Blood on the River

The reader can trace Samuel’s development as a dynamic character from the moment he is introduced as a rough and ready London street urchin to the last moments of the novel, when he is living happily and peacefully with the Laydon family in Point Comfort. From the earliest chapters, the reader learns that Samuel has not enjoyed a stable childhood: His father was abusive, and he lost his mother much too young. Thanks to his difficult experiences as an orphan, he has developed some habits that inhibit his life progress; for example, Samuel tends to let his emotions control his behaviors, and he lives by a personal philosophy that shuts out other people. When Samuel is offended, insulted, or threatened, accidentally or intentionally, he finds himself unable to think before acting; typically, a fight ensues, which means that any hope for a positive relationship with the person who made the unwanted comment evaporates with every difficult exchange. As well, Samuel’s tendency toward extreme self-reliance means that he does not understand the notion of cooperation. Only when Samuel matures is he able to understand that he is, in fact, deserving of respect from others; as well, when Samuel grows up, he is also able to see the value in personal qualities like thoughtfulness and cooperation.