Isaac English

Isaac is twenty years old and lives in Buell with his wheelchair-bound father, Henry, for whom Isaac is the primary caretaker. Isaac is very smart and did quite well in school, leading everyone to believe he would go on to college and a distinguished career. However, Isaac (like many in the town) was unable to escape Buell. Isaac is portrayed as small and slight, but he has a terrific aim and strong arm, qualities which factor in to his murder of Swede at the abandoned car factory.

At the outset of the novel, Isaac has stolen his father's nestegg ($4,000 dollars) and is trying to escape to California. But the murder of Swede pulls him back in. During a long and tortuous escape from justice, Isaac undergoes a mental disintegration but a consequent reformulation. Isaac could be said to emerge stronger and more self-reliant after his ordeal than...