Varied Characters
The characters are all both
clearly defined and realistic.
They are strongly contrasted,
and each has a role to play in
the overall matrix, out they all
share their common humanity.
Bobby is the dumpy guy
who's always cracking jokes.
He is also the one who is,
pitifully, brutally raped.
Drew is the voice of
civilization. His guitar playing
provides the only moment of
communion these men find
with the backwoods people,
and he is the one who talks of
the law when Lewis kills the
mountain man. His voice is
overridden, and he ultimately
dies a grotesque death.
Lewis is the leader of the
group. He is the man who
thought up the adventure, and
who is constantly talking of
getting back to nature and
pitting one's raw survival
ability against the elements.
Yet he is in no way separate
from his more "civilized"
friends, basically. His outward
masculinity is commented
upon by the nature of the
whole film, certainly, but no
sort of impotence is proved
when he breaks his leg. He is
still very much a part of the
scene, right to the end of the
film.
But the person Deliverance
is about more than any of the
others is Ed. He is presented
along with the rest of the four
in the first part of the movie,
with nothing to set him apart.
He is the modern suburbanite,
comfortable in the life he is
drifting through. To him this
weekend outing is just another
form of relaxation, calling
upon no deep feelings or
resources. He is at least as
capable as Lewis in the water,
and he accepts his jitters when
shooting an animal very
quietly.
