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of it, including care and sincerity. This claim is either supported through various ways, such as the character’s thoughts, reactions, past life, and other’s speech.
5. Loner
In case of relationship with his social surrounding, Luke is a type of loner. He seems to estrange himself from the society, liking his being solitary on
his own. Luke is getting himself difficult to associate. He hardly has any friends, which some people eventually tend to consider his inability to care about anything
or anyone 104. Luke has once ever had a best friend named Alex Hamilton, the only
person he can explain things to, yet at last has to walk him off due to The Hamiltons’ move to another country 90. Afterwards, Caroline is being Luke’s
only friend at Glendale 37. She is the one he always talks to since there is no one else he can tell, concerning with his teacher and parents’ upset and
disappointment towards him 89. Luke’s being in trouble to socialize becomes more visible as he is
coming to such a school party with Caro. Luke didn’t like Glendale parties. He wouldn’t mix in. He stuck to her
like glue and when she managed to get away she’d keep seeing him over her shoulder; no matter how crowded it was, her eyes would
always find him, and he’d be standing on the edge of everything, gazing down into his glass, never saying more than a few words to
anyone 23.
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Luke is an introvert person instead. Seldom is he willing to share his problems with other people, he is rather managed to wrap up in himself 73. He
can simply tell anything only to those he feels comfortable with, one of whom is Naomi. She is the one Luke bothers with round at home 143.
The characteristic of Luke as being a loner conforms to one of his behavior, which is most obviously depicted from the way he locks himself out of
the society. Luke likes wandering round alone, going to such quiet and peaceful place either to wait for the coming idea or only to calm down his mind 118.
Spending the whole day in the park, he used to sit down on his favorite swings, while the sharp spiky thoughts turn round and round in his head 40, 144.
Being done time after time, this kind of behavior has grown on Luke’s life; becoming a part of his substantial habit either consciously or not. Going
somewhere he does not even think of, he does not even realize how many times he has spent for nothing. Luke hadn’t thought of any destination. He didn’t know
where the bus going, or where he was going, either. He’d just wanted to get away from the house for a bit, he wanted time to think 136.
Having referred to the analysis above, I hereby perceive Luke as a loner, which concisely includes his being introvert, lack of social relation, and the
solitary habit found in him. This characteristic can be depicted from the character’s thoughts, reactions and mannerism, not to mention other character’s
point of view and the conversation of other characters.
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6. Patient
Furthermore, Luke is found to be a patient person. His patience here is shown through his ability to control emotion and calm down his mind.
Like yours is ‘B’ for bastard, thought Luke angrily, but he kept the retort to himself. He fixed his gaze on Stringer’s face…Luke wanted
to get up and leave. He wanted to spring from the chair, rush from the room, down the corridor, out through the playground into the street.
But he stayed where he was 14-15.
Not only in terms of self-control has Luke depicted his patience, but also time. It is revealed as he is still patiently waiting and hoping for his dad begins to talk to
him 90. Luke’s longing for the coming of night train till dawn either gives such a clue that he is patient. Trains were always late, even a night train might be late.
It could come at ten past two, he told himself, or even two twenty. He wasn’t giving up on it just yet 167.
As seen from Luke’s reaction and thought above, it can be inferred that he is a patient person both in terms of time and self-control.
7. Thoughtful
In addition to be patient, Luke always makes such deep consideration before doing something. Lots of thoughts and questions come arise to his mind,
which sometimes bring him to doubts in making decision towards something. Thoughts swam round in his head, slowly at first, then faster and
faster, like a merry-go-round, a whirligig whose furious spinning hid the world from sight. Was Stringer serious about expelling him? If
they did chuck him out, would he still be able to do his exams? Go to the school counselor or get chucked out for sure? 36-37.
