A Bridge to Wiseman’s Cove: James Moleney Essay

Carl Matt – Carl is 15 years of age and is described as a low self-esteemed and obese child. He is the second eldest of the three Matt siblings (Sarah, Carl and Harley). Carl’s mother, Kerry, abandons him and his two other siblings, this makes him feel neglected and at the same time worried for his mother’s well being as she is nowhere to be found. Throughout the story, Carl struggles through many obstacles, however with the help of his new friends soon to meet, he is able to grow and become more confident about himself and towards others. Kerry Matt -Kerry Matt is the mother of the main protagonist, Carl. She is also the mother of Sarah, (Carl’s older Sister) and Harley, (Carl’s younger Brother). Throughout the novel, It is said that Kerry usually leaves her kids behind for more than a day. But when she left again she never came back. Harley Matt – Carl’s younger brother. He is constantly getting into trouble. He gets into fights, steals and gets caught doing graffiti. Skip Duncan – Owner of the barge Carl works on and wife to Joy. Skip initially is reluctant to hire Carl as he is a Matt, but begins to trust and eventually rely on him. Skip is bossy and stubborn, and earns little income from his business of ferrying cars across the cove. [1] Joy Duncan – Skip Duncans wife she is a Kind, Loving motherly figure. Carl Matt is an awkward, lumpy fifteen year-old who just wants to be loved. Sarah, Carl and Harley’s fathers all walked out on the family and their mother, Kerry often finds them too hard to cope with. When his mother walks out on the family, apparently for good, nineteen year-old Sarah, terrified of the responsibility of raising the two boys, heads toEurope, packing the boys off to stay with their Aunt Beryl in Wattle Beach. Beryl is less than delighted at the idea of taking in the boys, until she realizes that she can keep their social services payments. However, far from filling the role of their mother, she shows the boys no love and even attempts to keep Harley chained to the house to prevent him stealing and misbehaving. Carl is miserable in Wattle Beach . His size and awkwardness make him feel self-conscious and unable to make friends at school. Even the townspeople of Wattle Beach regard the boys with suspicion, believing all the Matt clan to be useless no-hopers. All Carl wants is a family and the security of knowing that he is loved. When, at sixteen, Carl stops receiving any social security benefits, Beryl forces him to leave school. He finds work with Skip and Joy Duncan who run a rusty run-down barge from Wattle Bay to the nearby island. When Carl first starts to work for them the business is losing money, largely because of competition from a rival barge company. Before long however, Carl, reveling in finally belonging to something, shows initiative and helps to bring trade to the struggling business. He even begins to find the courage to stand up to his uncaring, manipulative Aunt Beryl. But, just as Carl begins to experience happiness, family secrets come back to haunt him and again bring his world crashing down around him. Finally the truth is revealed and Carl is forced to confront many of his demons. Gradually he begins to let down his defences and allow others in, finally accepting himself as a loved and valued member of the community.