Tunnel of Bones

Jacob is Cassidy’s best friend and constant companion. He’s also a ghost who saved her from the brink of death, creating a bond that enables him to exist outside the Veil and read Cassidy’s mind. His unchanging appearance—tousled hair, jeans worn at the knees, and superhero T-shirt—emphasizes his perpetual childhood, suspended at the age of 12 by his untimely death. Jacob’s main function in the novel, his relationship with Cassidy, is also the most prominent source of his characterization.

Though Jacob fits the ally archetype, he rails at the term “sidekick” and, in many ways, acts as a foil to Cassidy. For one thing, Cassidy develops much of her self-identity around the world of the Harry Potter series. Jacob, on the other hand, struggles to remember the most basic details of the series, as evidenced when he tells her, “Some days I really wish you were Slythercore instead of Gryffindot” (152). Getting the Hogwarts house names wrong is also an example of the humor that Jacob’s character adds to the narrative, tempering its heavier moments. Other examples include his preference for the term “corporeally challenged” rather than “ghost” and his observational humor, such as when he notes the trendiness of Mercury being in retrograde.

The Veil demonstrates another way in which Jacob is a foil to Cassidy. On the side of the living, Cassidy is solid, while Jacob is invisible to most and translucent to Cassidy. On the ghost side, however, the opposite is true. This dichotomy parallels larger conflicts in their relationship revolving around the idea that ghosts don’t belong on earth, at least not outside the Veil. Jacob is also the cautious worrywart to Cassidy’s impulsiveness and courage. This dynamic is more complicated than meets the eye, however, given that Cassidy says, “[S]o much of Jacob’s fear is an act, made to make [her] feel braver” (171). Whatever fear is real, Jacob puts it aside when Cassidy is in danger, revealing that protecting her is his character’s main motivation. How the two help each other find courage supports the theme of Overcoming Fear and Embodying Bravery to Address Challenges.

Much of Jacob’s character depth stems from his emotional reactions to his traumatic death, including his fear of disclosing how he died. The changes he’s going through as a ghost—his increasing ability to interact with the living world, which Lara describes as him getting stronger—add depth to his character as well. Beyond that, they create suspense through the implication that they foreshadow something terrible happening to him or because of him. This positions him as a source of conflict for Cassidy, who must decide between letting her best friend stay or sending him on, thus developing the theme of Fulfilling One’s True Purpose While Navigating Difficult Choices.

Thomas is the story’s antagonist. As a poltergeist, a particular kind of ghost that isn’t trapped by the Veil and is bent on creating chaos and mayhem, Thomas poses a major threat to Cassidy and every resident of Paris. He’s only six or seven years old, but his strength comes from paranormal energy, making him a formidable adversary. Thomas’s red eyes and the red glow that surrounds him symbolize the effects of trauma, beginning with his tragic death and exacerbated by the separation of his spirit from the memory of his living identity. That symbolic red glow disappears in the story’s resolution when Cassidy helps him remember who he is and how he died, bringing closure to his trauma and allowing him to move on.

Because Thomas is so dangerous, Cassidy must put herself at great risk to face him. Her decision to accept that risk to stop him from hurting anyone else is part of the theme of Fulfilling One’s True Purpose While Navigating Difficult Choices. Thomas’s character also develops the dilemma that Jacob poses for Cassidy by providing a clear example of what might eventually happen to Jacob. He could forget who he was and become a poltergeist, like Thomas, who would hurt Cassidy and others. The impact that Thomas’s death has had on his brother and his brother’s descendants, Sylvaine and Adele, reveals History’s Enduring Presence in Places and People in the form of generational wounds and a shared need for closure in the wake of tragedy.

Thomas’s role in the text also utilizes the setting to develop symbolism and themes. Because he died in the Catacombs, an underground ossuary with a morbid atmosphere, that is where Cassidy must face him. This setting embodies the archetypal underworld, a place of death or the dark side of the self. Entering the underworld often represents facing one’s fear of death. Cassidy’s past nightmares about being buried alive make the Catacombs an apt location for such a confrontation. Her near-death experience adds to her anxiety regarding the fine line between life and death. Her battle with Thomas in the Catacombs explores the nature of Overcoming Fear and Embodying Bravery to Address Challenges within the context of the profound.

Cassidy’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Blake, provide much of the context for the story. Their work as paranormal investigators and their reality show about the world’s most haunted cities are the reasons why Cassidy visits Paris and encounters a dangerous poltergeist. The Blakes call themselves “The Inspecters” in their book and TV show. Cassidy’s interpretation of her parents is a significant source of their character development: “Dad, the image of a scholar. Mom, the picture of a dreamer. Together, ‘the Inspecters look larger than life” (39). This quality describes both their charismatic personalities—“Mom has always had that power over people, always been the kind of storyteller who makes her listeners lean in” (52)—and their central role in guiding and protecting the 12-year-old protagonist.

As a historian, Mr. Blake has plenty of information to offer about the city of Paris and its past, adding to a narrative style that makes the setting a vibrant part of the story. Mrs. Blake provides ghost stories, tales that blend history with lore and the supernatural to explain strange phenomena. They play a pivotal role in developing History’s Enduring Presence in Places and People. Together, they embody the character archetype of the sage, whose knowledge and intelligence often provide important context and wisdom to the protagonist. 

Mr. and Mrs. Blake give different amounts of credence to paranormal theories, and neither believed Cassidy when she tried to tell them about her abilities in the past. These dynamics inform a conflict that Cassidy must navigate between belief and skepticism. In her relationship with her parents, she must also find a balance between independence and fulfilling her purpose, on one hand, and obedience and loyalty to her parents, on the other. In this way, the Blakes push Cassidy to explore Fulfilling One’s True Purpose While Navigating Difficult Choices.