Who was your favorite character in the story?

Who was your favorite character in the story? Why?

I think I would have to say Sam. I felt all of the emotions he was feeling while he was spending time with his parents, and with Charlie, and even when he was left by himself and Jackie Robinson.

Charlie was my favorite character. He was quiet and had a very good heart. Even though he was wrong in pursuing another man' s wife, he was actually in love with Sylvan and wanted to make her life better. He was generous to people, very friendly to everyone in town even if it was unpopular to be so, and he truly loved Sam and enriched Sam's life.

I agree. Charlie's my favorite, too!

I agree with others who have said Charlie. He seemed to be an all around likable guy. I particularly liked the scenes where he served the ladies in the meat market. He was good at his job and good with people. It actually seemed out of character for him to drag Sam with him to the meetings with Sylvan.

Hi Texanne, I wonder if Charlie didn't realize how much harm he would inflict on Sam when he dragged the boy to meetings with Sylvan. It's almost as if he was too caught up in the rush of it all. Did you get that feeling? I felt like it wasn't premeditated.

I felt like Charlie felt a fair amount of guilt about exposing Sam to his relationship with Sylvan, but that he was not sure how to remove Sam from the situation once he became part of it.

I agree with you, Laura. Thought the author handled all that beautifully -- it's crazy really how easily one can get swept up in the tide!

Sam was my favorite character as he was just an innocent boy trying to discover all that life had to offer and was exposed to too much that he couldn't understand which in the end we see how greatly it affected his life.

Without a doubt, Sam was my favorite character--as an impressionable child who was so taken with and influenced by Charlie, and as a sympathetic grown up retelling the story. Was Sam changed by Charlie and his actions? Absolutely! Does Sam begrudge Charlie? Absolutely not! Sam maintains his loyalty throughout the novel. Goolrick has created a character to remember. Charlie was a dreamer who was always looking for something "wonderful." Unlike Charlie, I think Sam followed his father Will's advice: "it's okay to head out to wonderful, but on your way to wonderful, you're going to have to pass through all right. And when you get to all right, take a good look around and get used to it because that may be as far as you go." And all right has been far enough for Sam. Who wouldn't appreciate a "forever" friend like Sam?

My favorite character was Sam. There was something so wonderfully innocent about him at the beginning and by the end, he has lost that innocence, but in its place, he has acquired life lessons in friendship, love and honesty.

I liked both Sam and Charlie, although as Charlie became more involved with Sylvan he neglected his responsibility to Sam and I lost some respect for him. I go along with the others who have said that he just got swept up in the situation, lost his head, and couldn't see a way out.

As many of you have said, Sam was my favorite character. He was an innocent boy who, through no fault of his own, came into knowledge he should not have had and secrets he should not have carried around. Even in his adult life he seemed to be alone. He could not let go of the past and move on.

Charlie. I really wanted him to have a happy ending.

I really felt for Charlie. He was such a well meaning, yet sad man, who got caught up in an affair that, I think caused him to behave both recklessly and thoughtlessly.

I too loved Charlie a lot, flaws and all. I also liked Sam's mom. She served as the moral anchor in the story and in her own way was responsible for the small graces that made Charlie feel welcome.

Charlie seemed well-intentioned, but got up in circumstances that changed the course of his life and causing his death. Sam was the totally innocent character who silently suffered because of Charlie. That is why Sam is my favorite character.

Claudie was my favorite. She was successful, independent, wise and compassionate. I loved her!

Sam because although I liked Charlie I felt some of his decisions, especially in regard to Sam were very faulty and harmful. I know he loved Sam but I thought he used him as well.

Charlie was my favorite character. He was portrayed as human with many great qualities and some flaws (bring Sam along when he secretly met with Sylvan and encouraged him to lie about the laison as well as having an affair with a married woman). Charlie was genuine, compassionate and viewed everyone in town as his equal even if wasn't popular (his interactions with the black community).