Westing Game Characters

Turtle Wexler

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A smart young girl with a talent for the stock market, she has a long braid and kicks people in the shins. She solves the Westing game.

Angela Wexler

Start studying The Westing Game Characters. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. The Westing Game Characters Ellen Raskin This Study Guide consists of approximately 51 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of The Westing Game. Westing Connection: Father was childhood sweetheart of Sam Westing's daughter (who looked like Angela Wexler) Mrs. Westing broke up the affair. She wanted daughter to marry somebody else, but Violet Westing killed herself before the wedding. Neither parents above are heirs. Partnered with Doug. The Westing Game, Ellen Raskin The Westing Game is a mystery book written by Ellen Raskin in 1978. Sunset Towers is a new apartment building on Lake Michigan, north of Milwaukee and just down the shore from the mansion owned by reclusive self-made millionaire Samuel W. Westing connection: mom was a servant for the Westing household, dad worked for the railroad and was the gardener on his days off. She was is the first african American woman to become a judge. She signed her money 2 in the game.

Turtle's beautiful older sister, she's engaged to Denton Deere. However, she is unhappy that most decisions are made for her.

Grace Windsor Wexler

She is Turtle and Angela's overbearing mother. An amateur decorator, she spends most of her time preening over her daughter Angela's upcoming nuptials.

Jake Wexler

He is the husband of Grace Wexler, a podiatrist, and a bookie.

Doug Hoo

He is a high school track star and son of Mr. and Mrs. Hoo.

Mr. Hoo

He is the owner of Hoo's restaurant on the top floor of Sunset Towers. He is generally cranky and very competitive. He sued Sam Westing for stealing his invention of the paper diaper.

Madame Hoo

Avast battery saver activation code free. Mr. Hoo's second wife from China, she speaks very little English and only desires to return home, even if it means stealing.

Flora Baumbach

A single dressmaker, she becomes a mother figure to her partner Turtle and it is revealed she lost her daughter years ago.

Sydelle Pulaski

She is a receptionist who fakes an injury to get attention by walking with painted crutches. She gets very close with her partner Angela.

Chris Theodorakis

He is a wheelchair-bound boy with a nerve disorder that makes it difficult for him to speak. He is brother to Theo and an expert birdwatcher.

Theo Theodorakis

He is Chris' older brother who wants to be a writer but never went to college. He mostly takes care of Chris.

Judge J.J. Ford

She is a local judge and the daughter of one of Sam Westing's servants. Sam Westing paid for her schooling and now she is determined to win the Westing game.

Sandy McSouthers

The doorman of Sunset Towers, he has a drinking problem and may not be who he says he is.

Berthe Erica Crow

An older devout cleaning woman, she spends her life devoted to religious penance for some previous sin.

Otis Amber

The local delivery boy, he brings tidbits of gossip to the apartment complex.

Denton Deere

A medical intern and fiancee of Angela Wexler, he helps Chris get the medicine he needs.

Barney Northrup

He is the realtor for Sunset Towers. Ping serial number online.

Julian Eastman

He is the current owner of Westing Paper Products.

Ed Plum

He is Sam Westing's lawyer.

THE WESTING GAME SUMMARY / STUDY GUIDE

OVERALL ANALYSIS

CHARACTER ANALYSIS

The character development in the novel can be broken down into two parts: during the timeframe of the Westing game, and the sudden leaps forward in the final chapters.

During the timeframe of the Westing game, the defining development of the characters comes not from changes in personality or perspective so much as the revelation of depth. Characters are often initially presented in terms of a single trait of some sort: not only do readers see them in this way, which makes it easier to tell who's who in this large cast, but other characters perceive each other in a similarly simplistic way. This ties into the theme of masquerade in the broadest sense: while some characters do indeed pose as somebody they're not, many of them hide secrets about themselves and present a false mask to those around them. The last three chapters briefly cover the next twenty years in the lives of these characters. Many continue on the path of success set down for them soon after the Westing Game, but to have them all prosper in this manner would not have been as realistic or made the ending as interesting for the reader. Thus, we have several expectations upended and turned around.

