74 pages • 2 hours read
Lisa McMannThe Unwanteds
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2011A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
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BetaCharacter Analysis
Alex Stowe
Alex Stowe is the novel’s protagonist and one of the eponymous Unwanteds. As a child, he sketched a picture of a house in the dirt using a stick. This display of artistic creativity was a death sentence in his home state of Quill. He was deemed Unwanted and sent to the Death Farm as part of an annual Purge. Unbeknownst to the people of Quill, a magical world existed on the other side of the Death Farm’s iron gate. Alex finds himself (and the other Unwanteds) in Artimé, a hidden kingdom created by the mage Mr. (Marcus) Today. Alex’s journey takes him from being an unwanted son to a powerful magician, helping the people of Artimé fight back against Quill’s authoritarian power. Alex learns to embrace his creative side and becomes a skilled artist. His skills in painting, sculpting, and drawing improve rapidly, and Alex proves to be very adept at magic. Alex’s artistry and magic are inextricably linked.
A key part of Alex’s identity is the bond he shares with his twin brother Aaron. Both boys showed evidence of artistry when they were young, but Alex took the blame for his brother’s behavior, thus saving Aaron from supposed death. At the beginning of the novel, Alex holds his brother in high regard. He views Aaron as an extension of himself, capable of the same emotions and intuitions. He misses Aaron and assumes that Aaron misses him.
As the narrative unfolds, Alex begins to realize that Aaron was not quite the wholesome brother he always believed him to be. It becomes apparent that Aaron informed on several people (including Will Blair and Samheed), condemning them to death. Aaron is a ruthless, ambitious young man who dreams of becoming Quill’s High Priest. This revelation is a shock to Alex. He struggles to comprehend how Aaron—who is so similar to him in many ways—is capable of this. Alex’s arc begins to focus on his gradual acceptance of how he and his brother are different, as well as becoming aware that he may not be able to save Aaron. When Alex and Aaron meet again after the final battle, there seems to be a tacit understanding that the brothers will remain on opposing sides. Thus, Alex’s youthful naivety is fully expunged.
Marcus Today
Marcus Today is the mysterious mage who created Artimé. Toward the end of the novel, it is revealed he is the twin sister of Quill’s High Priest, Justine. Like Aaron and Alex, Mr. Today shares a powerful bond with his sister. At one time, he was a true believer in his sister’s intentions to rule over Quill. But as her methods became increasingly extreme, isolationist, and authoritarian, he became disillusioned. To save as many people as possible from certain death, he created Artimé. In effect, everything Marcus Today does during the narrative is an attempt to rectify the mistakes he made in Quill. Never able to forgive himself, he recognizes the atrocities he committed and hopes he can find atonement through positive actions.
Though Mr. Today strives to be good, in some ways, he remains exactly like his sister. Justine is a zealot, a firm believer in moral extremes who will never, ever compromise on her ideals. Justine’s ideals involve slaughtering the weakest members of Quill in an annual festival to improve the gene pool. Mr. Today’s ideals involve ensuring Artimé is always an open, welcoming place for everyone who might want to come. Mr. Today refuses to fully cut off the rest of the world. But doing this means Artimé is vulnerable to attack. As he says himself, Mr. Today would rather fight for his freedom than compromise it in any fashion. The final battle between Artimé and Quill results in death on both sides. For Mr. Today, this is an essential sacrifice so that Artimé never becomes like Quill. This proves he is as unyielding as Justine, even if neither would admit it.
Mr. Today finds himself having to make difficult decisions and is not always able to make the right choice. His decisions are questioned by those around him. For instance, his treatment of Will Blair and Samheed demonstrates he is willing to see the good in everyone, even though it seems inevitable that they will betray Artimé. Mr. Today remains firm in his convictions. Though he succeeds in the end, his difficult decisions do cause pain and suffering, only adding to his desperate need to atone.
Lani Haluki
Lani Haluki is among the Unwanteds who arrive in Artimé with Alex. Younger than the others, she is the daughter of one of Quill’s highest-ranking governors: Gunnar Haluki, the second-in-command to High Priest Justine. Lani was reported by her father. She finds solace in Alex’s company. As the magical world of Artimé is revealed, Lani throws herself into the learning process. She is an adept student and soon advances well beyond her classmates despite her young age. She is an embodiment of magic’s capacity to make everyone equal.
Lani’s relationship with Alex is one of the most complicated parts of the book. While Alex is being withheld from Magical Warrior Training, she is quick to use what she knows to perform spells on him. She teases him relentlessly, and it takes some time for him to forgive her. But this teasing is an example of Lani’s struggle to deal with her emotions. She does not know how to process her affection for Alex, so she resorts to teasing and showing off to attract his attention. While this has an adverse effect, it demonstrates that Lani is emotionally immature despite her advanced abilities.
Lani’s moment of reckoning comes at the end of the novel. She confronts her father, attempting to kill him, only to discover that he has been working with Marcus Today for years. Apparently disowning Lani by reporting her was an attempt to save her, not condemn her. After a year of loathing her father and imagining what she would do if she ever confronted him, Lani is forced to reconsider everything she thought she knew. Lani is forced to grow up quickly and deal with the responsibilities and realities of adult life. Ultimately, Lani is a representation of the way conflict can rob youngsters of their innocence and their childhoods.
