The Compound

Ryan is a resident of the compound and one of Lily’s love interests. He pairs up with Lily on the night the boys arrive and is voted out of the compound when it is revealed he cheated on Lily with Vanessa. Lily describes him as “so incredibly handsome” (59), although she also suggests that his good looks are generic: “[H]e looked like every actor I had ever wanted, and the boys I always pretended not to notice” (59). Although Lily believes that she is better suited to Sam than Ryan, such passages suggest that Lily and Ryan are both conformist and shallow.

Like Lily, Ryan focuses on looks over other attributes. When the residents are tasked to give compliments to each other, Lily tells Ryan that he has “the best body of anyone here” (80). As Lily predicted, Ryan is delighted by the compliment, “looking the most pleased [she] had ever seen him” (80). Ryan’s obsession with good looks informs his relationship with Lily, who knows that Ryan “like[s] [her] most of all for [her] beauty” (81). This does not bother her because she “[feels] the same way about him” (110), suggesting that they are well-suited.

Sam is a resident of the compound and Lily’s most significant love interest. Lily describes him as having eyes that are “very warm brown, the same color as his hair” and “an intelligent, watchful gaze” (25, 32). This emphasis on Sam’s eyes foreshadows the evolving role his scrutiny plays in Lily’s self-presentation and self-perception: Although Sam temporarily allows Lily to behave authentically, in doing so, he also exposes her greatest fears about herself. 

From the moment they meet, Lily feels comfortable around Sam. While Lily feels she needs to perform for Ryan and the other boys, with Sam, she “[doesn’t] feel like [she] need[s] any charms or feminine wiles” (44). As a result, she is able to be herself with Sam, without constantly monitoring her words and actions. Her relationship with Sam is “motivated purely by instinct” (156), making him a rare source of comfort and freedom for Lily in the compound.

However, as their relationship progresses, Lily is forced to confront her worst fears about her shallowness and alienation. Lily and Candice spend “a great amount of time sitting around talking about material things” (163), but Sam “[isn’t] partial to those kinds of conversations” (163), implying a less consumerist and more thoughtful worldview. When Sam talks about their life outside the compound, he is excited, knowing that “he [will] return to a life where he [is] of use to the people around him” (188). Lily, on the other hand, worries that the show is not just her only avenue to success but the only thing that makes her life worthwhile. The fact that Lily ultimately leaves the compound to pursue Sam suggests that she may be trying to be more like him, but her continued materialism, symbolized by the sled of prizes she brings with her, makes the future of their relationship uncertain.

Andrew is one of the leaders in the group, alongside Tom. He is described as a “soft-eyed” man of about thirty with a compelling presence, even though “there [is] nothing remarkable about his looks” (42). Though his “tender” demeanor makes him a foil to more cutthroat contestants like Tom, Andrew proves to be a formidable opponent, as he is among the final three residents on the compound. 

Andrew is characterized by his need for approval, which is part of what propels him to the final three. On the day she meets Andrew, Lily notes that he “ha[s] the compulsive desire to be liked” and that he “charm[s] with the energy of someone who [thinks] they might be gone by the morning” (44). Although Lily describes his “crippling fear of loneliness” disparagingly (269), the novel suggests that Andrew’s need to be liked helps him to cement relationships with others, allowing him to take a leadership position in the compound.

Andrew’s engagement with corporate capitalism also helps him to succeed. Andrew’s experience as a project manager outside the compound enables him to organize the other residents without engendering resentment: “[I]t felt like we were all collaborating on a fun project rather than being instructed to carry out manual labor” (78). The novel suggests that Andrew understands that the compound is a symbol of the outside world thanks to his engagement in capitalist culture. For instance, he urges the others to “consider the value [they] can bring to this place—and [their] lives here—by doing tasks” (149). Ultimately, the show rewards Andrew’s devotion to the compound and what it represents by promoting his journey to the final two.

Becca is the youngest resident on the compound and the last girl to be banished, except for Lily. Becca describes her as “pretty in an understated way” (16), with “a quiet, serious way about her” (40). Shortly before leaving, she reveals to Lily that she lied about her age to join the show and was only 17 when she arrived. Becca acts as a foil to Lily, highlighting the latter’s shallow nature and lack of engagement. Unlike Lily and the other girls, Becca does not dramatically modify her appearance to cater to audience tastes: She “applied no tan in preparation for coming” (16), and she wears her hair naturally, with no dyes or extensions. Becca later reveals that her personal rewards are practical: She receives paper and a pen rather than the hair and beauty products Lily receives, underscoring Becca’s thoughtful nature.

Becca thus acts as an intellectual foil for Lily. While Lily joins the show to escape reality, Becca is “the only one among [the contestants] who want[s] to think about the world on the outside” (125). Lily explicitly compares Becca’s reflectiveness to her own good looks, noting, “Becca’s lively conversation with Sam had made her feel that she was intellectually superior, in the same way that being dolled up by Candice had given me the strength to arrive in a room and expect to be admired” (125). The passage underscores Lily’s superficiality, as she assumes Becca’s behavior is merely an act for the cameras. Nevertheless, the fact that Becca is one of the last women to remain in the compound indicates that the show’s producers and audience value her intelligence to some degree.