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• The following characterizations were written by students of Class 1AD (teacher: Katharina Merker), Kantonsschule Wettingen; Wettingen, Switzerland, September 2000
• Characterization of the Baines Family
  • Lucy is a rather unusual young teenager. She is different to most of the girls at her age, maybe even the exception to the rule: she is a tidy person.
    Lucy finds herself in an ignorant family and she doesnât feel comfortable with them at all. The reason of her unhappiness is the fact that none of her family ever listens to what she says. They ignore her all the time. Sometimes, she even feels hate, but also sorrow for her pessimistic family. They are just dissatisfied with their own lives, therefore they donât pay any attention to Lucy. Lucy feels misunderstood. Her only desire is to escape from her family where she feels very lonely.
    Lucy uses her imagination to make the appearance of Zara, her invisible friend, become reality. Zara actually only exists in Lucyâs mind, but Lucy gets so caught with the idea, having a true friend who listens to her that she builds up her own world, which is animated by invisible people.
    She gets so into her new world that she loses any possible connection to reality, to her real family, to her mother, Joy, her father Walt, and even to her brother Grizzly Gary. Blindly she lives her hidden life. But all of a sudden she realizes how much her real family actually means to her, so she wants them back.
    Lucy starts to feel hate and regret, she gets furious. She feels trapped in her own prison. She realizes who she really loves, her true family. Lucy lets her subconscious take over herself.
    Lucy tells her story in a rather different way than most people would tell their story. She sometimes speaks in a very ironic and sarcastic way. If you read the play you may think that the girl has somehow a mental problem. But in a way every one can understand Lucy. If you are lonely, you make up your own vision of life. Some people even use their imagination to be happy. Where then, can you see the borderline of mental illness and healthy common sense?!?
  • Joy is Lucy's mother. She is a person who cares too much about what the others do. She likes to gossip and is as well, very unsatisfied with her own life. She is a depressed mother. She doesnât really pay any attention to her daughter Lucy because she is busy with her own problems. She does though care about her daughter, even if she doesnât show it. Joy is an unhappy person who makes her name appear rather ironic.
  • Walter, also known as Walt, is a Lucy's father. He is a very lazy person. When he comes home from work he prefers to watch TV, but actually he sleeps in front of the TV set instead. He doesnât really care about his daughter, at least he doesnât show any motivation to pay any attention to Lucyâs life. But when it comes to Lucyâs upbringing he tries to be quite strict. Walt is sometimes even demanding when it comes to the raising of his children. But nothing could actually separate him from his beloved television.
  • Gary, called Grisly Gary, is Lucy's brother. Girisly Gary is a lazy person. He has that laziness from his father. His room is always in a mess, which descrbies his character very well. He is the complete contrast to his sister, Lucy. Sometimes Gary is aggressive, but still, at the end of the play Gary proves that he has a big heart. In general he is a good person, but he is just one of his kind.

    written by Natalie

• Characterisation of the Invisible Family
  • The invisible family consists of Zara, Felix, Zara's father and Chuck Felix's son and Zara's brother.
  • Zara is Lucy's very best friend, her invisible friend. She knows everything aobut her. She is very understanding and helps her to be happy. Zara has supernatural powers, she can move things just with her mind, and she teaches Lucy to move objects around too. She is very nice and friendly.
    Once when Lucy really wants to have a real friend Zara becomes visible. Zara has always told her that she can make things become real, if she really believes in it. So Zara become visible, but only for Lucy.
    One day when Lucy is very angry with her family, Zara tells her to make them invisible and so she does. As soon as they have disappeared Zara's family arrives. They yare like Zara very helpful and friendly.
    In the beginning when the invisible family comes into Lucy's life, they are very friendly and obliging. They behave like guests and comfort Lucy. They always listen to her and are there when she needs them. They play games with her and don't get angry when Lucy always wins, all except Chuck; he is irritated.
  • Chuck sleeps the first night in Gary's bedroom. But he can't sleep in an untidy room, therefore he tidies the room up with his supernatural powers.
    The next morning everything has changed. They aren't friendly and helpful anymore. The whole family asks for too much, they command Lucy around all day long. They tell her, what she has to do and what she shouldn't do. She has to cook, clean and so far. She has to get up early to make breakfast for them. She becomes like a slave. They don't listen to her anymore and behave just like Lucy's real family or even worse.

    written by Patricia, Daniela Z. and Sandra