Half Brother

Many of the characters in Half Brother are challenging to characterize, as their descriptions are filtered through Ben's mindset, and Ben is not always a reliable narrator. Zan, the chimpanzee, is perhaps the greatest example of this disconnect.

Zan enters the Tomlins' lives as an infant chimpanzee—docile, compliant, and adorable, with black frizzy hair and enormous brown eyes. He also has a small tuft of white hair on his rump, indicating he is still a juvenile. At the beginning of the story, Ben views Zan as ugly and irritating, but Zan quickly bonds with Ben, asking Ben for a hug with his first sign.

As Zan learns to communicate through American Sign Language (ASL), he demonstrates remarkable intelligence and emotional complexity, challenging the notion of chimpanzees as research subjects. Zan is loving, caring for his "babies,” or dolls, and teaching them sign language. His most frequent signs, especially to his preferred caregivers, are "hug" and "up."

Although affectionate, Zan has a powerful temper. His tantrums range from simply refusing to sign, to throwing a plate of Jell-O, to biting a research assistant's fingers to the bone. Despite this, Ben insists that Zan would never hurt anyone.

Zan occupies a strange liminal space as a chimpanzee raised as a human. He struggles to get along with either species, being not wholly of either. At Helson's compound, Zan has difficulty interacting with other chimps, having never learned how to communicate with them. However, the sanctuary provides a glimmer of hope as Zan begins to build relationships with chimps his own age.

While Zan is a powerful character in his own right, he also serves to explore themes of Communication and Understanding and The Ethics of Animal Experimentation. Zan's character reveals the complexity and depth of animal emotions and intelligence. His ability to learn and express himself through ASL blurs the lines between human and animal, emphasizing the need for empathy and ethical consideration in treating other species.

Sarah Tomlin is a 34-year-old scientist and researcher working toward her doctorate. She is described as beautiful, with long hair and a bohemian style, often attracting attention from men. Throughout Half Brother, she struggles to find a balance between her husband, Richard, and her son, Ben.

Sarah has a nurturing personality and takes on the role of Zan’s surrogate mom with ease. She is patient and often serves as an intermediary between Ben and Richard. For instance, she advocates for Ben to avoid private school and ensures he can participate in cross-country, showing her supportive and understanding nature.

Sarah, Ben, and Richard provide three different perspectives on the humans involved in animal experimentation. Richard is controlling, to the point where his efforts to manage the experiment affect the results. Ben is too emotionally attached, anthropomorphizing Zan and insisting that Zan stay with the Tomlins, even though this is not in the chimpanzee’s best interest. Sarah falls somewhere in the middle: She cares about Zan and looks out for his welfare but sometimes makes choices for the “greater good” that may not be in Zan’s best interest. For example, she supports the installation of the learning chair to gather more significant data, hoping it will help the project receive much-needed funding.

Sarah’s character arc and growth throughout the novel mainly involves standing up to Richard. Early on, she follows Richard’s lead with little argument, even moving the family across the country without being consulted about the decision. As the novel progresses, Sarah begins to argue with him more about his treatment of Zan and Ben. By the novel’s conclusion, she freely tells Richard he is wrong, indicating a shifting dynamic in their relationship. Sarah’s character underscores the novel’s themes of empathy, ethical responsibility, and the complexities of human relationships in the context of scientific research.

Dr. Richard Tomlin is a handsome professor and psychologist nearing 40. He is very controlling and strict with everything in his life. His wife, Sarah, implies this is due to a difficult childhood. She tells Ben, “Your dad’s a very controlled person [...] He keeps it in. […] I think the way he was brought up [...] There wasn’t much money” (306). Richard himself says, “I started from nothing [...] Everything I got I worked like hell for: the best marks, the scholarships, jobs” (224). Because it took so much effort for Richard to earn his position and status, he focuses much of his energy on maintaining it. He desperately tries to control every aspect of his life, leading to difficulties in his relationships and emotional absence from Ben and Zan’s lives.

Richard struggles the most with understanding his son, Ben. He assumes that Ben is lazy because Ben struggles in school and does not recognize Ben’s strengths. He focuses on status, insisting on sending Ben to an expensive private school and buying a pricey car when the funding for his project has yet to be secured. Sarah is the only person who can change Richard’s mind, and even that is rare.

Although Richard struggles to express his emotions, he genuinely loves Ben and Sarah and tries to understand them. Despite not agreeing with Sarah and Ben stealing Zan, after listening to their arguments, he confronts Helson and tries to repurchase Zan. Richard even offers to take an ill-advised loan to acquire the money. Richard becomes an integral part of saving Zan, not because he feels guilty about Zan’s treatment, but because it is essential to his family. This marks a significant shift in Richard’s behavior and offers a path for his continued progress. 

Peter McIvor is a research assistant on Project Zan. He is one of the few males Zan likes immediately, which helps him get the job despite Richard's objections. Peter has long brown hair, usually pulled back into a ponytail, and a beard. Like Sarah, he dresses in a bohemian style and even wears a peace sign button. Ben admires Peter from the start, saying, "Peter was my idea of cool. He was relaxed and smart and he was really good with Zan, and I thought the way he dressed was right on, too" (140).

Ben is surprised to learn that Peter was a nerd growing up, with ant farms, newts, and two iguanas. Peter's fascination with animals influences every part of his life. He is a foil to Richard in the novel. Among the researchers, Peter is the most concerned with Zan's well-being. He is the only one to argue against the "learning chair," and he even changes schools to ensure Zan's welfare. While Richard focuses on the results of the experiment, Peter focuses on Zan.

