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About the characters in the book The Gathering by Isobelle Carmody?
The Chain members all have personal demons to overcome that somehow reflect the central struggle and also could be credited as the reasons they became involved in that s…truggle to begin with. Danny, as previously explained, has been a victim of police brutality and Nathaniel is subconsciously tormented by the memory of his violent father. Nissa, the hardened and guarded wild orphan girl, is revealed to have had her heart broken as a young girl by one of her desirable mother's many boyfriends, who had claimed to be in love with her and then rejected and humiliated her. Viciously and emotionally damaged, she effectively "closed up" and never let anybody become even remotely attached to her from there on in: "I made a vow to myself then, that I'd never love anyone again. Not like that. From then on, I relied on nobody and took care of myself." (page 182) Indian ("Bear" in American versions), whose real name is Frank, a young man with a pony tail and a strong build, is revealed to be a literal pacifist because of an eternal guilt that he bears over the brain damage his younger sister sustained under his supervision many years ago. He refuses to retaliate when provoked and especially assaulted, as he feels that he retains no right to defend himself: "I don't fight back because I deserve to be hurt. Because of Jenny. That's my punishment." (page 158) Seth, the least central member of The Chain, is described frequently as "perfect", in many respects: personality, physical features, academic, sporting and social achievements. It is this very reputation, and the pressure induced by it, that is his deepest burden: Seth is a hopeless alcoholic, blindly alienated, emotionally weak and without any concernable self esteem. He is apparently, and unrequitedly in love with Nissa and in Chapter 18 he attempts to commit suicide. His father is the head of the Cheshunt Police Devision and reports to Mr. Karle. Seth is consequently under consistent pressure to side with his father and join the Dark, which he ultimately does, but at the last minute redeems himself, to the prompting and forgiveness of The Chain. (MORE)
