Characters

The most important characters in Arhondia’s short story “Tom Corridan” are Tom Corridan and his father Frank. Tom’s mother and his younger brother Joe are play some role in the story, even though the main focus is on Tom and Frank.

Tom Corridan is a teenage boy who is growing up in a lower class family, but who has ambitions to get a high education despite his father's wishes. Tom is also frequently a victim of physcial abuse from his father.  

Frank Corridan seems to despise Tom because of his ambition to study and go to university. Frank is a controlling character, who needs to have power over his family. The conflict between Tom and his father drives the plot and leads to the final scene in which Tom finds himself having power over his father's life. 

Tom's mother is a passive character. She is unable to stand up to Frank, although she tries to stop him from beating Tom. She seems to be afraid of her husband. Father Flanagan, on the other hand, sympathizes with Tom's situation and encourages him to study but does not intervene in the conflict between Tom and his father and can only offer Tom unhelpful advice.

You can read a full characterization of Tom Corridan and Frank Corridan on the following pages.