Angela Wexler's Character In The Westing Game By Ellen Raskin

In the mystery novel The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin, the character Angela Wexler has changed a lot as the book progresses. A million dollar prize is waiting for sixteen heirs to win it by solving a wealthy man’s apparent death. The point of all of this commotion was to find out who Sam Westing is and to establish the identities of the sixteen heirs they should have had all along. Angela goes through a lot of obstacles throughout the book. She struggles to figure out what she is, everyone is used to thinking of Angela as a “pretty thing”, and she feels trapped about her beauty. In the beginning, Angela struggles to figure out what she is. For example, when everyone is writing down their positions, Angela writes down “None.” Angela looks like Violet Westing and her mother. So beauty is the first thing people notice about her and of course, people compliment her for it. Angela would be better off if she and more people start treating her like a person than a “pretty thing.”

That’s why it’s shocking to find out that she is the bomber. She takes place in four bombings but Turtle sets off the fourth one. Angela’s mom (Grace Wexler) is also another obstacle for her. All she cares about is looks. For example, on page ten, she says, “Can’t you see she’s busy with Angela’s wedding dress? And why must you wear a silly costume like that? Really, Turtle, I don’t know why you insist on making yourself ugly.” Although Turtle is neglected by Grace, Angela has it worse. Grace has pushed Angela to depend on her beauty. As Grace is Angela’s mother, it hurts to have your own mother think like everyone else; a pretty