Being There | Characters & Character Analysis

Being There Characters

Chance and Chauncey Gardiner

Chance lives in the Old Man's house and tends the garden. He has lived in the house for as long as he can remember, even before television was invented. The reader is never given a complete description of Chance's physical appearance; it must be pieced together based on the observations of other characters. Chance is considered to be very handsome, with broad shoulders, narrow hips, and long legs. His age is never mentioned, but if the reader takes into consideration the book's publication date of 1970 and Chance's statement that he has been in the house since before television, it can be inferred that Chance is between thirty and forty-five years of age. He wears expensive, hand-tailored hand-me-down suits, shirts, ties, and shoes that once belonged to the Old Man. Even though the clothes are somewhat out of style and do not fit him as well, they lend an air...
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