The most complex characters are the ones who dominate the story: Sam Westing in his various guises, Judge Ford, and Turtle Wexler. In this trio, we have a mentor and two protégées, strong women who he nurtures and encourages to excel, though they themselves are not completely aware of this influence - and in Judge Ford's case, misunderstand the intentions.

As the grand mastermind of the Westing game, Sam Westing is not only seeking an heir to his fortune, but also to resolve the problems he finds in his extended family. His much-lauded patriotism is tied closely to his success as a poor, uneducated immigrant who became a multimillionaire industrialist. However, this land of opportunity was seized by Sam Westing, not merely bestowed upon him: to succeed he had to be cruel at times and unfair to others, as seen by his treatment of James Shin Hoo, Josie-Jo Ford, and even his own wife Berthe Erica Crow. However, the loss of his daughter and the accident which disfigured his face showed him the emptiness of such behavior. When he re-emerges in Westingtown, he does so in disguise and to make amends as he sees fit.

However, this doesn't mean he changed who he is essentially. Outside of finding himself loved by the tenants in the role of Sandy, Sam Westing does not change his essential personality. He remains an aficionado of games and disguises, never revealing to the heirs his final role of Julian R. Eastman. To pull off the game, he must be as controlling and as ruthless as he was in his days as a captain of industry. Westing also continues to be a proud individual, as seen by his protective attitude towards his Westing heirs and the way he takes credit for inspiring James Hoo to invent the paper innersole. If anything, readers see that the traits used to make Sam Westing a successful businessman were also used to make him a successful benefactor in the Westing game: the manipulation and deception, such as it is, were used for moral good instead of financial gain. Further, he passes along these traits to his ultimate heir, Turtle Wexler.

Josie-Jo Ford

Josie-Jo Ford's character is defined by her sense of the past, as the child of Sam Westing's servants and as an African American. She feels trapped by her debt to Sam Westing, who paid for her education, and wishes to free herself from this obligation. She believes she has earned her position as a justice of the court and takes pride in her accomplishments. As a result, she is also sensitive to issues of race, which is played subtly for much of the novel but arises noticeably in her disgust at the clues she receives at the first meeting of the Westing heirs as well as the African robe she wears at the second meeting. She seems to make her peace with Sam Westing when he forgives her debt to him, though she doesn't seem to do so enthusiastically. Following the footsteps of her unlikely mentor, Judge Ford decides to fund the education of Chris Theodorakis, striking a friendship with him which is far different from the estrangement between Sam Westing and young Josie-Jo when she went off to be educated. Freed of her debt to Westing, Judge Ford goes on to become a Supreme Court Justice - though it's worth noting there has yet to be a female African American to serve on that court in reality.

Turtle Wexler

Turtle Wexler is first encountered as a child who kicks the shins of people she doesn't like and wants to make a fortune on the stock market. Already, this indicates that she is very much like her Uncle Sam, who has alienated himself from people around him and built a fortune through his paper products. We are also told that they closely resemble each other, as a distinction is drawn between family beauties (such as Violet Westing, Gracie Windkloppel Wexler, Angela Wexler) and the plainerlooking members (Sam, Turtle, and Alice Deere). She matures over the course of the novel: she sacrifices herself as the bomber to spare both Angela and the mother who ignores her, she has her hair cut in a symbolic act of growth, and finally solves the mystery of the Westing game.

This last development is the most important because she seems to be groomed by Sam Westing, in the guise of Sandy McSouthers, to be the heir. To do this, however, requires that she be complicit in the hidden aspects of the game: that is, that she keeps the secret of Sam Westing's two other identities to herself, and even propagates the lie that Sam Westing died when Sandy McSouthers died. Thus, we see her mature into somebody very much like her uncle Sam, which is something she already was essentially: ruthless, manipulative, deceptive, dedicated, dogged in the pursuit of financial gain.. but also aware of the importance of family and willing to make concessions to that priority. Her later success as a lawyer and stock trader shows this, as is her patrimony of the Westing financial empire. Her close ties to Flora Baumbach and later to niece Alice are the best indication of this last trait of familial love, though the bonds to her immediate family (her parents and sister) aren't as close.

