When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder?: Analysis of Major Characters
"When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder?" is a play featuring a diverse cast of characters, each grappling with their own challenges and desires within a small New Mexico town. Stephen "Red" Ryder, the graveyard clerk, embodies discontent as he faces the weight of his responsibilities toward his ailing mother while dreaming of escape. His aspirations are juxtaposed with the simplicity of his life, emphasizing his internal struggles. Angel, a young waitress, represents vulnerability and care, with her emotional tie to Stephen highlighted when he leaves her behind, deepening her sense of loss.
Lyle Striker, the motel owner, offers a contrasting strength, navigating physical challenges with resilience and maintaining a supportive demeanor amid turmoil. Richard Ethredge, a confident businessman, often exudes control but reveals a shallowness that makes him susceptible to Teddy, a violent drifter whose unpredictable behavior disrupts the status quo, forcing characters to confront their true selves. Clarisse Ethredge, Richard's wife, initially appears meek but gradually uncovers her own strength, challenging the dynamics of her marriage. The interaction among these characters creates a rich tapestry of conflict and revelation, making the play a compelling exploration of human nature and relationships.
When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder?: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Mark Medoff
First published: 1974
Genre: Play
Locale: Southern New Mexico
Plot: Social criticism
Time: The late 1960's
Stephen “Red” Ryder, the graveyard clerk at a restaurant. A small, plain, nineteen-year-old man with brown hair, Stephen dresses in the style of the 1950's and has a tattoo on his arm that reads “Born Dead.” Intense and unhappy, he feels stifled by the small New Mexico town in which he lives and has elaborate dreams of leaving, but he feels responsible for his ill mother. His dissatisfaction with his life is reflected in his negative relationships with others. His association with the cowboy hero Red Ryder serves to magnify his inability to mold his own life.
Angel, the daytime waitress. In her early twenties, Angel is overweight and plain. She lives with her mother and grandmother, and her life revolves around them, her job, and nights spent watching television with Lyle. She obviously cares about Stephen, and his departure at the end of the play is a devastating event in her life. Simple, sweet-natured, and vulnerable, she is a sympathetic character in the midst of the violence of the play.
Lyle Striker, the owner of the local gas station and motel. Lyle, who is in his sixties, has a brace on one knee and walks with a crutch as the result of a stroke. None of this is a sign of weakness, however, and he remains an active and attractive man. He engages in a friendly rivalry with Stephen and has some feelings for Angel. Straightforward and likable, he is a sensible man of considerable inner strength who attempts to maintain an even keel, even in the midst of an upsetting situation.
Richard Ethredge, a textile import businessman. Confident and good-looking in his late thirties, Richard is attractive and graceful. Authoritative, manipulative, and somewhat condescending, particularly toward his wife, he is accustomed to being in control and in charge. His money and his attitude make him a primary target of the young man who invades the scene, and the shallowness of his strength makes him easy prey.
Clarisse Ethredge, a violinist and college professor. Also in her late thirties, Clarisse is reserved, shy, and quiet, largely as a result of her husband's dominance. In the action of the play, she reveals a repressed sexuality and strength of character that are not evident in early scenes.
Teddy, a young drifter and drug runner. Thirty years old, Teddy is a former GI with long hair, dressed in an army fatigue jacket. Teddy is intense, insulting, and violent, both physically and psychologically. He despises a world that he finds unacceptable in its weakness. Unpredictable in his behavior, he has an innate ability to reveal people's fears and desires and thereby dominate them. His violence is without apparent purpose and occurs without any evident motivation. His sudden intrusion into the otherwise placid life of the play's characters is the force that motivates self-recognition and change.
Cheryl, Teddy's companion. Cheryl is busty and very attractive, no more than twenty years old, and dressed in jeans and a tank top. Submissive and basically silent through most of the play, she refuses to leave with Teddy at the end, exhibiting an independence and strength not previously revealed.
Mr. Carter, the owner of the restaurant. Mr. Carter is cheap, cantankerous, and totally devoted to his business. He is disdainful of other people and sees them only as tools for his own endeavors.