Characterisation

In this section, we will help you by highlighting a few important points for you to consider when you deal with the characterization of Mac, who is the main character and the narrator of the story. Since the text is a first-person narration, we expect from the very beginning a subjective perspective. We only know Mac as he reveals himself to us, through his thoughts, actions, attitudes and interactions with others. 

From the beginning, we find out that Mac is a middle-aged man who has problems with his wife and likes drinking:

“I always met my friends in a pub. They understood. Janet had kicked up a fuss, also as usual. “Don’t you dare come home drunk, or you’ll sleep in the garden shed...” A lot more like that, stuff I’d been hearing for the last thirty years”. (ll. 2-4)

He is frustrated by both his marriage and career: "“When was the last time you had some of your friends over to the house?” He meant my own friends, the old crowd, not Janet’s bridge and music society lot." and “About tw...