Character Sketch

Character Sketch
Kim Cowley
Who would think that an old fragile woman would have such a feisty personality in her childhood? Yes, we are talking about the one and only Kim Cowley from the play script “Brother in the Land”
During her time of youth, Kim was what every girl would wish to be. Throughout the play script, she has been described very determined, fearless and ambitious. The true characteristics of a great leader.
When Kim was first introduced into the story, she was shown very wild and selfish. When her ‘so-called’ friends tried to steal her bag of food after the tragic nuclear attack, she was ruthless and attempted to kill one of them, and would have finished the job if Danny had not stopped her. She does not regret her actions at all, as after the fight for food ended, she said “He wouldn’t have thought twice about doing (killing) me in. Its survival of the fittest now, mate.” This quote also clarifies her belief in how the stronger always conquer, whether they are right or wrong.
Kim is very realistic and does not trust anybody. While everyone actually believed that the Civil Defense Team was going to help them and do something for the public, she stood firmly alongside her beliefs and said “Do you honestly think they’ll come down here and start dishing all their grub (food) out to everyone?”. This also shows the stubborn side of Kim’s personality.
On the other hand, Kim does have a fun side to her. She loves being sarcastic and joking with people, along with teasing them as well. This is evident during her first meeting with Danny. When Danny had accidentally spilled out the fact that his Dad’s shop is full of food, Kim instantly knew that he had made a big mistake by saying that out loud. This shows how cunning she really is. Then again, when Danny tried to cover up what he said by telling he had masculine elder brothers, she could tell something was up. That’s how smart and clever Kim is on the inside as she detected a lie as easily as if she could see it.
Yes, sometimes Kim can be short tempered and merciless, however, she does have a soft side. She is shown very kind and caring towards Ben, especially at the time when they were given food by the Civil Defense Team. Ben was hungry and Kim was given food. Revealing her loving side towards the readers, Kim shared her food with Ben even though she was very hungry too. And this is how she was the one to prove that the first impression is not always the last impression.
Towards the end of the play script, Kim is shown extremely brave as she stares Death in the face and signs up for an ambush attack arranged to the Movement to Arm Skiply Against Dictorial Authority (MASADA). Her volunteering for dangerous tasks caught Danny’s attention and he tried to talk her out of it, however, she remains stubborn and ridged saying “It’s better to fight than sit around in this dump!. This showed the readers that she was strong and prepared to fight.
Even though Kim is shown very brave throughout the play script, however, when it comes to Danny, she is very shy. This is very prominent during the time when they were hesitating to ask each other out.
Living in a small town like Skipley, going through a huge tragedy such as a nuclear bomb attack and fighting for your life and your survival every second of the day is not an easy task. However, Kim Cowley, member of MASADA, a strong, witty, humorous, clever, authoritative and yet caring teenager got through it all. Someone with that much endurance and patience has got to be special. And who says she isn’t? Her best friend Danny, who she later develops feelings for, is the only one who truly understands her. He thinks she’s independent and fearless, as he stated “I think your great!”
If you ask me, I think that Kim has that edge that everyone should have. She’s one of those people that standout, even when the world is crashing down on their heads.
Written by:
Ayesha Batool Haque