Armpit (Theodore Johnson)

Armpit is the narrative's central character and protagonist. African-American, in his late teens, and physically imposing, Armpit is portrayed throughout the narrative as doing his best to turn his life around after a stay in a youth correctional center. In this, he and his story are the primary manifestations of one of the book's principal themes, the value of putting the past behind and working towards a better future. At the same time, Armpit is also portrayed as intelligent and ambitious, but also gullible and not consistently strong willed. He tends to find himself drawn to superficially appealing situations without taking the potential consequences into consideration. In this, he is also an embodiment of another of the book's primary themes, an exploration of the alluring power of money. Finally, he is vividly portrayed as compassionate and sensitive, aspects of his character that are most evidently on...