American Gods - Character essays

American Gods - Character essays The main character of American Gods, Shadow, is first introduced while he is in prison. He is described as a large quiet man of an unknown race. The audience is not given details of his features, or insight into the inner workings of his mind. After he is released from prison, he starts out on a pre-destined path that whisks him across the nation in preparation for a war of the gods. Through all of the unexplainable, he watches and says nothing. He rarely questions the actuality of events he witnesses, and never tries to run from the adventures. There are only a few times the audience is allowed to see that Shadow is somewhat bitter about all that he has seen. Shadow himself admits that he is numb to life after becoming aware his wife was unfaithful, anyway nothings really surprised me since Laura...since I learned she was screwing Robbie...that one hurt...everything else just sits on the surface (344). Neil Gaiman intentionally does not describe Shadow very much. He uses Shadows vagueness to draw the reader in, and help them relate to the main character. When Shadow takes on the character of Mike Ainsel, he expresses his pleasure at being able to put his past behind him for a brief moment, Mike Ainsel had none of the problems that Shadow had...Ainsel had never been married...Mike Ainsel had never been interrogated on a freight train by Mr. Wood and Mr. Stone...televisions did not speak to Mike Ainsel (270). This is one of the only times the audience is made aware that part of Shadow is angry for the problems he has fallen into. For the most part, Shadow appears to be willing to follow along behind Wednesday. It does seem Shadow does not believe all of it at first. The buffalo man comes to Shadow in a dream and asks him if he believes yet, and Shadow says he does not know. Shadow asks the buffalo man if he is real, and the buffalo man has a one word answer, belie...