The Serpent's Shadow

Carter is one of the protagonists and point-of-view characters of the Kane Chronicles. At the beginning of The Serpent’s Shadow, Sadie notes that “since his fifteenth birthday he’d shot up in height and put on muscle from hours of combat training” (3). This observation reflects how much Carter has grown, both physically and emotionally, over the course of the series. Specifically for The Serpent’s Shadow, it highlights how Carter moves closer toward the leadership role he eventually takes up while masking how unprepared he feels. 

Carter’s main internal conflict throughout the novel revolves around his struggle to protect those he cares about. Carter knows he must take on more responsibility and eventually claim the throne of the pharaohs among the magicians, and he fears what will happen on his path to do so. When confronted by Apophis, the serpent always tempts Carter with the promise of safety for his family. While Carter knows these promises are a lie, he is still tempted because he fears giving into Apophis is the only way to guarantee their survival. This dilemma reflects how Carter doubts his own abilities, but his choice to keep fighting shows that he is stronger than chaos.