition" between them. Brinker is about being the better bigger man. He feels the need to impress and does a good job of it with the boys at the school.



Quotes:
"Here you are in your solitary splendor," he went on genially. "I can see you have real influence around here. This big room all to yourself. I wish I knew how to manage things like you." He grinned confidingly and sank down on my cot, leaning on his elbow in a relaxed, at-home way. (Knowles 87)
Brinker knows how to get the truth out by manipulating. Brinker used sarcasm and the know it all attitude to really get to Gene. Brinker suspected Gene of foul play on the tree branch and wanted to get a rise out of Gene to get the facts and get Gene on his side by making Gene realize why he did it and why it is "unhealthy" in a sense to be friends with Phineas. Brinker knows how to group and what kind of people to surround himself with and wants Gene on his side because Gene is capable of destruction. Gene destructed peace a.k.a Phineas.

I felt the blood flooding into my head. "After all," Brinker continued, "there is a war on. Here's one soldier our side has already lost. We've got to find out what happened." (Knowles 168)

Brinker at this point of the novel is putting Gene and Phineas on the spotlight because he suspects that Phineas as well knows the truth about what happened on the tree branch. Phineas is in denial and Brinker wants thaat denial gone and wants Phineas to admit about Gene's crime and leave Gene for being a bad bad friend. Brinker truly wants Gene on his side and he will get his wish once Phineas leaves Gene. Gene is obviously destructive and is very capable of doing just about anything like a mindless puppet for anybody who shows him loyalty.


Character-Tie-In-Theme: Conformity vs. Nonconformity. Brinker is in a way both. He is all about laws and rules but at the same time uses foul play to get it. Brinker rips out hearts and makes people feel very uncomfortable by confronting them about all the thinga that are so raw to them like Gene jouncing the limb. Brinker even made Phineas cry. Brinker is a true leader but it is all through manipulation and his order; Brinker is no fun at all and in that he is the exact opposite of Phineas.