The Story of Arthur Truluv

Maddy Harris is one of the central characters of the novel and is a round character. Maddy’s life is marked by tragedy, and her experience with grief colors everything else in her life: “She is sad. Always. Even in joy, a downward pull will come: Don’t forget” (94). At 18 years old, she is on the cusp of adulthood, but she is not yet there; however, given her difficult upbringing after her mother’s death and father’s subsequent distance, she isn’t childlike, either; rather, she is mature and wise beyond her years. She is introspective, thoughtful, intelligent, and kind. She seeks to understand the world around her, but often the world is cruel to her. At school, she is mercilessly bullied and ostracized by her peers, enduring horrible treatment when they throw used tampons at her, call her names, and bully her on social media, forcing her to deactivate her account. Despite this, Maddy does not return their poor treatment. Instead, she seeks to understand why she’s their target: “She doesn’t exactly know why kids don’t like her. She’s good-looking enough. She has a sense of humor. She’s not dumb. She guesses it’s because they can sense how much she needs them. They are like kids in a circle holding sticks, picking on the weak thing” (14). She internalizes their perceptions of her: “when she says her own name in her mind, she, too, feels like a revulsion” (70) but the redemption in her story is that true friends like Arthur and Lucille help her to see all her strengths and positive qualities and accept her without hesitation. Unlike her peers, who bully and harass her for any perceived differences, Arthur and Lucille see Maddy’s unique qualities as strengths, with Arthur calling her “such a wonderfully strange girl” (73).

Arthur and Lucille often appraise Maddy as delicate: “She’s like a little bird” (139), and “He feels like she’s the smallest little plant, dying from lack of water” (55), but Maddy also demonstrates incredible resilience in the face of adversity, making decisions about her own future and that of her child using resourcefulness and thoughtfulness. Berg crafts her as a character to root for and champion, and when Arthur and Lucille step into caretaking roles for her, she flourishes within that nurturing environment. For example, she relies on the help of Mr. Lyons to get back on her feet, and this relationship opens the door for Maddy to further her education in college as a single mother. She seeks the professional help of the social worker, who guides her into a deeper understanding of Steven’s issues to help Maddy make sense of her family life. Her friendship with Arthur is a central tenet of the text; while the two might look like an unlikely pair on paper, they are in fact kindred spirits who process life, death, and emotions in similar ways. Maddy is an incredibly sympathetic character with many layers and complexities, which are revealed as she undergoes a transformation from young girl to single mother over the course of the novel.

Lucille is a central figure of the novel and a largely static character. A retired teacher, Arthur believes Lucille never left her old profession behind and still tries to instruct him in all matters: “she seems to think the world is her classroom. She’s a bit didactic for Arthur’s tastes, a little condescending” (17). Still, Lucille is very generous toward others, and she shows her love for them by caretaking and baking, concocting elaborate dishes to impress her guests. Her new role as a cooking instructor allows her to share her gift with others while still teaching, combining two things she is passionate about. She is opinionated and outspoken, often judging others silently. In particular, she has strong feelings about Frank and Arthur’s late wives: regarding Sue Pearson, she unsympathetically remarks about how she “Died! From leukemia! In just three months! But anyway, she doesn’t think he was ever happy he married her” (46). When she peeks across the way to check on Arthur, she “doesn’t think his wife ever baked cookies, that Nola. She was a nice enough woman, but she seemed to find all she needed in her husband. Now he’s adrift, isn’t he” (49). These thoughts highlight her own insecurities and loneliness.

One of her character traits is that she fails to see the nuance in many matters; she is a very straightforward person who can have a narrow vision about things and often a self-centered outlook, even when giving to others. For example, while lovable and well-intentioned, she has a hard time respecting personal boundaries in the home when she fails to knock on doors or give Maddy privacy. At the end of the novel, even when she has been close to Arthur for some time, she still gets angry with him for going to the cemetery in his failing health while the weather is poor. She doesn’t see how meaningful and vital that experience is for him. When Maddy shares that Arthur needs to be with Nola, Lucille responds “He’s not with Nola. She’s dead! She was a nice woman, I know he loved her very much, but she is D-E-A-D!” (208). While these remarks come across as callous, they are borne out of protection and a need to control others. Lucille’s role in the narrative is to provide insight into her experience of aging, serve as one example of Coping with Grief and Finding New Beginnings, and facilitating The Transformative Power of Companionship and Chosen Families. Though she inserts herself in Arthur and Maddy’s homelife, she also enhances their experience by bringing her own unique gifts and perspectives. While she doesn’t undergo much transformation throughout the novel, the reader does see more of her humanity and less of her surface-level characteristics when she shows her loneliness, desire for connection, and protective instincts. In particular, she overcomes her grief over Frank’s death and attempted death by suicide to the degree that she is able to find meaning in her life once more. This growth, while emotionally impactful, is largely off the page. She is very responsive to Arthur’s help and encouragement, and she finds hope and security in her relationship with both Arthur and Maddy.

Steven is a minor character who adds context to Maddy’s home life and deepens the reader’s understanding of the Harris family. Maddy describes her father “like constant bad weather” (26), and he seems aware of his shortcomings as a parent, stammering while telling her “I know I’m not…I know it might not seem so, but I love you” (29). He tries to connect with her at times, but often misses the mark because of his own issues and grief after the loss of his wife. He tries to hide his emotions, but Maddy knows he’s suffering. While their relationship is strained and Maddy is often left to her own devices, Steven also tries to impose his ways onto her; for example, initially, he wants her to have an abortion; he wants her to attend graduation even though he knows kids are mean to her; and when she runs away, he gives her money rather than trying to persuade her to come back home. Additionally, the lack of pictures of the two of them together represents the emptiness of their relationship. While Steven says hurtful things to Maddy, there is some redemption for his character when he accepts the Thanksgiving dinner invitation, seemingly approving of Maddy’s unconventional living situation, and gifts her pictures of her childhood. This act causes Maddy to feel “for the first time an aching sense of compassion for her father” (205), which also opens the door to reconciliation. While he is often at odds with Maddy throughout the novel, he is a sympathetic character whose own turmoil and grief has thwarted true connection with his daughter. Ultimately, the door is left open to Maddy’s father, and it is implied that they may rekindle their relationship.