Deliverance: Analysis of Major Characters
"Deliverance: Analysis of Major Characters" delves into the complexities of four main characters navigating both the physical and metaphorical wilderness during a canoe trip. Ed Gentry, the vice president of a struggling advertising firm, is driven by boredom and a deep emotional void. His journey forces him to confront his potential for primal instincts and survival, culminating in a transformative experience that forever alters his perception of self and art. Lewis Medlock, a survivalist who thrives in the wilderness, serves as a guiding force for the group, embodying a stark contrast to his companions with his deep-seated values and preparedness for adversity. In contrast, Bobby Trippe represents the mundane, feeling at ease in superficial comforts and ultimately becomes a victim during the expedition. Drew Ballinger, a bluegrass guitarist, is caught between the everyday world and a deeper connection to nature, showcasing the struggle between civilization and raw existence. The narrative explores themes of transformation, survival, and the dichotomy between modern life and primal instincts, making it a profound study of character and human resilience.
Deliverance: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: James Dickey
First published: 1970
Genre: Novel
Locale: Georgia
Plot: Bildungsroman
Time: Late twentieth century
Ed Gentry, the vice president of his own advertising firm. Ed's boredom frightens him enough to take the trip to the wilderness. He is tempted several times to stay home or to go home rather than to deal with the problems that arise during the canoe trip. Ed's philosophy of life is called “sliding,” which is continually taking the path of least resistance. Ed, however, is dying emotionally, and he knows it. This insufficiency or void in the middle of his existence is more frightening than the potential terrors of the wilderness. On the trip, he discovers what has been lying deep in his unconscious, namely, his potential to become one with nature and to abandon the laws of civilization. When he is forced to become the hero or die with the others in the woods, Ed is able to find the strength of will to kill another man. He is also able to cover up the murder when questioned at length by the police. Ed's life is changed by the experience he has on the trip, but the changes remain internal. The river stays with him in his dreams and finds expression in his art. After this experience, he is no longer bored because he can see himself in a mythological way.
Lewis Medlock, a survivalist who earns his living managing rental property. Ed, Drew, and Bobby are ambivalent about going down a river without any experience or knowledge, but Lewis, who functions as both herald and helper for the trip, is adamant. He preaches the value of the wilderness and survival. Lewis would welcome the apocalypse and would see it as a challenge for which he has been preparing for years. He is a man of two worlds who is often misunderstood and incomprehensible. Lewis' heart is in the wilderness. His values are the inverse of those of his companions. He lives in the world of artificiality, but his real life is in the wilderness, in struggle and survival.
Bobby Trippe, an incompetent, annoying insurance salesman. He is sodomized on the trip and becomes a victim who needs to be saved. Bobby is the opposite of Lewis. He is fat and lazy and feels right at home in the world of superficiality. Bobby sells insurance—a way to keep risks at bay. Bobby is the perfect representative of the everyday world. He whines and complains the entire trip, and although he actually enjoys the run through the first rapid, he is ready to leave the next morning. Bobby did not understand what he was getting into when he agreed to go on the trip.
Drew Ballinger, a bluegrass guitarist and soft-drink company executive. Drew is, like Bobby, a man of the everyday world. A large part of his existence is wrapped up in his job as a sales supervisor. He keeps a copy of the company history on his coffee table and sees things from the perspective of business. Drew has something that Bobby does not, and that is the gift of music. Drew's music has the ability to go beneath the superficiality of civilization and to connect with something in the wilderness as well. Drew has the potential to be a hero in the mythological sense, but he loses his opportunity by clinging to the laws of civilization. In another sense, Drew is a hero because he sacrifices himself for the others.