Hide and Seek

I find Rachel's character in the story to be quite intriguing. She seems lost not only in this world, but in herself as well. She is the "new girl" quite possibly meaning that she is neither black nor white, but rather a new race in her own mind. It is evident that Rachel is very much affected by this and she comes across as being very sensitive in nature. She tries to hide her feelings about her position in life, but is desperately seeking to find her true self. It would be heart breaking to not know who you really are in life, but only to be lost in your thoughts and feelings, which is how Rachel is portrayed to be. Still, Rachel has her grandmother and Aunt Loretta, who seem to be her true anchorage in this world.

Jamie is another character in the story who seems to troubled in a way similar to Rachel. He seems rather reserved and quiet, and he appears to be alone. His mother is constantly having male suitors over at the apartment, thereby leaving Jamie (a.k.a. Brick) to fend for himself. I felt sad reading about his story, because he has no real possessions except for his bird book, which he stole from the library. It's almost as if he is looking beyond everything around him, as if he his position in life does not bother him. He wants nothing more than to examine the different birds from his book and to forget about everything around him. It is not until he discovers the bodies in the courtyard do we see a slight change in Jamie. He gives up his most prized possession, the Peterson Field Guide, and places it on the shrine. It seems as though he has seen the harsh truths of reality, and he no longer needs a book to tell him about the world, when he can see it and witness it first hand.
(David Roberts, Post 5)