Peeling the Onion: Oliver Dunn

Oliver Henry Dunn is, one could argue, the principle character of both A Boy Called Hawk and A Rumor of Real Irish Tea. (In actuality, Emily's the real principle, but her existence revolves around Oliver, so that makes Oliver the center of the universe, as it were.) When I very first imagined his character, it was as the overly arrogant antagonist to Hawk and Hummer's protagonists (Honey and Happy were more passive in my original brainstorming, I think). As the story developed, though, it did seem to become more about Oliver than the four Wests. They already had their eyes wide open, whereas he still had so much to learn. Thus, he became the more interesting character to me.

He's named after Oliver Cromwell, 1st Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England. I should here note that I haven't actually read the linked wikipedia article, or anything specifically about Cromwell. That's because I named Oliver after my lingering impression of Cromwell from history learned ages past. Weird as this may sound, it was important to me not to research further than that--in my mind Cromwell was an ambiguous figure, and I didn't want to delve into whether he was good or bad. My impression of him was that of a man who believed in his cause but probably went about it the wrong way. Plus he was a killjoy because he supported shutting down all the playhouses in London (including the Globe Theatre, though this was well after Shakespeare's death). That alone made him the perfect namesake for Oliver's character.

Oliver's original surname was going to be Hill, but I scrapped that almost as soon as I thought of it. My four little protagonists had names that started with the letter H, so I tried to avoid that letter when naming everyone else. Hence, "Hill" became "Dunn" via the Old English word "dun," meaning "hill" (and the ancestor of ModE "dune"). Ten points to me for sheer stubbornness. "Dunn" with the geminate n is also OE, with a meaning of "dingy brown, dark-coloured." This may have influenced Oliver's appearance, though I don't recall doing any conscious plotting on that front. In my imagination, he was always dark-haired and sour-faced.

For his middle name, I broke the "no H" rule and dubbed him Henry. I love this name, but explaining why would take an entire post on its own. Suffice to say that "Henry" has come to represent to me someone who has far more potential than they are fulfilling. It fits Oliver very nicely. (And no, I don't personally know anyone named Henry, so that representation is not meant as a slight. I came by it honestly.)

Oliver's physical features, as I recall, are only ever noted through Emily's observation of "a pale-faced, dark-haired boy who stared sullenly back at her." He's unusually fussy about his appearance and is the type of person who'd stand in front of a mirror for hours just to get everything perfect, if he could. He likes to slick back his hair with a wet comb because he thinks it looks more grown-up. He would also be completely mortified if anyone discovered him doing this sort of fussy upkeep, because he wants everyone to think his image is inherent to him rather than something contrived.

One of his most prominent characteristics is an inferiority complex that manifests through arrogance and insults. His self-worth is centered entirely on his brains: basically, because he's smarter than everyone else, he's better than everyone else, and if he wasn't smart he'd be worthless. This has been a point of contention between him and most of his handlers throughout his Prometheus experience, mainly because he insists on seeing himself as their intellectual superior. Understandably, most of them can't take that sort of attitude from a snotty little kid.

His null-projection is further proof of his superiority and marks him as unique, but he has mixed feelings about it. He understands that he's being used by the adults, but he also has pride in being the only person they can turn to. The null-projection itself is a relatively recent development, though. It was discovered when he was six-turning-seven, and developed strongly in the year that followed. By the time he turned eight, it was full-fledged. To Oliver, it's not all that notable because he can't really control it and it doesn't really affect him. It is his "normal," so he can't understand anything beyond it. He does like the assurance that projectors can't influence him, though.

He's too young to have a love interest, but he develops a secret and suppressed crush on Emily. He'd die a thousand deaths before admitting that out loud, and really, she's more like a favorite toy than a true crush. Since he's only ten, his instinctive method of coping with his feelings is to belittle her, which he does quite frequently. That she takes his belittling so well only increases his admiration for her. As for his fellow classmates, he wouldn't call any of them friends. They're rivals for his teachers' praise and recognition. Oliver looks at all of his interactions as a competition, and he doesn't like to lose.

That competitiveness is really what fuels his pursuit of the Wests. He looks down on Hawk and Hummer because they were students of the F Campus--flunkies, in his eyes. That Hummer once trounced him in a mechanics competition doesn't help matters, since Oliver feels compelled to prove he's smarter. There's also a secret jealousy at play, though. Oliver, who has forever stood alone, resents those who have friends and family around them. True to the proverbial "misery loves company," he ultimately wants the Wests brought back to Prometheus because he's also stuck there. Deep down, he wants them to feel the same isolation and rejection that he's felt for all of his life.

I like to say that my characters are like my children. That doesn't mean I don't have favorites, though. Oliver is one that I'd love to huggle just to watch him squirm in indignation. I suppose in many ways he's an incarnation of an earlier me, so I want him to grow and develop and realize that there's more to life than how smart others might think you are. Even though I have no plans to write his story beyond A Rumor of Real Irish Tea, I can imagine the places he'll go in life and that makes me happy--because I know that someday, he will be too.

Next time: Emily Brent