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Character Development Blog
Emma Donoghue’s Room



The protagonist of the novel Room is based on a young boy Jack, who is born into a life of denial and destruction. He grows into living and playing in the room like any young boy would. Playing with his “Ma” and playing with toys when he shouldn’t be, acting innocent and playful even in a horrible situation. The innocents of a child are clear in how he speaks to Ma in ways that only every mother has heard. Orders, to whining, to “I love you.” These are the typical expressions of a boy who would otherwise be crazy if he knew there was a world out there. The innocents of a child seem to be the wall to understanding. Ma seems to be able to be very mature and understanding in almost all circumstances. The talks that Ma and Jack have are close, at the same time their being pushed against the walls by the enormous elephant. The conversations may have to do with automatic toy cars and board games that are played on certain nights, but the true story is their, and will truly show itself as Jack grows, and finds that there might be something more to life, than just this room.