That Night: Analysis of Major Characters
"That Night: Analysis of Major Characters" dives into the complex interplay of youth, love, and societal expectations through its central characters. The unnamed narrator, reflecting on a pivotal event from her childhood, captures the essence of teenage romance intertwined with the harsh realities of suburban life. Sheryl Sayles, a fifteen-year-old girl navigating her emerging sexuality and the emotional void left by her father's death, represents the struggles of young women seeking connection and understanding. In contrast, Rick, a seventeen-year-old "hood," embodies the pressures of masculinity and the weight of familial dysfunction, particularly as he grapples with his mother’s mental health issues. The dynamics between Sheryl, Rick, and their families—especially Mrs. Sayles, who responds pragmatically to her daughter's pregnancy—illuminate the generational challenges faced by both adolescents and their parents. The narrative intricately weaves themes of love and loss, highlighting how the innocence of first love is often overshadowed by the complexities of adult life and societal norms. This exploration invites readers to reflect on the universal experiences of growing up, the longing for happiness, and the impact of family on personal aspirations.
That Night: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Alice McDermott
First published: 1987
Genre: Novel
Locale: Long Island, New York
Plot: Social realism
Time: The 1960's to the 1980's
The narrator, never named, who was ten years old at the time of “that night,” when the most important episode of the novel occurs. For the narrator, the central love story of a real teenage romance dominates her Barbie doll dreams. As the narrator comes to maturity, she is able to see that the events of “that night,” when Rick and his friends were attacked by the men of the neighborhood in defense of Mrs. Sayles, were central not only to her childish dreams but also to the aspirations of all the suburbanites who sought happiness with mates and children in their own single-family houses.
Sheryl Sayles, the fifteen-year-old heartthrob of Rick. Slight of build, with thin nondescript hair and light brown eyes, she wears tight skirts and even tighter sweaters. Her makeup is thick, her eyeliner blotched, and her thin hair teased by a teasing comb she keeps in her purse or back pocket. She wears a “slave chain” on her ankle, along with her young lover's silver I.D. bracelet. Her father died prematurely, leaving her with a void to fill in her young life and a reckless attitude toward living. She is the first female on the block to enter adolescence.
Rick, a seventeen-year-old “hood,” complete with hot rod. Rick knows that when Sheryl speaks of death, it is time for him to make love to her. Both of Rick's parents are alive, but his mother is suicidal and his father has given up practicing medicine out of some pride that made it impossible for him to keep accounts of the money his patients owed him or to continue as a professional healer when his wife continued in her attempts to take her own life.
Mrs. Sayles, Sheryl's mother, who is as emptied by her husband's death as Sheryl is. She knows exactly what to do when Sheryl admits her pregnancy to her mother. It is as if the situation already had a script kept in readiness for girls unlucky enough to show material signs of their sexuality. Mrs. Sayles and Sheryl are one family among several—the Evers, the Carpenters, the Rossis, and the narrator's—all of which will come to a time when the poignancy of a first love will be balanced by a long life of everyday reality.