A List of Cages

Most of Julian's description is through Adam's perspective of him. Adam's observations of Julian as a child in his parents' home are very different from his observations of Julian as an adolescent. Adam tells how, in grammar school, Julian burst into song in front of the entire class, getting everyone's attention because he was such a good singer. Adam remembers Julian as "unselfconscious, fun loving and naturally cheerful" (46).Adam describes Julian as an "anime character, with too much shiny black hair that fell just short of his enormous round eyes" (46). Adam also describes Julian as being skinny in high school, which might be a result of Russell not feeding Julian very well.

As an adolescent. Julian has lost his self-confidence, and defines himself as annoying, stupid, and socially unacceptable. His poor self-image affects his ability to feel comfortable around nearly all of his fellow students. When Julian first meets Adam's friends, Julian is "annoyed with [himself] for being so bad at things that everybody else can do" (91). He thinks most of his classmates don't want him to be around. Julian constantly feels like he makes stupid mistakes and is intellectually incapable. When Adam asks Julian if he wants to go to college, Julian replies that he's not smart enough. Julian's poor self-image keeps him from speaking up and responding to people quickly, even in simple conversations. It also prevents him from trying to do things he would really like to do, like learning his lines in the school play.

Julian as an adolescent feels powerless. He consistently thinks that "wanting isn't the same as having" (198). Although Julian used to think he'd travel and see the world when he was a child, as an adolescent, Julian now believes that his desire to travel doesn't matter anymore. When Adam asks Julian whether he wants to go to college or not, Julian replies, "Does that really matter?" (134).Julian comments in his narratives that he doesn't feel that he has any control over his body. He feels this way in the hospital, even when Russell is not present.

As a child and as an adolescent, Julian has a vivid imagination. Adam recalls that Julian wrote captivating stories in grammar school, and Adam continues to think that Julian is a talented writer when he reads stories in Julian's notebook when Julian is a high school student.

Another defining characteristic of Julian, which makes him endearing, is his compassion. Roe draws a sharp contrast between how Julian is treated and how Julian treats others. Julian is scowled at by both Jared and Charlie Taylor, yet Julian tells both of them he wants them to be happy. Julian's teacher yells out his bad grade in front of the class, grades his essay harshly, and complains that he's always a problem, yet Julian approaches her with genuine compassion, asking her if she’s okay. Julian even shows compassion for Russell, sympathizing with him even as he abducts him at Adam's graduation party. Julian tells Russell that he understands his pain at losing his father, and he knows that Russell is unhappy.

Adam describes Russell as almost as tall as Charlie (who is six-foot-five), but better built than Charlie. Julian describes his voice as "deep, calm, and steady" (12). Russell is often seen as unshaven. He keeps most of the house he lives in tidy, and untidy, though Adam and Julian discover a hidden room where Russell hoards things.

Russell was married to Julian's mother's sister; he is not a blood relative of Julian’s. Russell’s father died when he was seventeen, and Russell had to work to support himself from that day forward. Julian says Russell goes away for days and returns home "drowsy and relaxed" (12). Julian thinks Russell is going to work when he leaves, but he finds out later that Russell he has not worked in a year, and Russell has been fired from two jobs.

Russell's defining characteristic is that he is a sadist. He laughs at Julian when he says he has friends, and he convinces Julian that Adam and Adam's mother kicked him out of their house when he lived with them, and they are not his true friends. He verbally abuses Julian by asking questions in a way that makes Julian doubt himself, and he makes fun of Julian's school work and handwriting. Russell also abuses Julian physically. He forces Julian to go get a switch and then he beats Julian with it. He beats Julian while Julian is naked and makes videos of it. When Russell locks Julian in his beloved trunk that his parents had given him, Russell shows "detached curiosity" (204). Russell's face is "cold, blank" as he shuts the lid of the trunk (208).

Roe shows Russell's mental instability in other ways also. Russell avoids all confrontation with people by not answering telephone calls, and he withdraws Julian from school when he suspects his abuse will be discovered. Proof of his mental instability culminates when Russell shows up at Adam's graduation party with a gun and attempts to abduct Julian and kill Adam. 

Charlie is one of Adam's closest friends. He is tall, blonde, and physically fit. He comes from a large family, and Charlie believes his mother constantly getting pregnant keeps his family poor. He has an on-and-off girlfriend named Allison, who is also a friend of Adam's.

The most defining characteristic of Charlie is he's angry, and because he is angry he is "forever complaining" (20). He drops advanced-placement chemistry because he says his teacher is a “bitch,” but when he enters a regular chemistry class, that teacher is also a “bitch.” He complains about his parents having too many children, and believes they are too noisy and messy. When Charlie says he's hungry and asks Adam for food, he is disgusted to be offered a healthy bag of carrots. Charlie's biggest complaint is that Julian shouldn't be tagging along with him and Adam.

Charlie is also plainspoken, and often embarrasses Julian by making comments to Adam like, "What is [Julian]—your date?" (116). He has no problem telling anyone to "shut the fuck up" (23). 

Charlie is also bold, and acts swiftly and decisively. These abilities play a crucial role in this story. Although there are numerous people at Adam's graduation party who witness Russell pull a gun, it’s Charlie who takes swift action against Russell, wrestling him to the ground and preventing Julian's abduction and Adam's death.