The other characters emerge in a less complex manner, but many still indicate a depth of personality that's in keeping with the themes of the novel.

Jake Wexler

Jake Wexler is a compromised authority figure, a podiatrist dissatisfied with his practice because he's not a 'real' doctor and unhappy in his relationship with his family, especially his neglectful, social-climbing wife. This unhappiness manifests itself in his illegal activity as a bookie, where he actually goes against authority. However, he does have a gift for leading and instructing, as he shows when he befriends Madame Hoo, teaching her English when everyone else ignored her. After he mends his relationship with his wife and proves his sensitivity as a father to Angela and Turtle, he's given a chance to drop his previous professions to become a true authority figure in government.

Grace Wexler

Grace Wexler is seen as a superficial social climber who favors her pretty daughter Angela over the less attractive, pugnacious Turtle. However, her sense of appearances serves her well as she plans to renovate James Hoo's restaurant. Further, she finds that good appearances aren't the only thing that matters to her: Jake Wexler's friendship with Madame Hoo makes her jealous and her daughters are at the center of the bomb incidents, Angela scarred for life and Turtle apparently the bomber in a cry for attention. (Though the truth is slightly different.) She bonds with Jake again, becoming drunk and looking foolish on the night of the second will reading, gives Angela the space and freedom she craves, and learns to take pride in Turtle's achievements. In doing so, she also eventually becomes a first-class restaurateur, taking over James Hoo's place and turning it into a booming franchise.

Angela Wexler

Angela Wexler is the beautiful and pliant older daughter of Jake and Grace, defined by her impending marriage to Doctor Denton Deere. At first Angela seems concerned only with pleasing her mother, though readers very quickly get a sense that her values are quite different from Grace's. Angela's inability to express her anger at Grace's smothering attention comes out in her becoming the bomber of Sunset Towers, which is an expression of rage but not a desire to inflict real harm on anyone. Thus, she saves Turtle from one of her bombs and in doing so scars her cheek; Turtle then selflessly claims to be the bomber to save mother Grace the agony of discovering the truth about Angela's criminal behavior. Angela asserts herself by giving up her beauty - she keeps the scar on her cheek and breaks off her engagement with Denton so that she can resume college and go to med school. Thus, Angela's development isn't a change of who she is, but the will to assert that identity more forcefully to the people around her.

Theo Theodorakis

Theo Theodorakis is mainly active in trying to solve the Westing game, coming up with one of the most esoteric interpretation of the heirs. There are other aspects of his life, but he treats them passively: he wishes to be a writer but we do not see him write; he wants to go to college but can't do so because his family must pay for Christos' operation; he is interested in Angela Wexler romantically but does not pursue it beside some furtive conversations. Even his pursuit of the answer to the Westing game is thwarted: he attempts to unite the heirs and pool their clues, but the first bomb disrupts this; he then determines the answer is Otis Amber but refuses to name Otis out of shame. When the heirs finally pool their clues together, Sandy is the one who takes charge of the process. The last chapters show a resolve in Theo which weren't as obvious before: as a writer, Theo is not as successful as the other heirs in their respective callings, but shows a dedication glimpsed previously only in his pursuit of the Westing game clues. His development as a strong character of ambition happens almost entirely offstage, but is necessary for him to 'earn' his place next to Turtle's side.

Christos Theodorakis

Christos Theodorakis is surprisingly comfortable with his affliction: in the same way that others see Angela as a beautiful young fiancée, Chris is seen primarily as pitiable crippled boy. This does not bother him, he barely takes notice of the pity, and even welcomes the more forthright questions of Sydelle Pulaski about his illness. He has an active imagination and inquisitive mind, reflected in his childishly adventurous scenarios about the Westing game and his birdwatching. As his medical condition improves, he's less concerned with his fantasies and more dedicated to his birdwatching, eventually aiming to become an ornithologist. This shift in focus, and the fulfilling life this brings, is his development.

