In the Lives of Puppets

Victor Lawson is the novel’s inventive, empathetic, and brave protagonist. The “rail thin” 21-year-old is described as having “shoulder-length dark hair” (11). Because Victor was raised by Giovanni with no other people around, he thinks of his appearance based on the ways it contrasts with his father’s: “His father’s skin was pale. His own was tanned, as if he’d been born in the sun and never left. His father’s eyes were blue, Victor’s brown, and in certain light, they looked black. They weren’t the same” (20). Although their appearances may differ, Giovanni and Victor share a love and gift for invention: “Vic took to the act of creation as if he were made for it” (54). Some of his most important creations are the artificial hearts that are essential to the story’s plot. Victor’s abilities as an inventor also allows him to expand the novel’s cast. Nurse Ratched, Rambo, and Hap all figure prominently in the story thanks to his skill in rebuilding them. Victor’s motivation in doing so isn’t simply curiosity or a desire to test his engineering skills. Rather the human has a deep empathy that compels him to help.