Good Will Hunting Character Analysis Essay

Character Analysis
Nedry’s motivation was to take revenge and become rich while both Sal and Tom seeked acceptance and matured into adulthood; however, all of them went to great lengths to achieve their goals, risking their lives while learning lifelong lessons.
In contrast to Sal and Tom, Nedry goes on a journey of selfishness and greed to acquire money. Nedry risks his life and InGen’s future for money, showing his gluttony and the length he will go spite Hammond and get what he was paid for. "I want to see the damn money.” (Michael Crichton). As the main programmer at the park, Nedry has lots of power and uses that power to his advantage- to deceive his co workers and hide his crime. “it was the motherent that Dodgson had been waiting
for-because it meant his man would have access to embryos.” (Michael Crichton). Nedry was chosen because of his power to have access to the embryos, making him important for Biosyn and a traitor to InGen. Thievery and overall deceitfulness will lead to his and the park’s downfall. “the horror of that realization was followed by a final wish, that it would all be ended soon.” (Michael Crichton). Nedry learns his lesson when he dies from the dilophosaurus who outsmarted him. Karma comes back and bites Nedry when he tries to execute his plan, showing that the greedy will perish in a dangerous, selfless field of science.
Sal goes on a rough trip through the country, going through many terrifying situations to accept and understand her mother’s death.
“It was only then, when I saw the stone and her name - Chanhassen 'Sugar' Pickford Hiddle - and the engraving of the tree, that I knew, by myself and for myself, that she was not coming back.” (Creech). Sal and her father moved away from their home in the country after Sal’s mother died in a bus crash. Furthermore, Sal is a “country” girl and has trouble getting acclimated to the suburban environment with all of its unfamiliar people and situations. This issue comes to the fore when she looks at her new neighborhood in disgust, comparing the homes there to bird houses. After her mother’s death, Sal and her father are sad and confused. While they seek to stay a family, their bond is tested as Sal wants to blame someone for what happened. Sal and a new friend, Phoebe, even fabricate stories about Margaret, the only crash survivor and someone her father was spending more time with. However, Sal matures and becomes less stubborn and more considerate as she stays longer in the town with Phoebe, even confronting Margaret and learning her side of the story. On her mother’s birthday, Sal shows how desperate she was to visit her mother’s grave by driving a narrow and dangerous road. “At the first curve, my heart started thumping. My palms were sweating and slippery on the wheel. I crept along with my foot on the brake. but the road doubled back so
sharply and plunged so steeply that even with my foot on the brake, the car was going faster than I wanted it to.” (Sharon Creech) At the end of the story, after learning that Gram had died from a stroke, she comforts Gramps, showing maturity. “'It's OK,' I said. I sat down on the other side of the bed and held his hand. 'This ain't your marriage bed.'” (Sharon Creech). After her crazy adventure, Sal shows kindness and helps Gramps recover from Gram’s death, showing maturity and acceptance.
Tom Sawyer, at the beginning of the book, is a trickster that hoodwinks people out of their money and possessions.
He has power over the other people in his town and is very clever and mischievous. He eventually learns to care for those who are close to him. An example of this is when Tom grows passionate and caring towards Becky: “He sat down by her and put his arms around her; she buried her face in his bosom, she clung to him, she poured out her terrors, her unavailing regrets, and the far echoes turned them all to jeering laughter. ” (Mark Twain) Tom comforts Becky even though he might’ve been annoyed at her earlier in the book, showing maturity. He shows understanding and empathy, something that he lacked in the beginning. Also, Tom seeks justice for Injun Joe and wanted to prove Muff Potter not guilty. He risks his life to give justice and help Potter by telling the court about what he saw that night. “—and as the doctor fetched the board around and Muff Potter fell, Injun Joe jumped with the knife and—” (Mark Twain). Tom will do the right thing in time and has a noble, caring heart. He embarks on many journeys, seeking adventure and independence, and looks up to Huckleberry Finn’s free life. In that way, he is similar to other town boys and often gets in trouble. At the end of the book, however, Tom is the one who brings Huck back to civilization and reality. “Tom routed him out, told him the trouble he had been causing, and urged him to go home.” (Mark Twain) Tom
matured from the start to the end of the book, going through great, risky adventures in the cave and escaping to Jackson’s Island.