The Stranger

Adam is the protagonist of The Stranger, Corinne’s husband, and father to Thomas and Ryan. Adam was once a defense lawyer because he wanted to help people, but he eventually took a better-paying job in eminent domain law to finance his family’s life in Cedarfield. Adam isn’t ambitious, so he happily surrendered to Corinne’s dreams and suggestions for his life. He still has an activist mindset, as he helps clients like the Rinskys fight against big developers. Throughout the text, Adam uses his own lawyerly advice on himself, as he frequently reminds himself not to say anything about his investigation. He is quick-witted and often sarcastic when he thinks his opponent is being deceptive.

Contrary to most parents in Cedarfield, Adam is easy-going. He handles the “big things” in the family, like bills and the mortgage, while Corinne pays attention to the details. Though Adam enforces the rules with his children, he would rather they learn “to do the right thing because it’s the right thing” (22), not because they feel threatened. Adam lost his own father when he was young, and he bonded over this tragedy with Corinne when they first met.