The Saturdays

Rush Melendy is a protagonist in the story and a dynamic character. He is described as a 12-year old boy with “mussy hair and a look of mischievous wickedness” (4). A talented piano player, Rush is passionate about music and often practices on the family’s old piano in their attic playroom. For his Saturday adventure, he chooses to buy an opera ticket to see Siegfried, which he greatly enjoys. During his stay at Mrs. Oliphant’s lighthouse, he is excited to play her beautiful grand piano and hopes that all his practicing makes him “the best pianist in the world” when he grows up (8). His other career aspiration is to become an engineer.

Rush has moments of arrogance and sexism, such as when he scolds Mona for her make-over: “Rush gave a long, rude whistle. ‘Vanity,’ he said pompously, ‘thy name sure is woman!’” (96). However, he is also humbled by his own much more serious mistakes, such as when he leaves the furnace door open overnight. He humbly admits to his mistake and assures the family’s handyman that it is his own fault: “You probably did tell me and I forgot. Anyway I should have known: a fine engineer I’ll make!” (137). Rush’s caring nature comes out when he finds a stray dog and eagerly adopts it. Rush gently captures the dog, reassuring him: “‘Come on, boy,’ he coaxed. Then he picked up the shivering stray, and held it close. All its ribs were sharp beneath his hands. ‘Everything’s going to be alright now,’ he kept saying” (63). Rush’s kindness also comes out in his relationship with his siblings. When Randy accidentally starts a housefire, Rush reassures her that he has made mistakes before too, telling her, “You’re no worse than I am” (157).

Randy is another protagonist in the story and a dynamic character. Randy is described as a 10-year-old girl with dark, curly hair. She loves the arts and dreams of being a dancer and professional painter. Randy looks up to and sometimes envies her older sister Mona. A very creative person, Randy has interesting suggestions for her siblings; it is her idea for the Melendy siblings to create the Independent Saturday Afternoon Adventure Club.

As an aspiring painter, Randy surrounds herself with art and often draws and paints fantastical pictures, which she displays in her room: “They were all drawings of enigmatic-faced princesses and sorceresses. Each had mysterious, slanted eyes, a complicated headdress and elaborate jewels; each was posed against a background of palaces, rocks and dashing waves, or forests with unicorns” (23). On her Saturday, Randy’s passion for the arts brings her to the art gallery, where she shows great interest in the French paintings on display. She stares at her favorite painting, vividly imagining the scene: 

Randy stared at it fixedly, hardly breathing, hardly thinking, and pretty soon she thought she could smell the mixture of damp and burning leaves and smoke from distant chimney pots; she thought she could hear the hum of the city and the clear voices of children somewhere out of sight (28-29).

Her day at the art gallery proves to be very consequential to her and her siblings’ lives, as it begins her friendship with Mrs. Oliphant. Randy politely thanks Mrs. Oliphant for her generosity, and asks to visit her. At home, she tells her brother Rush that Mrs. Oliphant is actually “swell” and “a friend of mine now” (48). Randy’s change of heart towards her neighbor shows her growing maturity, open-mindedness, and empathy.

Oliver Melendy is the book’s fourth protagonist and a dynamic character. The six-year-old is the youngest Melendy sibling and is described as a “calm and thoughtful person” (5). Oliver loves to draw and play creative games with his siblings in their playroom. He also has a fascination with trains, and aspires to be a train engineer when he is older. Oliver is responsibility by completing chores like watering the plants and feeding the turtle and fish.

Being so young, Oliver does not get the same amount of allowance as the other kids, and he is not allowed to go out into the city by himself. This makes his membership in the ISAAC club a bit different from the others’. However, Oliver grows to envy his older siblings’ Saturday adventures, prompting him to venture to the circus by himself for his own Saturday adventure. Oliver’s act of rebellion shows his independent streak, and his understandable determination to be as grown-up as his siblings. Oliver plans out his Saturday in a “well-thought out campaign” in which he saves up his dimes until he can afford one of the circus’ one-dollar tickets. This effort shows his ability to plan ahead and practice self-control. His misadventure of eating himself sick at the circus and worrying his family teaches Oliver to not disobey the rules.

Father is a minor, flat character in the story. Mr. Melendy is the widowed father of all four Melendy kids. He is portrayed as a loving and hard-working dad who tries to balance his work with his parenting. Father supports the children’s desire to be more independent and experience the city on their own. He sees the benefit of the children’s club, telling them, “See that you do something you really want; something you’ll always remember. Don’t waste your Saturdays on unimportant things” (21).

As a classic father figure, he gives his children timeless parental advice, such as not to talk to strangers and not to get run over. Father is particularly patient, and his kind nature means that the kids do not get into much trouble over their mistakes. For instance, when Mona cuts her hair off, he scolds her, but quickly assures her that he will get used to it. Father tells her, “‘You know, Mona,’ he said, ‘maybe I’ll get used to that hair of yours when it quiets down a little. Maybe I’ll even like it. I suppose parents are always startled when they see their children showing signs of growing up for the first time’” (101). Similarly, when Randy and Rush make dangerous mistakes around the house, they are quickly forgiven, and their dad assures them that he can fix up the house again. Their father’s flexibility and trust in his children makes the Melendy kids’ adventures possible.

Cuffy is a minor, flat character in the story. She is the live-in housekeeper and cook for the Melendy family, as well as a close friend to the children and Mr. Melendy. The children adore Cuffy, who is firm but also affectionate and understanding. As the housekeeper, Cuffy runs the entire household and makes sure the children do their chores. Cuffy’s strong authority in the home shows that Mr. Melendy trusts her judgment. The author explains, “Cuffy ruled the house. It was an extensive domain” (9).

Because the children’s mother is no longer living, Cuffy’s presence is especially reassuring to Mona, Rush, Randy, and Oliver, who rely on her in so many ways: “And there was Cuffy; dear Cuffy, who was housekeeper, nurse, cook, and substitute mother, grandmother, and aunt. One couldn’t even imagine the house without her in it. She had always been there and it seemed as though she always would be” (9). Cuffy is indeed very kind and patient with the children, even when they are disobedient. When Mona comes home with red nail polish on, Cuffy patiently helps her take it off, though she echoes the rest of the family’s sexist criticism of makeup as a mark of impermissible vanity, telling her, “It’s all right, my lamb. Just quit thinking you’re the hub of the universe, that’s all” (99). Similarly, when Rush brings a stray dog home without asking, Cuffy quickly grows to love it, even though she is usually strict about not allowing animals in the house. The author writes, “Wet, unkempt, far from beautiful, he walked right over to Cuffy, turned his melting eyes upon her, and sat up on his hind paws, begging…Cuffy frowned at the bedraggled mut and tried not to smile. ‘You’ve got to take good care of him, Rush,’ commanded Cuffy” (67-68). Cuffy even accompanies the children to their lighthouse vacation at Mrs. Oliphant’s, suggesting that she is more of a family member than an employee.