Carl Matt is the only character that changes in the novel, "A Bridge to Wiseman's Cove" by James Moloney. DO you agree?

In the novel “A Bridge to Wiseman’s Cove”, by James Maloney we are introduced to a variety of characters. The main character being a 15 year old boy named Carl Matt; he is from a very troubled background. He experiences his mother dieing and his sister leaving. He gets left with a horrible aunt he experiences many hardships and must change to overcome them. However, he is not the only one who changes in the novel skip, Maddie, Harley all change.

When we are first introduced to Carl Matt we see that he is an introverted, shy, lonely teenage boy. During his time in Wattle Beach he transforms into a more confident person. He meets Joy and comes out of his shell; he develops a sense of security with the Duncans, one that he has never experienced with Kerry and Sarah. He works with Skip on his barge, however skip hated the Matts.

Carl Sagan photo in 'Contact'

J.J. Hill & Carl Gray (LOC)

James Maloney of the Central Coast Storm.

“Matt the word exploded Skip turned to Joy ‘is this some kind of joke? You bring at Matt here on my barge, let him come here, asking me for a job?’ He was shouting by the time he reached the last word, indignation bludging in his face. ‘Get off my barge; he yelled at the boy. Despite the pain skip endures he gives Carl Matt a go. Carl takes advantage of the opportunity and starts a car wash on the barge ‘carls first job on the barge on Friday morning was the placement of Skips hastily painted signs, Vermillion enamel on cardboard, FREE CAR WASH RED BARGE’. He becomes committed to helping keep Joy’s and Skip’s business afloat. He gains more and more confidence throughout the novel and interacts with kids his own age instead of watching from afar. None of that would have been possible without the help from Joy and SkipAfter the death of skip’s son Graham died at the hands of Dessie Matt he has hated them all ever since, he considers them all mongrels. Skip Duncan has been left in constant pain mentally, emotionally and physically. ‘When the UTE hit, he was thrown into the water, same as his father. It’s not Skip’s leg they’ve hated us for; it’s on account of that little boy. Little graham your grandfather killed him’ p191 at the beginning of the novel Skip starts off as a bitter, middle aged man with a bad leg. ‘…but when he reached the bottom, the grace of his movents deserted him as he limped across the deck’p59 he refuses to let Carl work on his barge until Joy talks him into it. Carl Matt works very hard on the barge and Skip grows and lets go of the past, he develops a relationship with Carl and Harley as the sons he never had ‘there’s only one way for the Duncans to travel and the Matts too’ skip added’.

Maddie Duncan begins as a selfish, self centred, spoiled 15 year old child, who lets Nathan Trelfo take advantage of her. ‘…Carl saw then, in the moment before it happened that they were an audience too, just as he was. He saw the faces turned, the hungry eyes of the boys, and the unhappy tremor of the girls. When he looked again he saw that the sarong had fallen open, giving them all a clear view of the boys hand slipping inside the girl’s waistband of the blue bikini his fingers emerging from beneath the lycra to caress the girls leg’ he continues takes advantage of her, ‘this is pathetic,” Nathan’s voice declared. “Hey were you going?” Carl dared another look. All the boys were standing now. “She’ll be useless for anything at midnight,” said Nathan. However, after many times of letting Nathan walk all over her she shows courage and change to stand up to him ‘he held out his hand. “Come with me, Maddie. We don’t have to stay here with this lot.” But he knew it was pointless “I’m not coming Nathan,”p176So in conclusion, we can evidently say that Carl is not the only one that changes in the novel. He has shown that he is not just a Matt he is Carl Matt, and he is just as good as anybody. Skip has learned not to judge or stereotype people by there last name and let them have a fair go, Maddie has changed and doesn’t let people walk all over her. Is Carl the only one that changes in the novel? I can very clearly and confidently say no.

Matt Maiellaro at WonderCon 2010

Kerry GAA

English: HURT LOCKER director Kathryn Bigelow and ...