Runner By Robert Newton Character Analysis

Runner Essay

Charlie faces many challenges in the novel ‘Runner’ and generally overcomes them by making the right choices.

The novel Runner is a novel written by Robert Newton which describes life in Richmond, Melbourne in the 1919. The novel follows the protagonist, Charlie Feehan, as his family and himself struggle with the effects of poverty, corruption and sorrow. Throughout Runner, we see Charlie become independent and learn to face the challenges in his life himself. These challenges include choosing to stop working for Squizzy Taylor (an infamous Australian criminal), the hardships of poverty and protecting his mother and family from the crazed Mr Peacock. Charlie faces many challenges in Runner and generally does overcome them by

The wind and rain caused mould to grow on houses, weakening the framework. The house would then fall leaving all the occupants homeless, and left in the cold to die. To the people living in Richmond at the time, “’to be poor was to be cold.” With poverty sweeping pass all the residents of Richmond like a contagious disease, most people faced the challenge of poverty. Charlie and his family are extremely poor after his father passes away leaving them with no steady source of income. Instead of choosing to work at a “respectable” and honest workplace, Rosella’s Jam Factory, he decides to become a runner for the infamous criminal, Squizzy Taylor. Charlie believed that he would make twice as much working for Squizzy as opposed to working at Rosella’s. Knowing that Ma “...wouldn’t ‘ave any son a mine keepin’ company with criminals,” he went against her to support the Feehan family. Working at Rosella’s would’ve been much for tiring and would’ve had half the income. Why is there any reason for Charlie to reject such an offer? Charlie faced the challenge of poverty in Runner and overcame it by making the right choice and working for Squizzy