Wallace Stringfellow

Wallace Stringfellow is an important character in Tom Franklin’s novel Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter. He is a young man who befriends Larry Ott. Wallace takes an interest in Larry from when he is a child, due to the rumors he hears about the man. Wallace starts by visiting Larry’s barn and stealing things as a child, and later he visits Larry pretending to work for a cable TV company. Wallace’s first meeting with Larry shows that Wallace does not have a problem with lying or tricking others. Moreover, Wallace describes himself as someone who does not follow the law: “ ‘You know me, Larry. I’m a outlaw. Can’t do it legal or it’s no fun’ ” (p. 269).

Larry sees Wallace as a lonely person who fails to connect with others, the same as him. This is ...