Linus Baker

Linus Baker is a caseworker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. At the start of the novel, he is depressed and lonely. Linus does not believe he is worthy of love. As a child, he suffered from neglect. The narrator says, “His mother had told him once when he was a child that he blended in with the paint on the wall, only memorable when one was reminded it was there at all” (20). His religious upbringing forced him to repress his homosexuality. In general, Linus has incredibly low self-esteem. He guards himself against love and affection because he does not feel worthy of it. He refuses to grow attached to any of his cases and frequently cites DICOMY’s rules and regulations as an excuse to avoid investing himself emotionally. This all changes when he visits Marsyas Island Orphanage. Arthur and the children help Linus...