Ironweed: Analysis of Major Characters
"Ironweed: Analysis of Major Characters" delves into the intricate lives of characters navigating guilt, memory, and the harsh realities of existence during the Great Depression. Central to the narrative is Francis Phelan, a former baseball player turned vagrant, who grapples with the haunting consequences of his past, particularly the accidental death of his infant son, Gerald. Accompanying him is Helen Archer, a proud and nostalgic woman who longs for her abandoned singing career and offers steadfast support to Francis as they retrace their shared history.
The story introduces a cast of diverse characters that enrich Francis's journey, such as Rudy the Kraut, a lighthearted companion, and Old Rosskam, a ragman who evokes memories of Francis's upbringing. The Reverend Chester and Pee Wee Packer represent the mission's efforts to provide refuge for the downtrodden, while Sandra, a victim of the streets, underscores the tragic realities faced by those living on the margins. Family figures like Anne Phelan, who welcomes Francis back despite their tumultuous past, add depth to the exploration of forgiveness and reconciliation. Ghostly apparitions, including Francis's deceased loved ones and acquaintances, serve as poignant reminders of lost connections and unresolved guilt. This layered character analysis illuminates the themes of redemption, loss, and the human struggle for dignity in a world overshadowed by hardship.
Ironweed: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: William Kennedy
First published: 1983
Genre: Novel
Locale: Albany, New York
Plot: Regional
Time: October and November, 1938
Francis Phelan, a baseball player during the 1900's, a part-time gravedigger, and a longtime vagrant as the story begins. Francis is fifty-eight years old, almost toothless, and dressed in tatters when he returns to Albany in 1938. Albany is his birthplace, and he has been in self-imposed exile for twenty-two years, after accidentally dropping and killing his infant son, Gerald. While in Albany, Francis is visited by ghosts from his past as he exorcises his guilt for his wasted years.
Helen Archer, Francis' constant companion on this pilgrimage. Helen is a proud woman who relishes her past as she accompanies Francis on this journey. Nostalgically recalling her Vassar education and singing extempore at the Gilded Cage saloon, Helen remains a devout Catholic and a loyal soulmate to Francis as he relives his past. With a tumor growing within her stomach, Helen yearns for the torch-singing career she abandoned and a normal life with Francis.
Rudy the Kraut, Francis' fellow bum and drinking companion. He is described as slightly crazy and perhaps is, convinced as he is that he has cancer. A harmless, simple man, he becomes a victim of a brick clenched in the hand of a marauding legionnaire.
Old Rosskam, a ragman. Rosskam is seventy-one years old and is proud of his sexual prowess. It is on Rosskam's swing through Francis' old neighborhood that Francis recalls his earlier years with his parents and with Katrina Daugherty.
Oscar Reo, a bartender at the Gilded Cage. Oscar is an old drinking friend of Francis and a former singer on the radio. He is a compassionate part of Francis' past and encourages Helen to sing at the lounge and relive her earlier glories as a torch singer.
The Reverend Chester, a Methodist clergyman who operates the Albany mission. A massive man with wild white hair and an aversion to alcohol of any kind, he provides a warm haven for Francis, Little Red, and Helen at the mission, supplying Francis with new socks and the job with Rosskam.
Pee Wee Packer, the manager of the mission for the Reverend Chester. Pee Wee is a bald, fat man who has found contentment running the mission. After his wife left him penniless and poisoned his dog, he became a bum. He now gives free haircuts at the mission. There is a sanctimonious air about him, especially when he drives Little Red away from the mission for appearing drunk.
Sandra, a victim of the cold and the streets. She appears momentarily in the story as a lifeless figure sprawled on the street. In need of alcohol, she remains battered by the weather until Francis, Helen, and Rudy attempt to bring her into the mission before she freezes. She is later found dead, her body partly mutilated by dogs.
Anne Phelan, Francis' wife. She was abandoned in 1916 by Francis after he accidentally dropped their infant son, Gerald. She has aged in the twenty-two years since Francis left, but she harbors no animosity toward Francis and welcomes him for the turkey dinner he has provided. Along with Francis' children, Billy and Margaret (Meg), and grandchild, Danny Quinn, Anne thankfully invites Francis to retake his place within the Phelan family.
Jack, a friend of Helen and Francis. Jack owns an apartment where Helen and Francis stay for part of Halloween evening. Jack provides Helen and Francis with wine and helps Francis freshen up before he has them leave.
Clara, Jack's companion. She is a contrary woman, besieged by diarrhea when Francis and Helen visit and thus more antagonistic. Although she appreciates Francis' attention, she apparently develops hostility toward Helen because she could be a source of distraction for Jack.
Kathryn Phelan, Michael Phelan, and Gerald Phelan, Francis' mother, father, and infant son, respectively. All three appear not as people but as either Francis' direct remembrances or as presences aware of Francis when he visits them at the graveyard.
Katrina Daugherty, Francis' first love, who appears as a ghost. She was the Phelans' neighbor when Francis was growing up. At the age of seventeen, Francis rescued her from scandal when he carried her naked, catatonic form back into the house one July morning in 1897. From that initial encounter, they formed a bond that lasted until she was killed in a fire in 1912. She returns in 1938 to remind Francis of his loss.
Aldo Campione, a horse thief who also appears as a ghost. Francis unsuccessfully attempted to save him from police bullets as he fled from Albany in 1901.
Howard Allen, another ghost, a scab trolley conductor killed by Francis in 1901. Twenty-nine years old, Allen took a strikebreaking job as a trolley conductor, and Francis' killing of him engendered Francis' earlier flight from Albany.