Duma Key

The 50-year-old protagonist and first-person narrator of the novel, Edgar describes himself as a “genuine American-boy success” (2), a phrase which establishes both his wealth as well as his everyman appeal. This appeal is important in establishing Edgar’s relatability and making him the stand-in for the reader to discover the world of the novel. The phrase is also ironic: Edgar is the victim of a horrible accident that results in traumatic brain injury that leads to the loss of Edgar’s memory, language, and his right arm. It also results in divorce from his wife Pam. To make Edgar relatable, the author describes these physical and emotional struggles in concrete detail. Unable to retrieve the names of common objects and communicate what he wants, Edgar is “angry all the time” (4). Even when he wants to swear at his wife, he ends up calling her a “birch” (8). As he moves to Florida, his language skills and memory improve, but physical pain and reduced mobility remains constant. Besides hip problems, Edgar experiences continuous phantom-limb pain, with his missing right arm itching and aching. Despite this, Edgar resolves to go on. This shows Edgar is a resilient, optimistic character, qualities which will come handy in his final battle against evil.