"The Dying Animal" Characters Analysis

List of Characters

Role Identification

In Philip Roth's novel, "The Dying Animal," the main character, David Kepesh, serves as the protagonist. He is a renowned cultural critic and professor at a prestigious university. The story revolves around his relationships, particularly his intense affair with a much younger woman named Consuela Castillo.

Character Descriptions

David Kepesh: David is an aging intellectual who has devoted his life to the study of art and culture. He is described as tall, handsome, and well-dressed, exuding an air of confidence and sophistication. David is known for his sharp wit and cynical outlook on life.

Consuela Castillo: Consuela is a beautiful Cuban-American woman in her twenties. She possesses a captivating presence and a sensuality that attracts David. Consuela is independent, intelligent, and unafraid to challenge societal norms. She is also deeply introspective and struggles with her own identity.

George O'Hearn: George is David's close friend and confidant. He is a successful businessman and provides a contrasting perspective to David's intellectual pursuits. George serves as a sounding board for David's thoughts and emotions.

Carolyn Reed: Carolyn is a former lover of David's who re-enters his life during the course of the story. She is an accomplished artist and shares a complicated history with David. Carolyn is described as enigmatic and emotionally complex.

Ernestine: Ernestine is David's loyal and efficient assistant. She provides support in both his personal and professional life, helping him navigate his relationships and manage his work.

Laura: Laura is David's ex-wife and the mother of his daughter, Lisa Cohen. Although they are no longer together, Laura remains a significant presence in David's life and serves as a reminder of his past.

Lisa Cohen: Lisa is David's adult daughter who plays a minor role in the story. She is portrayed as intelligent and independent, having inherited her father's intellectual curiosity.

Character Traits

David Kepesh: David is intelligent, articulate, and knowledgeable about art and culture. He is also cynical, emotionally guarded, and prone to self-indulgence. David has a fear of commitment and a tendency to objectify women, which becomes a central theme in the novel.

Consuela Castillo: Consuela is confident, passionate, and unapologetically sexual. She is also introspective, compassionate, and deeply affected by her cultural background. Consuela is torn between her desire for independence and her longing for emotional connection.

George O'Hearn: George is pragmatic, down-to-earth, and serves as a voice of reason for David. He is more focused on practical matters and often challenges David's idealistic views on love and relationships.

Carolyn Reed: Carolyn is enigmatic, mysterious, and emotionally complex. She is a talented artist who navigates her own struggles with identity and self-expression. Carolyn's presence in David's life rekindles old desires and raises questions about the nature of love and desire.

Ernestine: Ernestine is loyal, dependable, and highly organized. She demonstrates unwavering support for David, managing his professional affairs and offering advice and guidance in his personal life.

Laura: Laura is portrayed as strong-willed, assertive, and independent. She serves as a reminder of David's past and represents the complexities of their failed marriage.

Lisa Cohen: Lisa is intelligent, self-assured, and independent-minded. While her role is limited in the story, she showcases David's impact as a father figure and the influence he has had on her intellectual pursuits.

Character Background

David Kepesh: David grew up in a middle-class Jewish family and has dedicated his life to the pursuit of knowledge and cultural analysis. He has had numerous relationships but has always maintained emotional distance, fearing the vulnerability that comes with commitment.

Consuela Castillo: Consuela comes from a Cuban-American background and has faced her own struggles with identity and societal expectations. She is an immigrant who embraces her heritage and challenges conventional norms.

George O'Hearn: George is a successful businessman who provides a contrast to David's academic pursuits. He has a more practical outlook on life and serves as a grounding force for David's intellectual musings.

Carolyn Reed: Carolyn is an accomplished artist who shares a complicated relationship with David. She represents a past lover and the emotional baggage that comes with it.

Ernestine: Ernestine's background is not extensively explored in the novel, but she is portrayed as a capable and dedicated assistant who has been a part of David's life for a significant period.

Laura: Laura is David's ex-wife, and while her specific background is not detailed, she represents a failed marriage and the emotions associated with it.

Lisa Cohen: Lisa is David's daughter, who has been influenced by his intellectual pursuits and has grown into an independent and intelligent young woman.

Character Arcs

David Kepesh: Throughout the novel, David experiences a significant character arc. Initially, he is a cynical and emotionally guarded individual who objectifies women and avoids commitment. However, through his relationship with Consuela, he is forced to confront his fears and reevaluate his beliefs about love and intimacy. David's character arc explores themes of aging, mortality, and the transformative power of love.

Consuela Castillo: Consuela's character arc primarily revolves around her exploration of identity and the conflicts she faces as an immigrant woman. She grapples with societal expectations, cultural heritage, and her own desires for independence and emotional connection.

Relationships

David's relationships play a central role in the novel, shaping his character and driving the narrative forward. The most significant relationship is with Consuela Castillo, which is intense, passionate, and ultimately transformative for both characters. Their affair challenges David's preconceived notions about love and forces him to confront his fear of commitment.

David's relationship with George O'Hearn provides a contrasting perspective on love and relationships. George serves as a sounding board for David's thoughts and emotions, providing a practical and pragmatic counterpoint to David's idealism.

The rekindled relationship with Carolyn Reed serves as a reminder of David's past and raises questions about the nature of desire and the complicated dynamics of former lovers.

David's relationship with his daughter, Lisa Cohen, showcases his influence as a father figure and highlights the impact he has had on her intellectual development.

Overall, the interactions and dynamics between these characters contribute to the exploration of themes such as love, desire, aging, and the complexities of human relationships in "The Dying Animal."