Characters

[Rachel-K]

Although the novel is so brief, we get a very close look at the handful of characters that staff this last working shift. Why are each of them here? (The characters actually ask this themselves a couple of times!)

What builds your impressions of them? Who do develop real attachments to and why? For whom do you have mixed feelings?

If there are characters whose actions you dislike, do you still feel you have some understanding of what they've done?

[Librarian]

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rkubie wrote:

Although the novel is so brief, we get a very close look at the handful of characters that staff this last working shift. Why are each of them here? (The characters actually ask this themselves a couple of times!)

What builds your impressions of them? Who do develop real attachments to and why? For whom do you have mixed feelings?

If there are characters whose actions you dislike, do you still feel you have some understanding of what they've done?

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I have mixed feelings about Ty the head cook. I can understand the necessity of everything running smoothly and the pressure "on the line". It reminds me of a TV reality show called Hell's Kitchen where the chef can often appear to be brutal in his command of the people on the line. So I know why he dislikes Fredo. Fredo gets it wrong most of the time.But calling him "Frito" and going at him relentlessly can certainly cause the revenge reaction of Fredo. At least he did not return and shoot them. We have sadly seen in our society how people constantly teased take revenge in schools. And sadly there have also been too many workplace shootings.So Fredo's revenge , although wrong, was kind of mild.

Librarian 

[Rachel-K]

I felt I recognized Ty right away--the efficient, braggart, bullying kitchen staff, proud of how hard they can work in the blistering heat and pressure, but very hard on the people around them. I found it interesting that Manny relates to Fredo and wants to give him a chance and a bit of training for real work--but it must have been impossible to work next to Ty! A person quick to call out your mistakes and probably never gives a compliment.