The Octopus: Analysis of Major Characters
"The Octopus: Analysis of Major Characters" delves into the complex figures within a narrative set against the backdrop of a struggle between railroad expansion and wheat farming. Central to the story is Presley, a sensitive writer drawn to Los Muertos to find inspiration for his epic poem, who ultimately becomes disillusioned by the idea that unseen forces, rather than individuals, shape destiny. Magnus Derrick, the ambitious ranch owner, embodies the conflict between personal ideals and the corrupting influence of power. Other key characters include Annixter, a determined rancher whose love for Hilma drives his defiance against the railroad, and Lyman Derrick, whose political machinations reveal the depths of ambition and betrayal.
The narrative also features Dyke, a disgraced engineer turned outlaw, and Vanamee, a reflective sheepherder grappling with loss and existential questions. The dynamics among these characters highlight themes of ambition, integrity, and the harsh realities of life in the West, illustrating how personal aspirations clash with larger systemic forces. Through their intertwined fates, the story offers a poignant exploration of human struggle amidst the inexorable tide of progress.
The Octopus: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Frank Norris
First published: 1901
Genre: Novel
Locale: San Joaquin Valley, California
Plot: Naturalism
Time: The late nineteenth century
Presley, a writer. He has dark brown eyes; the forehead of an intellectual; a mouth and chin that suggest a delicate, sensitive nature; and the temperament of a poet. Thirty years old, he has come to Los Muertos to improve his health and, he hopes, to write verse. In looking for the great theme of the West around which to write his epic poem, he gets caught up in the contest between the railroad and the wheat farmers. Presley writes “The Toilers” and acquires literary fame, but he becomes convinced that “forces,” not people, control events.
Magnus Derrick, also known as the Governor, the owner of Los Muertos Ranch. He is close to sixty years old, is six feet tall, and has iron-gray hair. His commanding presence and sense of dignity, along with his prior experience as a politician, make him a natural leader and the most prominent man in the valley. A gambler willing to risk all, he allows his ambition for power and wealth to compromise his principles and bring about his ruin.
S. Behrman, a banker, real estate agent, and representative of the PSW Railroad. A fat, heavy-jowled individual, he wears a vest with pearl buttons, a watch chain, and a stiff straw hat. Placid and unruffled, he never loses his temper. He wins every confrontation with the wheat ranchers' league until he literally drowns in his own wheat.
Annixter, also known as Buck, the owner of the Quien Sabe Ranch. He is young and extremely intelligent, with stiff yellow hair and a lean frame. Rough, direct, argumentative, and stubborn, the hardworking, self-reliant Annixter is determined to defeat the railroad. His natural combativeness makes him an assertive member of the ill-fated league. Deeply in love with Hilma, he is discovering the meaning of his own life when he is tragically killed in the gunfight at the irrigation ditch.
Harran Derrick, the youngest son of Magnus Derrick and the manager of Los Muertos. Blond, very good-looking, and in his mid-twenties, he has the prominent Derrick nose and the carriage of his father. As an organizer of the league, he helps precipitate the bloody confrontation between the ranchers and the railroad.
Lyman Derrick, the eldest son of Magnus Derrick and a successful San Francisco attorney. He is in his early thirties, with black hair and a small, pointed mustache. Shrewd, ambitious, diplomatic, and talented in intrigue, he has his eye set on a political career. He double-crosses the league and, with the help of the railroad, realizes his dream to be governor.
Hilma Tree, a dairy girl on the Quien Sabe Ranch and later Annixter's wife. Nineteen years old, with a large body and thick brown hair, she is even-tempered, pretty, feminine, and charming in her simplicity. She is absorbed in her love for her husband.
Dyke, a blacklisted railroad engineer and hops farmer. Good-looking and with a blond beard, he is heavily built, with broad, powerful shoulders and massive arms. His life is devoted to his little daughter, Sidney. When the railroad raises transportation rates on hops, he is financially ruined. He becomes an outlaw and wages a futile vendetta against the railroad.
Vanamee, a sheepherder, range rider, and wanderer. He is about thirty-six years old, with long black hair, a pointed beard, hollow cheeks, and a thin frame. He has the face of an ascetic. Sensitive and introspective, he has never recovered from the death of his beloved Angele. Gifted with strange mental powers, he comes to understand the rhythms of nature and the meaning of life and death. He encourages Presley to grapple with the meaning of the events he has witnessed.
Annie Derrick, the wife of Magnus Derrick. Married at the age of twenty-one, she is now in her early fifties and still pretty, with brown hair and large eyes. Formerly a school-teacher, she loves music and literature. Innocent and delicate, she is not made for the harsh West and is made uneasy by the immensity of Los Muertos. She fears the power of the railroad and is frightened that Magnus will compromise his integrity.
Hooven, known to his neighbors as Bismarck, a German immigrant who is one of the tenants on Los Muertos. He is an excitable little man with a perpetual grievance against everyone and everything. His panic causes the shoot-out at the irrigation ditch.
Osterman, a rancher. He is young and has large red ears, a bald head, and a comic actor's face. He is a poser who likes to attract attention to himself. He proposes the scheme to bribe the railroad commissioners and is ultimately killed in the shoot-out.
Shelgrim, the president of the PSW Railroad and a titan of the “New Finance.” At seventy years of age, he has pale, watery blue eyes and an iron-gray beard and mustache. His broad, rounded shoulders give him the appearance of great responsibility. He persuades Presley to blame conditions (forces) and not people for events.