Subway: Palliatopia

Characters

Wil was an admirable protagonist. Helpful and caring toward others, he refused to stand for injustice. Across the span of the story, we see his determination to escape the Institute build as he learns more about the mysterious establishment. Wil made for a great rounded character, for although he was a kind and steadfast friend, he also possessed flaws, butting heads with others and starting fights. Seeing the sheer fullness of his character: his wants and fears, made me care all the more for him and his journey.

Macy, Wil’s new friend in the Palliatopia Institute, was a fellow passenger on Wil’s subway car. Throughout the novel, I found her to be kind, cautious, co-operative, and very strong within herself. She was good at assessing the situations they found themselves in, sensing any potential threat, especially to her new friend. Macy’s fear of losing Wil’s support was relatable: I felt it resonate with me deep down as she clung to his friendship, which was the only thing keeping her sane in an unfamiliar place, where she had lost all sense of family and her everyday life.

Iggy, an angsty young man with a bad attitude had the greatest potential for change. At first, he came into conflict with Wil, making assumptions about his character based on his own insecurities. Iggy was constantly causing conflict, whether in the form of fights or underlying antagonism within the Institute. However, when he and Wil were forced to occupy the same space for some time in isolation (near the midpoint of the story), he began to undergo a gradual change in his outlook on the world. He began to understand that his anger at the world and at others wasn’t necessarily justified. As a result, he shifted from being Wil’s foe to his friend, a process which while gradual, was both heart-warming and satisfying.

Finally, I’d like to discuss the primary antagonist, Mayor Walker, a corrupt and unsympathetic man. He was a character that I dearly hoped would lose by the end of the story. His arrogance, greed, and ruthlessness instantly gave the impression of a man devoid of any basic shred of humanity. Cold and heartless, it was easy to root against him.