10% Justice

Exploration of Protagonist Development

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

What does it truly mean to have the right to your own body? Your soul? Your legacy? Do you decide your right, even if you don’t contribute anything by having it? Or should someone decide for you, if you aren’t of use in your complete state? In the society of the future, as described in the novel Unwind by Neal Shusterman, the Bill of Rights governs the physical state of individuals from ages thirteen to eighteen. During this span, it is legal for a teenager to be chosen for harvesting—a process of salvaging for body parts—by law, state, or parents, without being given the choice or voice. Some members of society are even specifically nurtured to become subjects bound to this fate; they are called tithes, and are viewed as divine sacrifice, a salvation of happiness for others. Even though they are of different religions, they all seem part of one cult; one that is ready to be teared apart, and be spread around the world like a holy mosaic, a reward to the needy from God himself. One such tithe had changed his mentality—and found the true God.

His name is Lev—a tithe destined to be unwound before his birth, he is one of the three major protagonists in the novel, and perhaps the most inspirational. The identity of this protagonist develops through the changes that occur in his actions, thoughts, and beliefs as the plot nears the climax. Lev, as the character, is most influenced by the outside environment during the described period of his life, especially in the process of his transformation of character. Because of his family’s strict religion, Lev, as the tenth child, is raised to believe that the donation of his organs to society once he turns thirteen is a blessing and service to God. Even though he enjoys the celebration of his tithing, Lev cannot get over the feeling he has not lived enough yet. Lev’s journey to be unwound is interrupted when he becomes part of a road accident and is kidnapped by two Unwounds who he thinks are psychologically impaired criminals. Those Unwounds are actually the other two protagonists, Connor and Risa, who are fighting against the government system of unwinding by means of seeking refuge. Because of his pro-tithe mindset, he develops a plan of gaining their trust so he can turn them both in. “It’s no use trying to explain to this godless pair what tithing is all about,” is Lev’s mutual response to his own abduction, “They haven’t saved him. They’ve damned him.” However, Lev’s attempts of turning his companions in when they reached civilization have not been successful. The naïve Lev does not know that soon his values and impulsive intentions are about to change.

The first step to the development of his character is the moment when Lev realizes that he is alone, with no parents who want him. He also begins to acknowledge that he became attached to Risa and Connor; however repulsive they were to him at first, they were the only ones that had been accompanying him when no one had wanted him. After he gets separated from Risa and Connor, Lev befriends CyFi, a genius Unwound, while trying to survive on his own. Through CyFi, he gains an understanding of the real world, and in return he is there for CyFi when he loses control. Because of CyFi’s influence, Lev gains some important characteristics, such as an improvement in speed and a certain practical sagacity in mind. The scene where Lev honorably steals money from a pawnbroker serves as insight to the new cunning side of Lev. Most importantly, the statements CyFi makes influence the opinion Lev has on unwinding in the more sensible direction; with each flip of a page, a reader of Unwind will sense how Lev’s position in the controversy of unwinding shifts. Lev no longer sees this organ reaping divine as he struggles to keep CyFi in control of his consciousness; one eighth of his mind is dominated by the donor’s feelings, who earns to return to his parents’ home for some unknown reason. When CyFi looses his control, Lev has the desperation and understanding to scream to his parents, “Tell him you won’t unwind him!” because the part of the boy who is in CyFi’s brain doesn’t know he’s all ready divided up into many, many parts. After this encounter with the parents of the kid inside CyFi’s brain, Lev no longer knows which side he belongs to. He has changed from a naïve aspiring tithe to an outcast with only one goal on the agenda: survival.

As Lev begins to understand the true treachery of the unwinding law, he is forced to change his principles on the matter. This is made clear by numerous evidence in the text such as the line as simple as: “No one will be getting Lev’s fingerprints.” What a change, isn’t it, from the beginning, when Lev was eager to be taken to harvest camp so he can give all of himself to others? He did give all of himself for others, eventually, but in an entirely different fashion. He had saved three lives by pulling unconscious individuals out from the harvesting building after it had suffered an explosion, and had led the entire rescue effort for the Unwounds, liberating their right to their bodies and souls.

The development of Lev’s character was accompanied by the advance of opposition of the government law. Lev had matured from an innocuous child into an independent individual while taking a stand for the rights of teenage citizens, which gives him an involvement with the thematic concern of the novel. Unwinding, the system of organ transplant: what a challenging policy to combat, when it is a battle of ethics against law! The novel portrays the courage and integrity with which one can overpower any system and authority, to do what they know is the just. Lev’s development of identity symbolizes this aspect of human nature that no law can change, or ever will change.