Unwind Characters

In a variety of literature, main characters struggle with defining their personalities as their experiences alter and change who they are. In Neal Shusterman's Unwind, one of the main characters, Lev Calder, has a major personality change from the beginning to the end of the book. When the reader first meets Lev, he is portrayed as a naive, arrogant tithe, eagerly awaiting his unwinding. However, by the end of the book, Lev is independent and rebellious, very much against unwinding. His change from being a naive tithe to a rebellious clapper has great impact on the storyline itself and makes him one of the most interesting characters to follow. In the beginning of the story, Lev’s parents host a tithing party for his 13th birthday. As
He is his family’s pride and joy. Straight As in school, MVP in little league. Just because he’s to be unwound does NOT mean he’s an Unwind” (Shusterman 31). By emphasizing that he is not “like those other kids,” Lev shows his arrogance and superiority as well as his sheltered view of the world. Growing up being called “special” hides Lev from the harsh truths regarding his fate and his naivety forbids him from seeing past his parents’ lies, forcing him to be dependent on others.When Connor kidnaps Lev, Lev faces one of these harsh truths, but retains his arrogance and naivety in hopes of still saving his future. When in the presence of Connor and Risa, Lev is forced to act like them, stating, “Pretending to be one of them--pretending to be like them had taken every ounce of Lev’s will. The only thing that kept him going was the knowledge that very soon everything would be as it should be” (Shusterman 68). By meeting
His character also set in motion many major events that impacted the lives of both Connor and Risa and all other Unwinds. In the beginning of the story, Lev is kidnapped by Connor and Risa, but before betraying them, he has a change of heart, stating, “I am lost in every possible way. Then, feeling the coldness of the steel against his fingertips, he pulls the fire alarm” (Shusterman 81). When Lev pulls the fire alarm, he allows for Connor and Risa to escape and eventually make it to the Graveyard. This action leaves Lev alone, but also to run into CyFi who helped him survive. Once Lev becomes the clapper that did not clap, he becomes the face of unwinding. At the end of the book, Pastor Dan states, “‘I have to believe that things happen for a reason. Your kidnapping, your becoming a clapper, your refusing to clap’--he glances at the magazine cover in his hand--‘it’s all led to this. For years, Unwinds were just faceless kids that no one wanted--but now you’ve put a face on unwinding’” (Shusterman 327). Lev’s actions were the final step to unleashing the uprising against unwinding. Before, people were too afraid to stand up and admit that unwinding was wrong, but by refusing to clap, Lev made people question the true nature of unwinding and rallied Unwinds to rebel. By knowing Lev, CyFi testified in Congress and the