Bill Henderson

Bill’s outer characterization in “Cold Calling” by Chuck Palahniuk reveals that he is a white teenager living in the US in Walla Walla, Washington, who works in a sales call center part-time: “ ‘I’m seventeen years old and go the Thomas Jefferson High School in Walla Walla, Washington. I work four nights each week doing telephone sales to save up for a car…’ ” (p. 127, ll. 43-45). His outer characterization suggests that he looks a lot like the other white kids at his school: “Standing here, my hair and clothes and dreams everything about me coming off the assembly line as her…” (p. 130, ll. 14-15)

Inner characterization

Bill’s inner characterization is constructed gradually, through his interactions with other characters. At first, the way Bill describes his job suggests he does not like cold calling and simply memorizes scripts automatically (he doesn’t really believe in what he is selling): : “It’s the first week we’re cold calling for the Wonder Wet Wiper, not just a mop but a whole entire floor-enhancement system…” (p. 125, ll. 4-5)

The fact that he cannot help but respond to his client, Mrs. Wayne Timmons and go off the sales script suggests that he does not like being confined by norms: “It’s not the approved response script, but I answer.” (p. 125, l. 16). Furthermore, the fact that he mentions his supervisor watching him several times in the short story suggests that he often goes off script when he talks to potential clients: “… and how my jogs are dragging out the average length per call (…) The training supervisor drags a fingernail sideways across her throat.” (p. 127, ll. 29-31)

However, Bill is also aware that he needs the job, even if it is poorly paid: “Enough jogs, and the training supervisor registers a demerit. Enough demerits, and you’ll be looking for an even worse-paying job.” (p. 127, ll. 14-15)

From the conversation with Mrs. Wayne Timmons, we can also infer that Bill wants to convince her that he is white and American, which suggests that he does not like being mistaken for a...