Peter’s character helps the novel explore themes of Communication and Understanding and The Ethics of Animal Experimentation. His relationships with Ben and Zan highlight the importance of considering the moral aspects of scientific research. Through Peter, the text explores the need for compassion and ethical considerations in the pursuit of knowledge.

The Godwins have a notable influence on the story. Dr. Godwin oversees the psychology department and serves as Richard's superior. Richard often mirrors Dr. Godwin's decisions, such as sending Ben to Windermere and purchasing a Mercedes. Despite Dr. Godwin's overall support for Richard's work and advocacy for family ties, tensions arise, especially during setbacks like the loss of funding for Project Zan.

Mrs. Godwin embodies the role of a stereotypically conventional 1970s housewife, differing notably from Sarah's more liberal parenting style and general interests. Contrary to Sarah's hesitations, she advocates for placing Ben in a private school. Sarah's permissive approach, such as allowing Ben to sample wine, contrasts Mrs. Godwin's traditional views. However, both mothers share genuine concerns for their children's well-being, showcasing the diverse family dynamics portrayed in the narrative.

David Godwin, a year older than Ben, becomes one of Ben's initial friends at Windermere. Despite his friendliness, David opposes the idea of Ben and Jennifer dating. Furthermore, Ben occupies a lower position in David's social hierarchy than his sister. Consequently, when David finds Ben's Project Jen journal, he divulges it to his sister, leading to the deterioration of Ben's relationship with her. Despite this, David attempts to console Ben when Jennifer begins dating Hugh. Their relationship is intricate, with David treating Ben as more of a subordinate than an equal friend.

Jennifer Godwin captures Ben's attention with her beauty, sparking his instant crush. However, her behavior toward Ben is inconsistent, leaving him bewildered. Despite Ben's feelings, Jennifer does not reciprocate his romantic interest and manipulates him to provoke jealousy in Hugh. Jennifer distances herself from Ben after she starts dating Hugh, leaving Ben bitter and resentful.

However, Jennifer's actions are not entirely heartless. She returns an expensive record Ben gifted her and contributes to the fund to rescue Zan. Paradoxically, Ben's relationship with Jennifer catalyzes his personal growth despite the emotional distress it causes him.

Overall, the Godwins' presence enriches the story, adding depth to the characters and highlighting the intricacies of familial relationships.

Although there are several research assistants besides Peter, only Susan Wilkes, Ryan Cross, Shira Mavjee, and Joyce Lenardon are mentioned by name. These assistants paint a picture of scientific research as a blend of multiple personalities and goals.

Susan Wilkes is pretty but "agreed with everything Dad said" (119). Zan does not like her, and neither do Sarah or Ben. Even Peter calls her "creepy." Susan's interests are not in the project but instead in Richard, and she makes blatant overtures toward him. After Sarah removes Susan from the project, Susan leaks photos of the learning chair to 60 Minutes as revenge. Susan represents the challenges of working with people who have goals outside the intended research.

Ryan Cross is Richard's star student, though Ben never likes him. Like Susan, Ryan agrees with most things Richard suggests. When Ben takes Zan out of the learning chair, Ryan and Susan are the research assistants on duty. Ryan is the one who tries to take Zan from Ben, earning a vicious bite in the process. Ryan then moves to Richard's rat project and mocks Ben for his concern over a euthanized rat. Ryan reflects Richard, who is disinterested in the animals.

Shira Mavjee, in contrast, takes the time to explain to Ben why it is necessary to euthanize the rat. Ben sees her as "nice and patient" (226). Shira represents science focused on teaching others, as she willingly and patiently explains things to both Zan and Ben. However, like Ryan and Richard, Shira places scientific research over animal welfare.

Finally, Joyce serves as a cautionary tale about working with animals. While Ryan legitimately provokes Zan into attacking, Joyce does not. However, she does not respond to Zan's signs because she does not understand them. Zan's attempt to bite Joyce is the first time he attacks without the researchers understanding why. Though Joyce is a minor character, her interaction with Zan highlights the dangers of working with wild animals and treating them like humans.

The Brentwood kids include Tim Borden and Mike. They all go to the local public school. Tim is Ben's neighbor, and they get along well until Tim introduces Ben to his friends. After the construction site incident, Ben's father, Richard, does not want Ben to have any contact with the Brentwood kids, including Tim.

The Brentwood kids represent class stereotypes. Richard dislikes them because he thinks they are "going nowhere," even though their backgrounds are like his. Tim is genuinely pleasant. He brings back Ben's bike when he leaves it and brings food for Zan and Ben when they are hiding. Although Ben likes Tim, Richard's judgment confuses him. Eventually, Ben makes excuses not to spend time with Tim and even fails to tell him they are going to different schools.

Tim's friend Mike is very different from him: "He had scary eyes. They were intelligent, but they stared really hard, and I couldn't tell what was going on behind them" (49). Mike starts trouble. He starts the fire at the construction site, makes fun of Ben's private school, throws things at Zan, gets into a fight with Ben, and shoots Ben with a BB gun.

These interactions show the complexity of human relationships and the influence of social and economic backgrounds. Tim and Mike represent two sides of the same coin. Tim shows kindness and loyalty, reflecting the positive aspects of friendship. On the other hand, Mike’s rebellious and aggressive behavior supports Richard's prejudices and creates tension in Ben's relationships.

Tim and Mike also serve to highlight Ben’s internal struggle with identity and social standing. Ben likes Tim but feels pressured by his father's judgment and the expectations of his new private school. This conflict forces Ben to navigate the complexities of loyalty, friendship, and social class. By choosing to distance himself from Tim, Ben sacrifices a genuine friendship, showing the difficulties of growing up and making tough decisions influenced by external pressures.