Anansi Essay

In this mythological story, the author outlines the relationship of Hess two by causing Spider to create stressful situations that push Charlie out Of his shell and to take control Of his life. It is evident throughout the novel that Charlie’s character consistently develops into, like Spider, a more positive, confident and charismatic person, one by which fits into the Nancy family reputation. In the beginning of this story, there was nothing extraordinary about the character of Charlie Nancy.
He could be described as a somewhat boring character: he had a nine to five job, a fiance and enjoyed partaking in normal day to day activities. Charlie’s initial character comes across as a very insecure person; he never puts himself out there and has been known to get extremely embarrassed for the littlest things. Charlie rationalizes these attributes by blaming his father for embarrassing him as a child. Caiman writes, “The worst thing about Fat Charlie’s father was simply this: He was embarrassing. (ANSI Boys, 10) The story continues into a description of how Charlie’s father made him dress up as Taft: “Well, when I changed schools, when I was a kid, my dad made a point of telling me how such he had always looked forward to Presidents’ Day, when he was a boy, because it’s the law that on Presidents’ Day, the kids who go to school dressed as their favorite presidents get a big bag of Of course, there was no such thing as President’s Day and Charlie was mortified. In his eyes, his father was someone to be ashamed of. He was far too good at embarrassing people and would be the heart and soul of the party.
Charlie was so embarrassed by his father that he argued to keep his father away from his and Rookie’s wedding. After much convincing on Rookie’s end, Charlie alls a family friend, Mrs.. Wiggler, to find his father’s number; only to find out that his father had passed away. After his fathers funeral, Charlie visits with Mrs.. Wiggler and learns a great deal more about his family. She reveals that Charlie had a brother and their father was a type of ‘God’. Charlie of course, thought that Mrs.. Wiggler was going a bit crazy, but humored her regardless.

While trying to get back to his normal life, Charlie decides the practical thing to do would be to go back to work. Caiman writes, “Fat Charlie was a man who preferred to be working. He regarded lying on a sofa watching Countdown as a reminder of his interludes as a member of the unemployed. He decided that the sensible thing to do would be to go back to work a day early. In the Aldrich offices of the Grahame Coats Agency, up on the fifth and topmost floor, he would feel part of the swim of things. There would be interesting conversation with his fellow workers in the tearoom.
The whole panoply of life would unfold before him, majestic in its tapestry, implacable and relentless in its industry. People would be pleased to see ) This as the type of person Charlie was, reliable, sensible and practical. He believed that he would feel better once things were back on track in his life. Charlie’s job at the Grahame Coats Agency fits perfectly into his type of character. Caiman explains, ‘From this you would presume that there is little you need to know about Fat Charlie’s employment, save that he was unhappy in it, and, in the main, you would be right. (43) Charlie was in some type of rut in his life where he was completely unhappy in every aspect, but did and tried nothing to get out of it. As the story develops, Charlie learns, to his surprise, that he does have a brother. Charlie’s brother, Spider, is not your average person. Spider takes after their father, and is a type of God. Caiman describes, “There was a family resemblance between the two men. That was unarguable, although that alone did not explain the intense feeling of familiarity that Fat Charlie felt on seeing Spider.
His brother looked like Fat Charlie wished he looked in his mind, unconstrained by the faintly disappointing fellow that he saw, with monotonous regularity, in the bathroom mirror. Spider was taller, and leaner, and cooler. He was wearing a black-and-scarlet leather jacket, and black leather leggings, and he looked at home in Within a few days of meeting Spider, Charlie’s behavior had already changed. Before he knew It, Charlie was at a bar, drinking wine and talking with a group of girls. Spider had an effect on Charlie that made him act out of character.
Caiman does a good job of making these characters completely opposite. In his interview R. LLC Sirius, Agrarian States, “The lead character in ANSI Boys is divided up into Fat Charlie, our hero, who is very English and very embarrassed, and his brother Spider, who is semi-fictional and god-like and for whom the world just sits up and begs and does more or less whatever he wants to Sirius, 3) Caiman explains to us that Spider is an energetic, attractive, smooth talking man who gets exactly what he wants and takes on his father’s persona.
Spider continuously pushes Charlie out of his comfort zone and forces him to stand up for the things he wants in life. Spider shows an interest in Rosier rather quickly and even goes as far as telling her he loves her. This, of course, forces Charlie into a physical altercation with his brother, which shows again the extremes that Spider pushes his brother into. Spider goes to Charlie’s work and ultimately gets him in more trouble. Charlie’s whole life had been turned upside down because of his brother’s selfishness and he reacts by promising to get rid Of him once and for all.
After going through these stressful situations, Caiman develops Charlie’s character into one that fits into the Nancy family’s reputation. Not only did Spider’s selfishness push Charlie over the edge, but it also made him into a stronger and more confident person. Through the development of Charlie’s character, his relationship with spider develops as well. In the beginning of the novel, Charlie was unaware that he had a brother, but, through the many obstacles they face together, Charlie and Spider turn out to be closer than ever.
One of the more defining moments that allow us to truly appreciate Charlie’s new character is when he gets up to sing karaoke like his dad use to. Even though it was a life or death situation, Charlie would have never been able to sing on stage without getting nauseous a few months before that. Caiman describes exactly what Charlie is feeling in that moment: He was still terrified, still angry, but he took all the terror and the anger, and he put it into the song and let it all become a song about lazing and loving. As he sang, he thought. What would Spider do? Thought Fat Charlie.
What would my dad do? He Boys, 243) In that moment, Caiman shows that Charlie IS not the same person that he was in the beginning of the story, but that he turned into the person that he always wanted to be; a person similar to his father and brother, who could be comfortable in their own skin. In the interview conducted by RIG Sirius Caiman states, “Gods and heroes win. “(RL Sirius, 2) It is evident in the conclusion of this novel that Charlie’s character won. Not only did he defeat the ‘bad guy’, but he also evolved as a human being and gained a brother and friend.
Through all the turmoil, the hero still prevailed and the antagonist was what pushed Charlie to be better. Caiman develops Charlie Nanny’s character through interactions with his brother, Spider. Not only does Charlie become a better-rounded person, he also builds a great relationship with his brother, who he never even knew he had. Charlie struggles throughout the novel to keep his composure and get rid of his elfish brother but in return, breaks out of his shell and becomes a person his father could be proud Of.