48 pages • 1-hour read
Deliverance
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Character Analysis
Ed Gentry
Ed is the protagonist and first-person narrator of Deliverance. His inner monologues frame the novel’s depictions of people and places, and it is principally through his character that the author explores the work’s themes. Ed is a round character who is self-aware and flawed. At the time of the novel’s opening, Ed is experiencing a midlife crisis. He longs to escape his routine existence as a family man and manager at a graphic design firm to live a more physical life in the wilderness. He is close to his wife, yet he also feels intense though unfulfilled sexual attraction to other women—feelings that represent another kind of escape into raw physicality. His identity crisis and longing to escape drives the narrative and helps to shape its events.
Ed’s character embodies The Relationship Between Images and Reality. He is a manager in a graphic design firm, and his thoughts about film, television, artwork, and photographs are key motifs that express the theme. Ed’s company designs advertisements, and he views this work as derivative and unoriginal. Ed is obsessed with finding the source of true artistic inspiration, which he feels comes from some unconstrained place inside himself that he cannot access. Instead of creating art born of a unique inner vision, Ed’s artwork consists of collages made from posters, movie magazines, and sports headlines. The novel’s plot is thus shaped by Ed’s quest for both original artistic inspiration and a closer connection to reality in a world shaped by popular culture.
Lewis Medlock
Lewis Medlock is Ed’s close friend and the leader of the canoe trip. Like Ed, he is experiencing a midlife crisis. He is resistant to growing older and tries to avoid the impacts of aging through exercise and physical activity. He embodies the themes of The Effects of Hubris and The Conflict Between Humanity and Nature. Lewis is portrayed as the most physically capable and adventurous of the four men. He is driven by a desire to return to nature and test himself against its challenges, showing a complex mix of bravado, survival skills, and philosophical musings about how society softens men.
Lewis’s belief in self-reliance and his disdain for the encroachments of modern civilization contrast with the vulnerabilities and moral dilemmas faced by the group. However, despite his physical strength and preparedness, Lewis is not immune to the dangers of the wilderness, experiencing moments of vulnerability and injury that expose the fragility of human survival in the wilderness. Lewis’s character challenges the reader to consider the boundaries between civilization and savagery, the ethics of survival, and the deep, often hidden desires that drive human behavior.
Bobby Trippe
Bobby Trippe represents aspects of civilization that are coded as feminine. He is from someplace “further South”—perhaps Louisiana, a state that has the whiff of decadence due to its association with New Orleans, Mardi Gras, and the “exoticism” of French-speaking culture. Among the group of friends, Bobby is the least experienced and most apprehensive about the adventure. His character serves as a foil to the more rugged and adventurous Lewis Medlock, highlighting the contrasts within the group and the varying degrees of disconnect from nature and the primal challenges they face.
Bobby’s ordeal begins early in the trip when he becomes a victim of a brutal assault in an event that serves as a critical turning point in the novel. This traumatic experience exposes the fragility and vulnerability of the group, challenging their notions of masculinity, control, and civilization’s protective barriers. Bobby’s character arc follows his struggle to cope with the aftermath of his assault as he battles feelings of shame, fear, and the impulse for revenge. Despite his initial portrayal as somewhat comical and ineffectual, Bobby’s journey through the narrative reveals depths of resilience and complexity. His experiences force a confrontation with his own limitations and fears, challenging him to adapt and find strength in the face of adversity. Through Bobby, Deliverance delves into the human psyche’s fragility and the profound effects of trauma on the individual’s sense of self and their relationship with the world.
Drew Ballinger
Drew Ballinger is portrayed as the moral compass and the most principled member of the group. He stands out for his commitment to ethics, fairness, the rule of law, and societal limitations on human behavior. Drew’s embodiment of decency and humanity contrasts with the hubristic self-confidence of Lewis Medlock, who represents personal law and flexible moral judgment. That Drew does not survive the trip suggests that the kind of norms and institutions he represents have no place in the wilderness.
Drew’s approach to the adventure is more thoughtful and introspective than that of his companions. He views the trip as an opportunity for personal reflection and a break from the complexities of urban life rather than as a test of masculinity or survival skills. When the group faces moral dilemmas and ethical choices, Drew insists on adhering to the principles of justice and accountability. For example, he argues for reporting the killing of the backwoodsman to the authorities, highlighting his belief in the importance of societal norms and the rule of law. Drew’s insistence on moral action under pressure acts as a catalyst for tension within the group, illustrating the challenges of maintaining one’s principles in the face of fear, peer pressure, and the instinct for self-preservation. His character arc reflects on the cost of integrity and the complex nature of moral courage.
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