James Hoo

James Hoo is the disgruntled former employee of Sam Westing who believes his invention was stolen by Westing. He is not happy running a restaurant but worries about making a profit from it. As Sandy McSouthers, Westing gives Hoo the idea for a new invention, which becomes Hoo's Foot-Eze, allowing him to give up his restaurant business and prosper as an inventor. With this success, his formidable temper is leavened and he pays more attention to his second wife and his son.

Madame Sun Lin Hoo

Madame Sun Lin Hoo starts out as a complete mystery, the cook for her husband's restaurant and unable to speak English. We learn that this situation has alienated her and makes her want to return to her native China, which in turn spurs her into becoming a thief who intends to sell stolen items to finance her return. However, she is not completely heartless: she is proud of her stepson Douglas and vows never to steal a medal of his. Jake Wexler helps break the language barrier and befriends her. However, her misunderstanding of the Westing game - or rather, complete lack of comprehension that a game was going on - leads her to give up her thieving ways and return all she's stolen. As she learns English and becomes closer to the people around her, her role as the restaurant’s cook gives way to the responsibilities of running her husband's new business with him. Her return to China becomes an ever-dwindling priority as she becomes a prosperous businesswoman and considers the United States her new home.

Berthe Erica Crow

Berthe Erica Crow is seen as the slightly crazed, over-religious cleaning woman of Sunset Towers. However, her strong religious beliefs has as much compassion as judgment: she runs a soup kitchen with Otis Amber and feels a strong attachment to Angela Wexler, who resembles her dead daughter Violet Westing. Further, we find that she does feel guilty for Violet's death, which contributed to her mental imbalance but also leads her to sacrifice herself when she names herself as the answer to the Westing game. She does this to pass along the prize to what she values: Angela and the soup kitchen, though it turns out this brave act became moot. After the Westing game, the guilt she feels about Violet's death is let go and her life can move forward. She marries Otis Amber and continues to help others with her Skid Row mission. Further, she has a new surrogate daughter in Angela Wexler, who assists her in the soup kitchen.

Otis Amber

Otis Amber is something of a mystery, as he spends almost the entirety of the novel posing as an idiot delivery boy when in fact he is a seasoned private investigator. As a delivery boy he is a fun-loving, playful, even annoying person; this seems to be a reflection of who he really is (or what he has become from playing his role), as he continues to be like this after his disguise is revealed. The only other trait he shows is a dedication to Crow, apparently as a good friend but one who has a romantic interest and who understands the strange behavior she often displays. Thus, the main development of Otis' character is the revelation of his double life as a private eye; he does not actually change, but the dimensions of his relationship with Crow - and the depth of his dedication to her - are seen in a different light by readers as a result of this new information.

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Sydelle Pulaski

Sydelle Pulaski is another character who remains essentially the same: desperate for attention and intent on gaining it in any way possible. The crutches she uses are symbolic of the neediness, of the emotional crutch she has by desiring such attention. However, her unearned narcissism and impolite behavior enables other characters to develop: Angela finds her a helpful companion as she breaks out of her shell, while Christos Theodorakis is delighted to talk to somebody who speaks to him in such a direct manner. The main development of her character isn't from inside herself, but from how others behave towards her: with rumors of her being a Westing heiress, she gets all the attention she needs and eventually marries her boss at the sausage factory.

Denton Deere

Westing Game Characters Pictures

Denton Deere is one of the rare characters who actually undergoes an epiphanic change, whose view of the world is transformed radically by his experience in the story. As a result of helping Christos Theodorakis improve his medical condition, Denton chooses to give up his internship as a plastic surgeon and instead becomes a neurologist. Implicit in this choice is a decision to not only pursue financial gain and value superficial appearances, but to help people and look beyond surfaces. This change is significant enough that he later wins over ex-fiancée Angela Wexler, marrying her after a five-year separation.

Some characters show themselves to be not much more than their single trait: Douglas Hoo is a champion athlete and remains simply that; Flora Baumbach is a grieving mother who finds a new surrogate daughter in Turtle Wexler, but we learn little else about her; George Theodorakis, father of Chris and Theo, functions solely as the childhood love of Violet Westing and coffee shop proprietor; even less is known about George's wife Catherine.

Westing Game Characters Chart

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin-Free BookNotes Summary

Westing Game Characters